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ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) — A way to avoid pests and the pesticides used to keep them off peach trees may be in the bag.
The Herald of Rock Hill reports (http://bit.ly/1KZflaW ) that Clemson University researchers are experimenting with putting plastic bags over blooms on peach trees and keeping them on until the peaches are harvested.
Initial research shows that the bags can keep insects away from the fruit, reducing the need for pesticides.
While the size and weight of bagged peaches is the same as those that are grown conventionally, the color of the fruit is not as red-orange as other peaches because they don't get as much sunlight.
Clemson researcher Guido Schnabel said there could be several niche markets for bagged peaches.
Such peaches, he said, "could be a key component for organic producers who currently don't really have the tools to produce quality fruit." They could also be used by homeowners who have only a few fruit trees.
But there are some questions about the added cost - including the cost of the bags themselves and the cost of labor to place them over the peach blooms.
Schnabel said the bags imported from China cost about $1,200 an acre, and it would cost an additional $1,200 an acre for the labor to put them on the trees.
So with an additional $2,400 in cost per acre, growers would have to get premium prices for the bagged peaches.
Clemson researchers say their initial studies show consumers may be willing to pay 20 to 80 percent more for peaches that are grown without the use of pesticides.
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Information from: The Herald, http://www.heraldonline.com
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