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Abstract
Freeze protection is one of the most important aspects of peach production in Georgia. Current freeze protection strategies, while effective, are unsustainable and expensive. Here we evaluate the use of a novel bio compound, nanocellulose, as a freeze protection strategy in both field and laboratory settings. Cold hardiness of several common cultivars of peach are also evaluated during the deacclimation period to determine susceptibility to late spring freezes. Overall, there were no significant trends amongst any of the nanocellulose compounds tested in the lab during the 3-year evaluation. In the field, there was a significant improvement in cold hardiness for the nanocellulose treated groups, but more research is needed. ‘Flavorich’ was the most cold hardy cultivar despite being the earliest to reach green fruit, while ‘Elberta’ became the most cold hardy cultivar later in the spring, as it was the last to reach green fruit.