Patent ID: 7516573

Claim:
A method of reducing chill damage in a plant, comprising the steps of: A) applying to plant surfaces a particulate material in an amount sufficient to form a particulate material film sufficient to block at least 20% of the solar radiation from reaching the plant surface having the film thereon, wherein the particulate material film comprises finely divided hydrophilic particulate material selected from calcium carbonate and hydrous kaolin, and the particulate material film allows for an exchange of gases on the plant; B) exposing the plant to a temperature below 15° C. to about 0° C. said temperature being low enough to cause chill damage in untreated plants, and C) exposing the plant surface having the film thereon to solar radiation, wherein the amount of solar radiation reaching the plant surface having the film thereon is sufficiently blocked so that plant having the film thereon exhibits less chill damage as compared to untreated plants undergoing similar exposure to the temperature followed by exposure to solar radiation.