PRODUCTION
Color
Notice the color difference in these commer-
cially harvested Cresthaven peaches — (top)
reflective film treatment and (bottom) no film.
By Desmond R. Layne
and James W. Rushing
S A commercial fruit grower,
A varieties are a very important
aspect of your operation. You
choose them to fit a specific market
window, satisfy particular customers,
and ultimately provide you with a
significant profit for your investment.
In some cases, the variety may have
several excellent characteristics but
lack consumer appeal due to poor
color. Whether you like it or not, the
trend among American consumers is
to buy fruit at the grocery store based
largely on appearance. As a result,
they are often disappointed. Given the
choice of one fruit that was primarily
yellow/green with minimal red color
versus another which was primarily
red, an average consumer would
probably pick the red one. Why?
Maybe it is a misconception that red-
der means better quality. Do you have
any varieties that would make you
more money if they were redder?
Well, “have I got a deal for you …!”
Principles
Light availability is critical to pro-
ducing quality fruit. Light is the driv-
ing force for leaf photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis provides energy for
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Sells
Reflective film may improve color and
quality in your peaches and apples.
fruit development and sugar accumula-
tion. Light is also essential for the pro-
duction of anthocyanin pigments that
result in red/purple skin color of fruits
(e.g. apples, peaches, cherries, plums,
grapes, etc.). These two facts become
evident in different portions of the
canopy. Usually, fruits that are well
exposed to the sun are redder, larger,
and have higher sugar content than
those that are shaded. Further, light is
also important for the production of
flower buds for next year’s crop. Most
efforts to improve light penetration into
the canopy will often ensure greater
‘fruitfulness’ in parts of the canopy that
will otherwise be too shaded for good
fruitwood production.
Potential Opportunity
Scientific reports dating as far back
as the mid 1970s have documented
improvements in skin color and sugar
content of apples and nectarines
when a reflective film is laid on the
orchard floor during the fruit ripen-
ing phase. The principle is quite sim-
ple. The metallized surface of the film
operates as a sunlight reflector.
To look at the product, it resembles
aluminum foil. However, it is either a
low or high density polyethylene film
(LDPE and HDPE, respectively) to
which aluminum particles have been
Plastic mulch application (photo courtesy of
Paul Clarke, Greenwood, VA).
physically attached. As the sun passes
through the sky from dawn to dusk,
light hitting the surface of the film is
reflected back into the tree canopy.
Fruits in the lower and interior part of
the canopy benefit substantially
because they are normally in the shade.
Fruits in the periphery of the canopy
will benefit as well.
The film does not alter the quality of
light that it reflects. It reflects both visi-
ble and invisible (infrared = heat) radia-
tion. When film is laid on the orchard
floor, it is easy to see convection cur-
rents (heat waves) emanating from its
surface on a sunny day. In large-scale
commercial plantings, the film may ele-
vate orchard temperatures up to 10°F.
Other Benefits
Many claims have been made con-
cerning the benefits of using reflective
films for fruit production, including
improved skin color, larger fruit,
increased yield, earlier ripening, greater
uniformity of fruit quality in the tree,
reduced number of pickings, and
improved return bloom. They may also
prove to be a useful tool in integrated
pest management. Higher orchard tem-
peratures may result in more rapid dry-
ing of foliage/fruit and reduce disease
pressure. The light reflection may dis-
tract or disrupt visual cues of particular
insect pests. A recent scientific report
from Virginia Tech noted that squash
fruit from plants grown on aluminum-
coated plastic mulch required no pesti-
cides and attained a price 25% higher
than fruit grown on black plastic where
pesticides were needed. One grower
has even reported that reflective film
helped keep deer out of his orchard.
Preliminary Findings
In 1998, we established several peach
and apple replicated commercial trials
to investigate whether use of reflective
films is economically viable in South
FRUIT GROWER May, 1999

Carolina. Where reflective film was
used, we noted improvements in per-
cent surface red color from 30% to 35%
for Cresthaven and Encore peach vari-
eties and 25% for Imperial Gala apples
compared to a no-film control. In these
three studies, we color sorted more than
5000 individual fruits. We observed no
sunburn. We did not observe differ-
ences in fruit size or sugars at harvest
for either the peach or apple trials.
However, we noted that fruit harvested
the same day for the Encore trial were
significantly softer for the reflective film
treatment than fruits from control trees.
In the apple trial, we will be determin-
ing differences in return bloom and
fruit set this spring. We will be repeat-
ing each of these trials and conducting
additional trials in 1999.
Possible Application
In the southeastern U.S. where
many commercial growers recognize
the need for good color to market
their peaches, in particular, there has
been a trend to plant varieties devel-
oped in California that are noted for
good color. Unfortunately, many of
these varieties are susceptible to bac-
terial spot, a significant problem for
us in the Southeast. Growers may
spend up to $300 per acre per year
just to control spot for these particular
varieties. On the other hand, we have
many varieties developed in the east-
ern U.S. of excellent quality that are
less susceptible to bacterial spot but
simply don’t color well.
