| Publication date | February 12, 2020 |
|---|---|
| Sector | Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries |
| Region name | Chugoku-Shikoku area（Okayama Prefecture）／ Kinki area（Wakayama Prefecture） |
Peach pulp disorders include what are called "water-soaked pulp browning" (browning) and erythrosis, which are not perceptible from the fruit’s external appearance. It has been confirmed that it occurs more often when both summer temperatures and rainfall are high, as in western Japan. In recent years, the average summer temperature has risen due to climate change, and countermeasures are necessary.
The Joint Research Institute for the Development of Peach Pulp Disorder Mitigation Technology (Consortium), with Okayama University as its lead research facility, has developed the "Multi-Functional Fruit Protection Bag" (Fig. 1) as a countermeasure against browning and erythrosis. Since the bag is coated with titanium, which can significantly cut down infrared radiation, fruit temperatures can be better regulated in abnormally hot summers. A moisture-permeable mulch sheet (Fig. 2) has also been developed to prevent the development of disorders by inhibiting water absorption in the tree. This is made of ultra-thin plastic and is impervious to rainfall but allows moisture in the soil to evaporate through fine pores. The combination of multi-functional bag and moisture-permeable mulch-sheet provides a high degree of damage mitigation.
The introduction of this technology is expected to reduce the damage to peach pulp. A Technical Manual for Peach Pulp Disorder Mitigation, which summarizes the results of these studies, was published in February 2016, and the dissemination of technology to farmers is ongoing. It is expected that high-quality fruit will be produced by farmers, profitability will be improved, and production areas will be revitalized.
Fig. 1 Multi-functional fruit protection bags
(Source: Technical Manual for Prevention of Peach Pulp Injury, Joint Research Institute for the Development of Peach Pulp Disorder Mitigation Technology)
Fig. 2 Moisture-permeable mulch-sheet under peach tree canopy.
(Source: Technical Manual for Prevention of Peach Pulp Injury, Joint Research Institute for the Development of Peach Pulp Disorder Mitigation Technology)
