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What is Brix?
Plant sap contains nutrients which feed it, and determine its health and resistance to disease and stress. The Brix is the % of dissolved Solids in the Sap.
How is Brix measured?
The solids in plant sap are measured as Brix using a Refractometer. The Brix measurement is read as the % of dissolved solids in the sap. For example a low quality apple would show a Brix reading of 7.4 or below, this indicates there is 7.4% or less solids in the sap of the apple.
Why is it important to a plant?
A high Brix sap has a reduced water activity which is the ratio of sap to pure water vapour pressure. With this low water activity a High Brix sap has a reduced freezing point and subsequently a greater frost resistance. Each additional Brix unit protects a plant by a further 0.5C. In the other extreme, this reduced water activity produces a proportionally greater tendency to retain moisture, and increase heat wilt resistance.
While the temperature or pH can influence if and how fast a organism will grow, the level of water activity may be the most important factor.
Higher Brix levels prevent bacterial and fungal infestations and thus increase storage life. Most bacteria for example, do not grow at water activities below 0.91 (around 9 mole % dissolved solids, corrected for molecular weights) and most moulds cease to grow at Water Activities below 0.80 (over 20 mole % dissolved solids). Water Activity is thus a critical factor in determining shelf life as well as field success.
Brix sap levels in excess of 12% also generally ensure against sap-sucking insect infestations.
In addition,a high Brix level provides proportionally greater nutritional content of the food; and ensures good old-fashioned, true nature-ripened flavour. This is especially evident where the refractometer shows a diffuse or spread reading, indicating a variety of complex dissolved plant proteins and flavour components in good proportions, indicating high food value for the consumer
Brix in Fruit and Vegetables.
The table below summarises quality limits for a variety of crops.
Produce with Brix values under the Lower Limit is Low Quality, between the Lower Limit and the Med/Hi Quality Crossover limit is Medium Grade, between the Med/Hi Quality Crossover and Upper Limit is High Grade and that which exceeds the Upper Limit is of Premium Quality
Apart from the value of Brix in determining plant health, we are beholden unto Bruce Tainio who has discovered that plant sap pH is a simple and accurate guideline for:
1) Enzymatic breakdown of carbohydrates (sugars) for plant growth and vitality.
2) Risk potential for insect damage.
3) Risk potential for foliar disease appearance (fungi, bacteria and viruses).
4) Nutritional balance in the growing crop.
5) Quality of fruit and vegetables.
6) Shelf-life of fruit and vegetables.
According to Bruce Tainio:
o the desired sap pH-level for optimal plant growth and production is pH 6.4.
o If sap pH exceeds 6.4, then the most likely cause will be a shortage of the anions of nitrogen, phosphate or sulphur.
o At pH 8 the likelihood of insect trouble is 100%.
o Conversely, if sap pH is lower than 6.4, then there is a cation problem, with possible deficiencies of calcium, magnesium, potassium and/or sodium.
Low sap pH suggests a far greater potential for foliar disease. For example, at pH 4.5 the probability for fungal appearance is 100%.
The Use of Hibrix products to improve Brix levels.
Hibrix products have been developed to improve the Brix levels in plants. The natural organic chelators, saccharides, proteins, vitamins and organically bound elements in Hibrix promote proliferation of soil organisms, improve soil health, increase the efficiency of water utilisation and also improve the transfer of nutrients to crops. The transfer to crops occurs either via root or foliar paths.
How do Hibrix products improve Brix levels.
Hibrix can be used to replace your existing fertilizers or as a value additive to your exist fertilizer regime. Hibrix is applied by diluting with as much water as is practicle and spraying directly onto the soil.
