Bluestim® prevents cracking in soft fruit

Soft fruit growers who use Bluestim® end up with fewer micro-cracks in their strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. What's important is that they spray each fruit - from flowering to harvest - once every three weeks.

Bluestim® has been part of Biobest's product range for several years now. “This natural and powerful product reduces the effects of abiotic stress. It does this by improving the transport of nutrients, including calcium. More calcium in the cell walls makes the fruit stronger and prevents micro-cracks. After harvesting, post-harvest pathogens, such as Botrytis, Mucor and Rhizopus, have a more difficult time invading. This makes the soft fruit firmer, resulting in a longer shelf life,” says Sarah Van Beneden, Group Product Manager at Biobest.

Spray every three weeks
The product is easy to apply. “It is important that growers spray the crop every three weeks, from the time of the first flowering through the last harvesting moment. This is the best way to prevent micro- and macro-cracking. We advise a dosage of 1.8 lb/acre (2 kg/ha),” explains Sarah. She emphasises that spraying is essential. “If growers introduce Bluestim® by dripping, less Bluestim® is left over for the plant. In that case, the micro-organisms in the soil consume it.”

Made from sugar beets
Bluestim® contains a high concentration of glycine betaine (more than 96%), a natural extract of sugar beets. With this fertilizer developed by Lallemand Plant Care, Biobest has seen good results in the cultivation of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Bluestim® is available in Belgium, the Netherlands, the United States, France, Germany and Poland.

Press releases: Biobest Group

Read more:

Trade registration open for Fruit Attraction 2024 and LIVEConnect

10 June 2024

Professionals from the fruit and vegetable sector can now purchase their visitor passes to attend the 16th edition of Fruit Attraction. The fair, organised by IFEMA MADRID and FEPEX, will be held from 8 to 10 October and will once again bring together the entire community of the world's fruit and vegetable industry in Madrid. Fruit Attraction offers different entry options to suit the needs of the visitors. From the professional one-day pass (daily) or a three-day pass (permanent). »

Food Africa and pacprocess MEA 2024: A Convergence of Industry Giants to launch in December

9 June 2024

With a legacy of successful editions, Food Africa and pacprocess MEA are gearing up for their most ambitious events yet. Exhibitors will have unmatched opportunities to connect with industry leaders and explore the burgeoning markets of Africa and the Middle East. As Africa's population is projected to soar to 2.5 billion by 2050, the food and beverages sector is witnessing an unprecedented boom. »

Better Brews, Bigger Stage: Singapore National Coffee Championship returns to Speciality Coffee & Tea Asia, to be hosted at first-ever SIGEP Asia

8 June 2024

The next edition of the Singapore National Coffee Championship (SNCC) returns from 26 to 28 June 2024 at Speciality Coffee & Tea Asia (SCTA) held at Sands Expo & Convention Centre Singapore (Halls D, E and F). SCTA is now part of the inaugural SIGEP Asia, the first-ever Asian edition of the world’s leading Italian international artisan gelato, pastry, bakery and coffee trade show SIGEP, »