Depending on the between-row dis-
tance of your orchard and whether film
is laid mechanically or by hand, our
estimates of cost (film plus labor plus
disposal) range from $90 to $110 per
acre for commercial peach or apple
orchards. Commercial growers that I
Commercial Suppliers
Here are some commercial suppliers of reflective film.
UAP Carolinas (Hendersonville, NC)
Richard Carver, 800-342-3931
Product: SonocoRF, a HDPE metallized film
($138.00 retail for 4000-foot roll by 60-inch width).
Clarke Ag. Plastics (Greenwood, VA)
Paul Clarke, 540-456-4578
Product: Model A10 Plastic Mulch Layer
($4875.00)
Product: 0.8 ml LDPE metallized film
($199.00 retail for 4000 ft. roll by 60 inch width).
Product: 0.5 ml HDPE metallized film
(same as SonocoRF; $138.00 retail for
4000-foot roll by 60-inch width).
FRUIT GROWER May, 1999
Cost Estimation For
have talked with
Reflective Film Use
have told me that Sonoco RF (reflective film) — high density polyethylene metal-
peaches with lized film; $138 per 4000 ft. roll (1.6 m or 5 ft. wide); 1 roll covers almost 2
acres for a standard spaced peach orchard (20 x 20).
more than 1⁄3 sur- Between row Total linear Film cost
face red can be spacing (ft.) feet/acre ($/acre)
marketed in a 15 (apples) 3135 108
higher grade that 18 (peaches) 2713 94
can fetch prices 20 (peaches) 2300 79
up to 40% higher Equipment (optional):
than those in the Mulch Layer (3-point hitch, i.e. Clarke Ag. Plastics, VA) = $4875. Lower
standard grade. cost alternatives: make your own film layer;modify existing mulch
Given these types layer used for plasticulture strawberries; lay plastic by hand.
of numbers, the Installation:
By hand — 3 men (minimum) x $7/hr x 0.5 hr/acre = $11/acre
film would easily By tractor — 2 men x $7/hr x 0.4hr/acre = $6/acre
pay for itself in a Note: 3 men can lay film at 2 to 3 acres/hr; 2 men and tractor
year with a good can cover 20 acres/day.
crop load. Removal/Disposal:
Recycling is not feasible due to contamination of plastic with dirt.
Research and Labor to pick up film — 2 men x $7/hr x 0.4hr/acre = $6/acre
commercial trials Landfill tipping fee — approx. $30/ton in SC; $1.50/acre (based on
are currently 1 ton ‘brick’ = 20 rolls > 20 acres).
being conducted “Bottom-Line” Estimate:
in the western 20-foot middles = $79 + $11 + $6 + $1.50 = $97.50/acre (by hand)
U.S. on the use of
reflective films to
improve color of sweet cherries, the quali- • For peach, detailed summer
ty of grape juice for wine production, and pruning should be done before the
even in pistachio production. Much of film is laid down. If this not possi-
California’s commercial nectarine acreage ble, be careful not to throw prunings
is using reflective film to enhance color. on the film. Detailed summer prun-
ing to remove watersprouts in com-
Procedures For Success bination with reflective film use
Based on our experiences and those would provide optimum fruit col-
of colleagues elsewhere who have also oration potential.
worked with reflective films, the fol- • As film becomes dirty, its reflec-
lowing tips should help you “get the tivity and effectiveness is reduced.
most bang for your buck.” Remember, • Monitor trees in reflective film
this is not a “quick fix” for poor treated areas for signs of water stress
orchard management, but rather a tool (leaf wilting, etc.). Irrigate if necessary.
with potential value for a particular • Sunlight must be able to reach
environment and variety. the film in order to be reflected. If the
• Clean orchard floor middles canopy of adjacent rows is extremely
before laying film. If the floor is dense and overlapping, light penetra-
chemically mowed, make sure brush tion to the orchard floor (and to the
is chopped fine so it won’t puncture film surface) may be reduced.
the film. If the middle is sod/weeds, Further, cloudy weather will reduce
mow short before rolling film out. the effectiveness of the film.
• Use on varieties that • Determine harvest date based
have good quality but on color, pressure, and Brix. If only
poor red color. color is used, fruit may be immature
• Lay out film two to (too hard).
four weeks before com- Note: the number of pickings will
mercial harvest. Leave it likely be reduced in a block treated
on the orchard floor as late with film. Also, the number of fruit
in fall as possible until leaf harvested in the first picking will like-
drop. Additional light fol- ly increase.
lowing harvest will help • Leave a check (a few untreated
build carbohydrate reserves rows) so that you can compare to see
in the tree. how much benefit the film provides.
• Place film in the mid- Share your results with us. If you
dle of the row equidistant encounter any problems or make any
from tree trunks on either interesting observations, we would
side. Tractors will straddle like to hear about it. ●
the film as they proceed
down the row. More than Desmond Layne is pomologist and James Rushing is
eight adjacent rows should postharvest management specialist, Department of
Horticulture, Clemson University, Clemson, SC,
be treated for best results. dlayne@clemson.edu or jrshng@clemson.edu.
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