Jan 14, 2014

New plant growth regulator registered

Fine Americas, a manufacturer and marketer of plant growth regulators for the fruit industry, recently announced the federal Section 3 registration of its new Blush plant growth regulator.

Featuring the active ingredient prohydrojasmon (PDJ), Blush promotes red coloration in bicolor apple varieties, according to Fine Americas.

“We’re very excited about the federal registration of Blush,” said Greg Johnson, president of Fine Americas. “Based on the data we’ve received from cooperators in several key apple-producing states, Blush did an excellent job of enhancing fruit color in research trials compared to the standard treatment and untreated.”

Johnson added that Blush can be used on a wide range of varieties, including Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, McIntosh and other bicolor apples, to improve fruit coloration and marketability.

PDJ is a synthetically produced jasmonate, one of a new group of plant hormones with several beneficial physiological properties. In addition to fruit degreening, PDJ aids in fruit color development by enhancing accumulation of anthocyanin. Anthocyanins are red pigments that belong to a class of molecules called flavonoids, according to Fine Americas.