Cracking in oranges and mandarins is one of the biggest problems in the citrus sector worldwide, causing significant financial losses. However, a team from the Mediterranean Agroforestry Institute of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) has developed a treatment that can reduce its incidence by up to 70%. The research shows that the early application of the plant hormone 2,4-D strengthens the fruit's skin and prevents cracking.
The study, carried out on commercial Nova mandarin farms in the Valencia Region, has shown that applying 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid at a specific stage of development (when cell expansion begins) significantly reduces damage without affecting fruit size or quality, thus improving the crop's final yield.
Cracking occurs when the pulp grows faster than the skin, a phenomenon that intensifies after the first autumn rains. This imbalance causes cracks to appear in the rind and can lead to the loss of up to 40% of the production in varieties such as the Nova mandarin or certain Navel oranges.
The research also delves deeper into the mechanism of action of the treatment, resuming lines of work initiated in the 90s. According to the results, the hormone acts on the rind, allowing the development of larger, more flexible cells with more resistant walls, so the skin is less likely to break while the fruit grows.
Researcher Carlos Mesejo said that the aim is to strengthen the skin from the inside to avoid tensions that end up causing cracks and, consequently, financial losses due to fruit becoming unmarketable. He also stressed that the treatment's effectiveness depends on the time of application, with a single early intervention being sufficient to achieve significant results, without the need for large doses.
The work, published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, has been developed in partnership with growers and the Agrihold group, which reinforces its potential for direct application in the sector.
Source: castelloninformacion.com
