Wine Grape Growers around the Globe Experience Richer Reds and Brighter Whites with Purshade

Purshade Solar Protectant Minimizes Sunburn and Heat Stress on Wine Grapes

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Purfresh, a provider of clean technologies that purify, protect, and preserve our food and water, today announced that wine grape growers have experienced significant decreases in physical damage from sunburn and increased cluster weight with Purshade® solar protectant. Field trials conducted on multiple varieties including Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Viogner, and Chardonnay grapes treated with Purshade yielded higher-quality fruit with improved color and flavor characteristics, which resulted in richer color for red wines, and clearer and brighter white wines.

“The results we’ve seen from crops in Chile confirm that Purshade solar protectant is a valuable tool to help growers improve their returns and more effectively compete worldwide.”
Solar damage has a major impact on wine grapes grown throughout the world. Approximately 15–20 percent of wine grapes are lost each season due to solar damage, which is particularly significant for higher-value varieties. Yield and quality can be highly impacted from sunburn damage ranging from complete loss of bunches to negative effects on the quality of the grape juice and subsequent wine.

Purshade was scientifically engineered to provide superior protection against the damaging effects of solar stress. Based on patent-pending Advanced Reflectance Technology™ (ART™), Purshade reflects harmful wavelengths of solar radiation such as ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR), while allowing transmission of sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis. Laboratory results show Purshade reflects as much as 85–95 percent of harmful UV radiation, and has been shown to keep plant surfaces 3–6 degrees Celsius cooler than untreated plants.

“Meeting the toughest standards in the industry requires that growers optimize the conditions for each and every acre, and Purshade does just that while boosting the value of each harvest by reducing solar damage,” said Mr. Alejandro Ochagavia of GMT. “The results we’ve seen from crops in Chile confirm that Purshade solar protectant is a valuable tool to help growers improve their returns and more effectively compete worldwide.”

According to replicated field trials and research studies, improvements in plant health associated with Purshade’s reduction of solar stress were an important factor in increasing the yield and the quality of wine grapes grown around the world:

Chile: Purshade-treated Chardonnay grapes showed a 12 percent decrease in severe sun damage compared to the untreated control group, and the Purshade-treated berry clusters were an average of 15 percent larger than the untreated vines. In Merlot grapes, the Purshade-treated berries experienced a 7 percent decrease in severe sun damage compared to the untreated.

United States: Pinot Grigio grapes experienced a 10 percent increase in average cluster weight and the incidence of sun damage decreased from 10 percent of the untreated control group to 2 percent with Purshade protection. In Viogner grapes, average cluster weight was 22 percent higher in the Purshade treated group with the incidence of sun damage being only 2 percent, compared to 33 percent on the untreated vines.

Australia: In another extreme climate, Chardonnay grapes experienced a significant reduction in sunburn with Purshade. Only 29 percent of the Purshade-treated clusters showed severe sunburn damage compared to 51 percent of the untreated clusters. The average cluster weight for the Purshade-treated Cabernet Sauvignon grapes was 13 percent higher than the control group.

The Purshade family of products includes a formulation for use on conventional crops as well as a formulation that is approved for organic production by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) of the United States of America and has been reviewed by the Institute for Marketecology (IMO) and BCS Chile. The liquid formulations are easy to mix, can be applied with standard spray equipment, and provide for easy wash off.

About Purfresh, Inc.

Purfresh offers a range of clean technology solutions that purify, protect, and preserve our food and water. Purfresh’s innovative crop applications, food wash systems and cold chain technologies effectively safeguard fresh produce before and after harvest. Our water technologies purify and disinfect bottled, pharmaceutical and consumer products. Today, customers in 42 countries rely on Purfresh to boost yields, control costs, and improve the safety and quality of their products, including Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Safeway, Orchard View Farms, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit www.purfresh.com.

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