This is a technique using an OMRI-listed organic product PROUD 3® as an additive for fruit and vegetable washes, which was pioneered by HUMA GRO®’s distributor in Guatemala.
The melons are cleaned initially with a mix of water and chlorine to remove any dirt from the field, then they pass through the PROUD 3® disinfectant to prevent the post-harvest diseases.
To disinfect Honeydew and Cantaloupe melons, the dosage is to add 5 milliliters of PROUD 3® for each liter of water used. Submerge the melons for a minimum of 15 seconds in the bath or spray the mixture on the melons for the same amount of time.
The PROUD 3® works to disinfect the melons and controls the incidence of bacteria and fungi.
In Guatemala some growers were losing from 25% to 70% of their production to mold and mildew diseases in transit to their markets. With the use of PROUD 3®, their transportation losses have been reduced to only 1% to 10%.
PROUD 3® can also be used to disinfect the refrigerator containers used to transport the pallets with the melon boxes. For this, use fumigation pumps or sprayers and mix a dosage of 10 milliliters of PROUD 3® for each 1 liter of water sprayed.
“We have eliminated almost all the diseases that normally develop in the post-harvest period and transport, especially the mildews and molds.”
For more field studies and research reports, please sign up here, check your email for login credentials, and login here.
Related Posts
This Week In Ag #94
On Thursday we celebrate #WorldSoilDay. Along with water, soil is Earth’s most precious resource. That’s because 95% of our food comes from soil. The importance of nurturing soil can be traced back to Biblical times. Jesus himself spoke of the importance of seeds falling on good soil. While soil health has become a buzzword in today’s
Corn Records Without Rewards
Corn Records Without Rewards U.S. corn growers are smashing records in acreage and yield, but instead of golden returns, many are facing low prices and soaring input costs. Record bushels don’t always mean record profits.
This Week in Ag #85
We’re now five weeks away from a national election. The economy, crime, securing the border and foreign policy are top issues for most voters. But what about farmers? For answers, just look at what they value most: family.
