Astrakhan is famous for its dry and hot summer. Tomatoes and apples turn yellow and decay under the mercilessly scorching sun. Farmers have to throw away most of the crop, since yellowed tomatoes, literally boiled by the sun, are not even suitable for being processed into tomato paste. To say nothing of their marketable appearance…
Therefore, it was in Astrakhan that we carried out an experiment together with the Astrakhan State University.
In order to save the harvest, a shading net was set up on some of the plantings with tomatoes and apple trees. The experiment started in the springtime. The results became visible in the summer: apples did not turn yellow and did not lose their marketable appearance, while tomatoes were not baked in the heat.
For comparison: tomatoes from the shaded experimental plot were harvested without losses, whereas from the rest of field over one-third of the fruits were sent to waste. In addition, top leaves of the plants in the shade did not turn yellow and did not wither, but preserved healthy photosynthesis and ensured good fruit growth.
