Protects Crops Biologically
Extends Fruit Shelf Life
Safer To Use
Reduces Chilling Injuries
Improves Flavor
Improves Nutritional Values
Benefits
Introduction
The demand for and use of biological products in agriculture has increased due to an intense desire to reduce environmental degradation and ensure food safety requirements.
PostBoost is a multifunctional biological solution developed at the Agriculture Research Organization (ARO - Volcani Center, Israel).
PostBoost can be used either as a post-harvest or a pre-harvest product for treating fruits depending on the chosen application method and timing. As a pre-harvest product, it serves as a biological crop protection solution against various pests and diseases (fungi, insects, bacteria, and viruses). As a post-harvest product, it extends the crops' shelf life and improves color, flavor, and aroma as well as increases the health benefits of fruits and juices.
Scientific Background
Like many other agricultural solutions, PostBoost has been developed in an academic research lab at the Agricultural Research Organization (ARO) – Volcani Center, Israel.
Over the past six years, Prof. Michal Oren-Shamir, Dr. Noam Alkan and Prof. Yigal Elad have been studying ways to biologically improve fruit protection, influence and enhance the taste and aroma of fruits, and extend their shelf life – ultimately making them more attractive to consumers.
Following successful results in labs and greenhouses, PostBoost has been further developed and examined by agricultural input suppliers from South Africa and Israel who conducted numerous field and greenhouse trials, testing the product as a pre-harvest as well as a post-harvest treatment.
The trials and studies clearly demonstrated that PostBoost can effectively protect crops against various pathogens such as Tuta absoluta, red spider mites, gray mold and powdery mildew. It also extends the shelf life of fruits and protects them from various pathogens, such as anthracnose, stem-end rot and Alternaria alternata. In addition, it enhances the red color of mangos and apples, and provides protection against chilling injuring in mangos, oranges and lemons.
Othe benefits of PostBoost were discovered while analyzing the aroma and sweetness of the fruits. Improvement was shown in sensory parameters of fruits and fruit juices, especially in the aroma and taste of mangos, grapes and grape juice.
Today, PostBoost Ltd. is a portfolio company of COPIA Agriculture and Food Technologies L.P., an Israeli VC fund that invests in technologies that improve sustainability along the food supply chain and bridge the gap between academic research and the industry.
Research & Development
Leading Case Studies
Protecting Tomatoes from Tuta absoluta
Demonstrating the efficacy of PB in controlling the tomatoes' leaf miner (Tuta absoluta).
Protecting Grapes from Botrytis cinerea
Demonstrating the efficacy of PB in controlling Botrytis bunch rot on different varieties of table grapes.
Enhancement of Red Color in Mangos
Various types of mango trees were treated with PB before they were harvested.
Enhancement of Red Color in Apples
Various types of apple trees were treated with PB before they were harvested.
Decreasing Stem-end Rot and Anthracnose Decay in Avocados
Treating avocados with PB significantly reduced the severity and frequency of stem-end rot and Anthracnose on harvested avocados.
Why Use PostBoost?
Biological Pesticide
PostBoost is a biological crop protection solution against various pathogens demonstrating high efficacy similar to other chemical alternatives.
It can be used as a stand-alone solution or in combination with other chemical or biological crop protection products, offering flexibility in reducing or increasing the number of active ingredients in order to improve the product's effectiveness.
PostBoost is perceived to be a new ideal biopesticide due to the strict rules and regulations on the use of chemical pesticides.
PostBoost is an extremely user-friendly alternative to various other products.
Sensory Parameters
Sensory evaluation can be defined as a scientific discipline used to describe and interpret the characteristics of food as perceived by our senses.
PostBoost improves the sensory parameters of fruits and fruit juice.
All fruits treated with PostBoost appear to be sweeter and tastier (with no additional calories) and more aromatic.
Nutritional Value
Antioxidants are organic substances, whose main function in the body is to neutralize and prevent the damage caused by free radicals.
They help delay aging processes, maintain a youthful and healthier appearance, prevent diseases, and strengthen our immune system.
Using PostBoost increases the content of antioxidants in fruits, thus enhancing nutritional value for potential consumers.
Reduction of Chilling Injuries
Chilling injuries caused by temperatures above the freezing point can cause a devastating postharvest phenomenon that might lead to fruit rejection in the marketplace.
Using PostBoot reduces chilling damages on fruits in cold storage.
This advantage of PostBoost usage reduces fruit loss during storage and extends its shelf life.
The Scientific Team
Prof. Michal Oren-Shamir
A leading staff member of the Department of Ornamental Plants and Agricultural Biotechnology at the ARO, Volcani Center.
Prof. Oren-Shamir's research focuses on increasing plant resistance to pathogens and increasing production of health-related compounds in fruits.
This research led to several patent registrations and the development of commercial products.
Dr. Noam Alkan
A well-known member of the Department of Postharvest Sciences at the ARO, Volcani Center.
Dr. Alkan's research focuses on fruit-fungal interaction, induced defense response in fruits, pursuing new means of controlling postharvest fungal pathogens and increasing fruit quality.
Dr. Alkan is the author of over 60 peer-reviewed scientific publications, reviews, book chapters and patents.
Prof. Yigal Elad
A senior researcher at the Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Sciences at the ARO, Volcani Center.
Prof. Elad's research focuses on plant diseases, cultural means of control and integrated management of plant pathogens.
He led the development of non-chemical control measures including biological control and inducers of plant resistance towards pests and pathogens.
Our Partners
Contact Us
Copia Agro and Food Technologies L.P.
1 Shankar St. Herzliya, 4672501 ISRAEL
Phone: +972-3-535-3043
Fax: +972-3-7618001