Frost damage occurs when ice forms in and destroys plant tissue. The importance of frost protection is economically important in the fruit-growing industry as fruit is of higher value per area than most other common crops. Freeze damage represents largest weather related economic loss when compared with all other weather hazards ( Snyder, 2000). Most fruit crops grown in northern climates are threatened by frost. Keywords: crop freeze crop growth latent heat of fusion of water orchard Solanum lycopersicum Citrus sinensis The use of the system is currently limited by the infrequent formation of ice on the misting nozzles and in the water lines due drastic drops in temperature. During misting, the flesh of the targeted tomato fruit remained, on average, 3.1 and 3.6 ☌ warmer than ambient temperatures. The system was tested in subzero ambient air temperature ranging from −7.1 to 0 ☌. It is easily installed and dismantled for expedient relocation and the dynamic system of tubing and nozzles can be modified as required. It activates autonomously using a thermostat, battery pack, and solenoid valve, and the outlet pressure is regulated using a pressure regulator.
The device is lightweight, portable and provides flexible, overhead water misting for two 25-ft rows of crops. The water tank stores up to 20 gal of pressurized water and detachable auxiliary air tanks provide additional line pressure.
A fully automated portable frost-protection misting system that makes use of the latent heat of fusion of water was developed and tested on tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum) and sweet orange ( Citrus sinensis) at the Macdonald Campus of McGill University (Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada). Various large-scale measures exist for crop frost protection but they are neither portable nor flexible. The effects of frost are felt in small operations, such as residential gardens, or in specific areas of a larger operation. During the North American crop-growing season, although daytime temperatures may remain well above freezing point, nighttime temperatures can easily drop below 0 ☌ for a few hours.
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