From March to early April this year, a local durian orchard encountered severe drought during the fruit enlargement stage, with total rainfall of only about 40mm. Facing high temperature and water shortage stress, the grower applied AMIRA seaweed extract from Ascophyllum nodosum in advance, helping the fruit trees shift from “passive survival” to “active defence”.

Many growers believe that the biggest problem during drought is water shortage. However, what truly affects durian yield and quality is often “carbon shortage”.

Under high temperatures, fruit trees close their stomata to reduce water loss. However, this also limits the entry of carbon dioxide into the leaves, resulting in reduced photosynthesis and insufficient sugar production. During the fruit enlargement stage, the demand for energy is extremely high. Once sugar supply is insufficient, problems such as fruit drop, black seeds and “tiger stripe” quality issues may occur.

AMIRA’s raw material comes from seaweed in the North Atlantic Ocean and is rich in natural stress-resistance active substances. When applied as a foliar spray, the mannitol it contains helps improve cell water retention and reduce drought damage. Betaine and other active ingredients can also protect chloroplasts, reduce the impact of high temperature on photosynthesis, and maintain nutrient production and transportation.

A grower from Kulim, Mr. Lau, also known as Uncle Lau, applied AMIRA at a concentration of 10ml/L before the drought arrived. The treatment helped his orchard successfully pass through an extreme dry period with only 40mm of rainfall and stabilise the season’s yield.

As high temperatures and drought conditions become increasingly frequent, early stress management has become an important measure to stabilise durian yield and quality. It helps reduce the risk of fruit drop, black seeds, tiger stripe issues and other quality problems.

At Advansia, we continue to focus on practical, field-tested solutions that match the real conditions faced by Malaysian growers. Whether the need is better flower retention, stronger fruit development, or more reliable disease control, timely action and suitable crop strategies remain key to achieving more stable results in the field.

📌 Explore more solutions or contact our team for customized advice at www.advansia.com