BASF presents solution to protect bananas during Hortitec 2023

Additive plastic film protects against insects that cause marks on the bark

20.06.2023 | 14:55 (UTC -3)
Ligia Cerdeira
Material can be reused and is 100% recyclable
Material can be reused and is 100% recyclable

Protection to guarantee the quality of bananas will be one of BASF's highlights at Hortitec, the Technical Exhibition of Horticulture, Protected Cultivation and Intensive Crops, which will be held between June 21st and 23rd, in Holambra. The fruit, which is normally attacked by the Thrips insect during the hottest seasons of the year, has marks and rashes on the skin, reducing its visual quality. This attack can be avoided with a plastic film that is placed right at the beginning of the formation of the banana flower and must remain until the fruit is harvested.

“We developed an innovative and sustainable solution for controlling Thrips, which protects the visual quality of the fruit and, consequently, generates greater profitability for the producer. The great difference of this solution is to combat the pest with greater practicality”, explains Daniella La Torre, Technical Specialist for Plastic Additives at BASF.

The solution, developed by BASF in partnership with Braskem and Unesp (Universidade Estadual Paulista), has a repellent action thanks to an anti-UV additive that has the same wavelength as the insect's vision, meaning that, upon entering the environment, bag, he cannot see and removes himself without causing damage to the fruit. The material is 100% recyclable and can be reused for two harvests, ensuring the same insect control efficiency. It is also quick and easy to install, which reduces application costs.

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