{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,1]],"date-time":"2026-08-01T00:48:57Z","timestamp":1785545337748,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,8]],"date-time":"2024-06-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1717804800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"CERCA Programme\/Generalitat de Catalunya"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Plants"],"abstract":"<jats:p>To prevent frost damage in fruit trees, growers employ passive and active methods, and one of these second methods is the use of biostimulant compounds against abiotic stress. In this study, two trials were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-attribute approach biostimulant\u2014containing \u03b1-tocopherol, boron, and glycols, in peach (\u2018UFO-4\u2019 cultivar) and almond (\u2018Vairo\u2019 cultivar) trees. In a first trial, one-year-old shoots with flowers were collected after 24 h, 48 h, and 96 h of the biostimulant applications. Two different application rates of the product (1000 and 2000 cc ha\u22121) were tested and compared to an untreated control. In a second trial, one-year-old shoots with fruitlets were collected after 24 h of the biostimulant applications. In this case, only an application rate (2000 cc ha\u22121) was tested. In the two trials, the collected one-year-old shoots were subjected to different frost temperatures using a controlled environment chamber. The damage level was assessed by a morphological analysis of the flowers and fruitlets 96 h after each frost cycle simulation. The lethal temperatures (LT10, LT50, and LT90) of each treatment were calculated by probit analysis. The product applied 24 h and 48 h before the frost simulations significantly decreased the LT10 and LT50 in 1.5 \u00b0C in peach flowers, and 2.5 \u00b0C in almond flowers (a temperature reduction of 50% and 75%, respectively). These results were more consistent when the application volume was 2000 cc ha\u22121, instead of 1000 cc ha\u22121. Significant differences between treated and non-treated fruitlets were observed only in almond fruitlets, with LT10 and LT50 being 0.5 \u00b0C lower in treated fruitlets (20% reduction). In conclusion, the multi-attribute approach biostimulant applied 24 or 48 h before the frost reduced the mortality of peach and almond flowers, but its effectiveness to protect fruitlets after bloom was inconsistent.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/plants13121603","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,10]],"date-time":"2024-06-10T08:49:03Z","timestamp":1718009343000},"page":"1603","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Frost Damage Mitigation in Flowers and Fruitlets of Peach and Almond from the Application of a Multi-Attribute Approach Biostimulant"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6364-8918","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Estanis","family":"Torres","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Fruit Production Program, IRTA-Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Park Agrobiotech, Fruitcentre Building, E-25003 Lleida, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5314-6722","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xavier","family":"Miarnau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fruit Production Program, IRTA-Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Park Agrobiotech, Fruitcentre Building, E-25003 Lleida, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1186\/s13750-021-00247-7","article-title":"Strategies for managing spring frost risks in orchards: Effectiveness and conditionality\u2014A systematic review protocol","volume":"10","author":"Drepper","year":"2021","journal-title":"Environ. Evid."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Plaza, F. (2022, April 13). Frost Damages the Production of up to 40 Catalan Fruit and Almond Cooperatives. Available online: https:\/\/www.freshplaza.com\/europe\/article\/9418325\/frost-damages-the-production-of-up-to-40-catalan-fruit-and-almond-cooperatives\/."},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"1","article-title":"Human influence on growing-period frosts like the early April 2021 in Central France","volume":"2022","author":"Vautard","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"417","DOI":"10.1006\/anbo.2000.1352","article-title":"Plant freezing and damage","volume":"87","author":"Pearce","year":"2001","journal-title":"Ann. Bot."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1720","DOI":"10.1104\/pp.106.094771","article-title":"Specific roles of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol in abiotic stress responses of transgenic tobacco","volume":"143","author":"Abbasi","year":"2007","journal-title":"Plant Physiol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3946","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scienta.2018.02.073","article-title":"Evaluation of breaking dormancy, flowering and productivity of extra-late and ultra-late flowering almond cultivars during cold and warm seasons in South-East of Spain","volume":"235","author":"Prudencio","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sci. Hortic."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1111\/jac.12489","article-title":"Chemical products for crop protection against freezing stress: A review","volume":"207","author":"Bravo","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Agron. Crop Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-3040.1992.tb00988.x","article-title":"The antioxidant effects of thylakoid vitamin E (\u03b1-tocopherol)","volume":"15","author":"Fryer","year":"1992","journal-title":"Plant Cell Environ."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"731","DOI":"10.1007\/s12298-017-0462-7","article-title":"Plant growth under water\/salt stress: ROS production; antioxidants and significance of added potassium under such conditions","volume":"23","author":"Ahanger","year":"2017","journal-title":"Physiol. Mol. Biol. Plants"},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"Noga, G., and Schmitz, M. (1998). Uptake characteristics and biological activity of exogenously applied \u03b1-tocopherol. Antioxidants in Higher Plants, Shaker Verlag."