Protect Citrus from Heat Stress with Parka®

Heat stress can negatively affect growth, productivity, and reduce fruit quality of citrus, which significantly decreases growers’ marketable yields. One of the main symptoms of heat stress on citrus is the “June-drop” of fruits with adverse impact on yield (Figure 1). Fruit quality can also be affected by high temperatures and drought.

Parka program for citrus allows citrus trees to perform more efficiently, increasing the plant’s ability to resist and recover from heat stress. Parka® is a plant-based product originally designed to supplement plant’s cuticle. This additional layer of protection reduces both fruit microfractures and cracking and increases water repellency. Crucially for heat stress protection, Parka’s novel mode of action (MOA) allows plants to use solar radiation for photosynthesis instead of promoting the development oxidative compounds. It is based in two major processes:

1. Parka applications increase the production of antioxidants (e.g., anthocyanins), which reduces the content of oxidative compounds such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipoxygenase (LOX). Cell membrane stability is improved by reducing the content of oxidative compounds and therefore fatty acids are preserved (IRTA, 2020).
2. Parka also enhances the plant’s photosynthetic activity by increasing stomatal conductance and net CO2 exchange (IRTA, 2020).

Parka’s MOA and functions are summarized in Figure 2. As a result, citrus fruit treated with Parka are better equipped to resist the development of heat stress, which means higher fruit quality and marketable yields.