“Isn’t this just a bag over a tree?”
When we started Tree Defender in 2014 and introduced the IPC as our first commercial product, we heard that question more than once.
Tree Defender’s initial goal was simple: Protect young citrus trees from HLB until a permanent solution was found. And while that goal has remained — and will always be the heartbeat of our business model — we soon learned we had something much more special on our hands. Early tests consistently showed that Tree Defender IPCs not only protect trees and plants from threats outside of the cover but also provide substantial dynamic growth inside the patented IPC technology.
That’s when we knew we were on a much deeper path of discovery.
In collaboration with University of Florida researchers, we found that we were essentially enhancing the duration and efficiency of the photosynthetic process in the plant. This enhancement significantly elevated the phytochemical levels in the tree including in plant hormones and polyphenols. These chemicals perform a variety of actions that contribute to the overall well-being of the plant, and to the overall quality of the fruits or vegetables that plant produces.
One of the most important of these phytochemicals is chlorophyll, the lifeblood of any tree. The main function of chlorophyll is the conversion of light energy into chemical energy in the form of carbohydrates.
These carbohydrates are not just food for the entire plant, they also serve a broader role as a form of “chemical currency” that the plant or tree uses in trade in their symbiotic relationships with a multitude of beneficial microbes. These microbes include mycorrhiza, a special type of fungus that colonizes plant roots, and endophytes, which actually live inside of the plant tissue.
These “carbohydrate currencies” play vital roles in plant health and productivity and help to explain the vigorous growth and robust health of plants or trees using the Tree Defender IPCs — even if the covers are removed!
The old saying “a rising tide raises all boats” certainly seems to apply, and we continue to search for new paths of discovery on how we might help grow healthier fruits and vegetables.
That’s pretty amazing for something that is “just a bag over a tree”!
