TOMATO YIELD GAINS RANGING FROM +12% TO +29% WITH NEW LitePlus^® DR Tomato ADDITIVE FOR DOBLE ROOF

3 tomato trials at Univ of Almeria and Tecnova Experimental farm in 2019 & 2020

CASCADE is a French company specialized in the elaboration of optically active formulations that, once integrated into agricultural greenhouse films, optimize, and adapt sunlight wavelengths to horticultural crops. Latest 2020 results obtained at the University of Almeria confirmed the benefits of the LIGHT CASCADE^® technology on winter cultivated tomato crop production.

LIGHT CASCADE^® technology: How does it work?

During the 2020 tomato trial, the University of Almeria measured pest incidence occurring under the LitePlus^® DR Tomato film compared to the standard “doble techo”. It has been noticed, that, Botrytis cinerea, a fungus that causes plant death and reduces both fruit yield and quality, has been lowered by 17%. Another similar positive effect has been highlighted on the tomato plant insect, Tuta absoluta, which causes important plant damages in Almeria

Since 2013, CASCADE has developed and tested the LIGHT CASCADE^® (LC®) technology, which consists on different optically active formulations, that naturally optimize the sunlight spectrum to different crops such as vegetables (i.e. pepper, zucchini, eggplant, tomato...) and berries (i.e. strawberries, blueberries, raspberries). More than 100 trials have been carried out in situ in different countries (e.g. in France, Spain, and UK) in collaboration with different local research institutes, universities, and farms.

The results highlighted a positive effect of LC^® films on fruits and vegetables yields and quality especially under limiting sunlight conditions i.e. late fall, winter cultivated crops. The main principle of the technology is photoconversion in which the LC^® films absorb less efficient sunlight wavelengths (i.e. UV and Green) to convert into more photosynthetic sensitive wavelengths (Blue and Red). This sunlight optimization does not interfere with bee’s pollination and LC^® films are recyclable.

LitePlus^® DR Tomato evaluated in situ at Univ. of Almeria and Tecnova farms confirmed agronomic benefits on tomato crop

For 4 years, CASCADE carried out different agronomic trials on different Almeria crops (tomato, zucchini, pepper, cucumber, eggplant) using doble roof (doble techo) films with the collaboration of the major research centers such as TECNOVA, CAJAMAR and the University of Almeria experimental farms.

CASCADE has developed a new formulation specifically dedicated to tomato crops, named “LitePlus^® DR Tomato”. In 2018-2019, a first tomato trial has been carried out at TECNOVA institute showing a yield gain of 15,7%, an increased number of fruits of +12% per m² and a faster fruit development. Two additional tomato trials carried out in 2019 and 2020 at the University of Almeria, managed by Professors Francisco Molina Aiz and Diego Luis Valera on two different varieties ‘El cabo’ and ‘Ventero’ confirmed the benefits with an increase of +29% of the marketable yield. In addition, during this latest tomato trial, fruit quality has been substantially improved: increased fruits weight, diameter, and color.

Other benefits on pest incidence

During the 2020 tomato trial, the University of Almeria measured pest incidence occurring under the LitePlus^® DR Tomato film compared to the standard “doble techo”. It has been noticed, that, Botrytis cinerea, a fungus that causes plant death and reduces both fruit yield and quality, has been lowered by 17%. Another similar positive effect has been highlighted on the tomato plant insect, Tuta absoluta, which causes important plant damages in Almeria