Abstract
Maturing sweet cherry fruits are exposed to damage caused by birds. In order to repel birds from orchards, it is increasingly common to use repellents based on plant extracts and compounds that undergo complete biodegradation. One such compound is methyl anthranilate (2-aminobenzoic acid methyl ester), which has an irritating effect on birds’ senses of taste and smell. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of methyl anthranilate-based repellent (commercial name: Goose Chase/Fruit Shield) on the chemical composition and selected physiological parameters of sweet cherry cv. ‘Burlat’. The repellent containing methyl anthranilate (26.4%) was applied in the form of a foliar spray seven days prior to fruit harvest at a 1% concentration (500 dm3∙ha−1 of working liquid). In the study, methyl anthranilate-based repellent was found to have no influence on the chemical composition of fruits and leaves or the selected physiological parameters of sweet cherry cv. ‘Burlat’. Moreover, the use of methyl anthranilate did not affect the cracking susceptibility of sweet cherry fruits. This compound may constitute an interesting alternative to support sweet cherry orchard protection against birds and in organic cultures.
Highlights
The ripening fruits of numerous tree and shrub species are exposed to damage from birds
This opinion is shared by Mikiciuk et al [23], who demonstrated that the use of a repellent based on methyl anthranilate significantly reduces the extent of damage caused by birds in sweet cherry orchards
The obtained results concerning the content of extracts in fruits, their total acidity, and the value of maturity index (MI) have been confirmed in the literature
Summary
The ripening fruits of numerous tree and shrub species are exposed to damage from birds. It is an increasingly common practice to use repellents based on plant extracts and fully biodegradable compounds to repel birds from agricultural crops, from areas where they are undesirable (e.g., golf courses), and from areas where they may pose a direct threat to the health and safety of people (airports) [1,2,3,4] One such compound is methyl anthranilate (2-aminobenzoic acid methyl ester). No reports are available regarding the influence of methyl anthranilate on plants; Avery [1], Curtis et al [2], and Avery et al [5] stated that at higher concentrations, it may demonstrate phytotoxic effects for blueberry and grapevines, resulting in leaf damage Considering all these factors, this study was conducted to assess the influence of a methyl anthranilate-based repellent (commercial name: Goose Chase/Fruit Shield) on the chemical composition and selected physiological parameters of sweet cherry cv.
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