An Experience of Peach Orchard Frost Protection with Upward-Blowing Wind Machines in the East of Bursa, Turkey

Temperatures below Oo C during spring is a restrictive factor for the production in temperate zone for fruit species with early budbreak. Particularly in hilly terrains, cold air flows downhill towards the valleys, due to gravity force. The upward-blowing wind machines have been used to drain cold air from orchard expelling it upwards out of the plantation area, without disturbing existing atmospheric layers. This research investigates about the efficiency of upward-blowing wind machine in enhancing air temperature in the peach orchard. The experiment was conducted in the spring of 2013 in 10 da commercial peach orchard (40.26◦N; 29.60◦W; 240 m a.m.s.l.) on the east of Bursa, Turkey. Another key to protecting an orchard successfully from frost freeze damage is a good understanding of the meteorology. Therefore, the agricultural weather forecast maps of Turkey showing frost risk that are prepared by Turkish state meteorological service on a daily basis gave a heads-up for a light frost risk on research area. Temperature measurements were performed in the orchard and the system was run on the 17-18 April 2013 night. The minimum air temperature increased from 1.9 to 2.3 o C with the highest increase closest to the upward-blowing wind machine. The temperature during this night in low peach orchard shows the influence of upward-blowing wind machine operation. Research has shown that upward-blowing wind machine is so effective under conditions of thermal inversions. Thus, a producer could provide temperature increment in peach orchard against frost damage.