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1061","DOI":"10.1016\/S0960-9822(99)80459-X","article-title":"Programmed cell death of the dinoflagellate Peridinium gatunense is mediated by CO2 limitation and oxidative stress","volume":"9","author":"Vardi","year":"1999","journal-title":"Curr. Biol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1007\/s11738-997-0022-9","article-title":"Oxidative stress in plants","volume":"19","author":"Bartosz","year":"1997","journal-title":"Acta Physiol. Plant"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"949","DOI":"10.1007\/BF01645138","article-title":"Oxygen radicals\u2014Biochemical basis for their efficacy","volume":"69","author":"Elstner","year":"1991","journal-title":"Klin. Wochenschr."},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"59","article-title":"Use of prohexadione-calcium, vitamin E, and glycerine for the reduction of frost injury in apple (Malus domestica) flowers and leaves","volume":"69","author":"Albrecht","year":"2004","journal-title":"Eur. J. Hortic. Sci."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1246093","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2023.1246093","article-title":"Coping with the cold: Unveiling cryoprotectants, molecular signaling pathways, and strategies for cold stress resilience","volume":"14","author":"Jahed","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Plant Sci."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.21273\/JASHS.98.3.257","article-title":"Cold acclimation in \u2018Red Delicious\u2019 apple trees under natural conditions during four winters","volume":"98","author":"Ketchie","year":"1973","journal-title":"J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"12","article-title":"Freezing resistance in tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) using potential cryoprotectors","volume":"76","author":"Moratiel","year":"2011","journal-title":"Eur. J. Hortic. Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"Moo-Young, M. (2019). 5.11\u2014Cryopreservation and Desiccation Preservation of Cells. Comprehensive Biotechnology, Pergamon. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1055\/s-2002-25740","article-title":"Boron in plant biology","volume":"4","author":"Brown","year":"2002","journal-title":"Plant Biol."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"271","article-title":"Cold acclimation of Norway spruce roots and shoots after nitrogen and boron fertilization","volume":"292","author":"Repo","year":"2009","journal-title":"Plant Soil."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"219","DOI":"10.17660\/ActaHortic.2006.721.29","article-title":"Foliar applications of boron to almond trees in dryland areas","volume":"845","author":"Rufat","year":"2006","journal-title":"Acta Hortic."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scienta.2017.03.003","article-title":"Early stage fruit analysis to detect a high risk of bitter pit in \u2018Golden Smoothee\u2019","volume":"219","author":"Torres","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci. Hortic."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Huang, L., Bell, R.W., and Dell, B. (2007). Physiology and metabalism of boron in plants. Advances in Plant and Animal Boron Nutrition, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4020-5382-5_2"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Francesca, S., Arena, C., Hay Mele, B., Schettini, C., Ambrosino, P., Barone, A., and Rigano, M.M. (2020). The use of a plant-based biostimulant improves plant performances and fruit quality in tomato plants grown at elevated temperatures. Agronomy, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/agronomy10030363"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mal\u00e9cange, M., P\u00e9rez-Garcia, M.-D., Citerne, S., Sergheraert, R., Lalande, J., Teulat, B., Mounier, E., Sakr, S., and Lothier, J. (2022). Leafamine\u00ae, a free amino acid-rich biostimulant, promotes growth performance of deficit-irrigated lettuce. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms23137338"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Han, M., Zhang, C., Suglo, P., Sun, S., Wang, M., and Su, T. (2021). L-Aspartate: An essential metabolite for plant growth and stress acclimation. Molecules, 26.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules26071887"},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"73","article-title":"The influence of biostimulant \u2018Compo frost protect\u2019 for plant resistance to a simulated frost","volume":"36","author":"Zalatorius","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sodininkyst\u0117 Ir Dar\u017eininkyst\u0117"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.21273\/HORTSCI.40.2.357","article-title":"Variability in the relationship between frost temperature and injury level for some cultivated Prunus species","volume":"40","author":"Miranda","year":"2005","journal-title":"HortScience"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1513","DOI":"10.1093\/jee\/88.5.1513","article-title":"Probit analysis: Assessing goodness-of-fit based on backtransformation and residuals","volume":"88","author":"Throne","year":"1995","journal-title":"J. Econ. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.5423\/PPJ.OA.03.2015.0033","article-title":"Analysis of fungicide sensitivity and genetic diversity among Colletotrichum species in sweet persimmon","volume":"31","author":"Gang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Plant Pathol. J."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2450","DOI":"10.1093\/jee\/toz139","article-title":"Efficacy of modified atmospheres on Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) and Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)","volume":"112","author":"Vassilakos","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Econ. