A group of fruit industry professionals gathered in Las Vegas this past week for a special summit.
Fruit growers know each part of the fruit is important, but a summit held in Las Vegas, Nevada, focused on how the fruit cuticle is vital in keeping fresh fruit fresh.
Brian Tipton, Market Development Manager with Cultiva, says the company brought in growers, pest control advisors (PCAs), and others in the fruit industry from around the nation to hear from leading researchers.
“We’ve brought them in just to give them more of an education on the cuticle: What is the cuticle? What’s its function? Why is it important? And then, you know, how is our product as a cuticle supplement, helping to boost what the plant is already doing for itself,” Tipton said.
Growers and PCAs from everywhere from Michigan to California to Washington and even Canada are attending and learning about the part of the fruit skin that keeps the natural water in and unwanted environmental factors out.
“Global warming. Environmental change. You can call it what you want, but our environment is changing, and that environment is impacting the way that these growers are dealing with it. You know, what they have to deal with compared to say twenty to thirty or forty years ago. So, you know when we first started the company. I mean a product like ours probably wasn’t as appealing as it’s become now because these crops have to adapt to these environmental changes and the first line of defense to be able to do that is the cuticle. And so that’s where we’re having our impact,” Tipton said. “So, when you look at why are people interested, why are they here? Why are they looking at that? It’s because they’re dealing with these environmental changes and there’s not a lot of answers.
Protecting and strengthening the cuticle can improve stress tolerance and lengthen the shelf life of fresh fruit.