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"844","DOI":"10.1093\/jee\/toy020","article-title":"Determination of the baseline susceptibility of European populations of Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to chlorantraniliprole and the role of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases","volume":"111","author":"Depalo","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Econ. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"192","DOI":"10.21273\/JASHS.103.2.192","article-title":"Low temperature resistance of developing flower buds of six deciduous fruit Species1","volume":"103","author":"Proebsting","year":"1978","journal-title":"J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scienta.2013.05.021","article-title":"How does simulated frost treatment affect peach [Prunus persica (L.)] flowers of different cultivars from worldwide breeding programmes?","volume":"160","author":"Reig","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sci. Hortic."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.21273\/HORTSCI.31.1.91","article-title":"Logit models for estimating lethal temperatures in apple","volume":"31","author":"Rita","year":"1996","journal-title":"HortScience"},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"67","article-title":"Almond fruit tolerance to frost temperatures in new Spanish cultivars","volume":"1219","author":"Masip","year":"2017","journal-title":"Acta Hortic."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1016\/S0011-2240(68)80162-2","article-title":"Effects of some growth regulators on frost damage","volume":"5","author":"Moblidowska","year":"1968","journal-title":"Cryobiology"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1016\/0304-4238(83)90050-X","article-title":"Screening of surfactant polymers for cryoprotectant activity on flowering blackcurrants","volume":"19","author":"Wilson","year":"1983","journal-title":"Sci. Hortic."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.21273\/HORTSCI.27.1.26","article-title":"Two Putative Cryoprotectants do not Provide Frost and Freeze Protection in Tomato and Pepper","volume":"27","author":"Perry","year":"1992","journal-title":"HortScience"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.21273\/HORTSCI.28.4.343","article-title":"Antitranspirant and Cryoprotectant Do Not Prevent Peach Freezing Injury","volume":"28","author":"Aoun","year":"1993","journal-title":"HortScience"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"W\u00f6lfel, D., and Noga, G. (1998). The effect of alpha-tocopherol and glycerol on preventing blossom freezing injury. Acta Hortic., 95\u2013102.","DOI":"10.17660\/ActaHortic.1998.466.16"},{"key":"ref_42","first-page":"65","article-title":"Effectiveness of HELP application on the protection of fruit plant flowers against frost","volume":"16","author":"Basak","year":"2004","journal-title":"Folia Hort."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1111\/gcb.14479","article-title":"Divergent trends in the risk of spring frost damage to trees in Europe with recent warming","volume":"25","author":"Ma","year":"2019","journal-title":"Glob. Chang. Biol."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1007\/978-981-13-1244-1_4","article-title":"Freezing Tolerance of Plant Cells: From the Aspect of Plasma Membrane and Microdomain","volume":"1081","author":"Takahashi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Adv. Exp. Med. Biol."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.21273\/HORTTECH.21.1.109","article-title":"A Topical Spray to Enhance Plant Resistance to Cold Injury and Mortality","volume":"21","author":"Francko","year":"2011","journal-title":"HortTechnology"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1303","DOI":"10.1104\/pp.18.00402","article-title":"Diacylglycerol acyltransferase and diacylglycerol kinase Modulate Triacylglycerol and Phosphatidic Acid Production in the Plant Response to Freezing Stress","volume":"177","author":"Tan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Plant Physiol."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"542","DOI":"10.21273\/HORTTECH.22.4.542","article-title":"Does FreezePruf Topical Spray Increase Plant Resistance to Freezing Stress?","volume":"22","author":"Anderson","year":"2012","journal-title":"HortTechnology"},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"593","DOI":"10.1093\/aob\/mcl008","article-title":"Effect of thawing time, cooling rate and boron nutrition on freezing point of the primordial shoot in norway spruce buds","volume":"97","author":"Repo","year":"2006","journal-title":"Ann. Bot."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ievinsh, G. (2023). Water content of plant tissues: So simple that almost forgotten?. Plants, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/plants12061238"},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1016\/S0304-4238(99)00150-8","article-title":"Spring frosts in deciduous fruit trees\u2014Morphological damage and flower hardiness","volume":"85","author":"Rodrigo","year":"2000","journal-title":"Sci. Hortic."},{"key":"ref_51","first-page":"233","article-title":"Floral analysis: Fresh and dry weight of flowers from different fruit tree species","volume":"448","author":"Val","year":"1997","journal-title":"Acta Hortic."}],"container-title":["Plants"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/13\/12\/1603\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T14:56:02Z","timestamp":1760108162000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/13\/12\/1603"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,8]]},"references-count":51,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6]]}},"alternative-id":["plants13121603"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/plants13121603","relation":{},"ISSN":["2223-7747"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2223-7747","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,8]]}}}