Degrees Brix (symbol °Bx) is the sugar content of an aqueous solution. We can measure a plant’s Brix by squeezing any part of its sap onto a refractometer and looking at the sample’s refractive index.

The higher the refractive index °Brix, the healthier and stronger plant. And because high °Brix tissue will produce more alcohol from fermented sugars, higher °Brix plants are more resistant to the predatory insects that are unable to process them.

In crops a higher °Brix means sweeter tasting and more mineral nutritious food. And harvested fruits and vegetables with high °Brix have shown better resistance to post harvest disease and lower water loss in storage.

Crops with higher sugar content will also have a lower freezing point and therefore be less prone to frost damage.

A plant functioning at its genetic potential will have high °Brix. You can often predict potential problems by measuring °BRIX before they develop into yield losses or drag.

In general, plants with °Brix readings of 3-5 (higher than average) have improved resistance to most plant sap sucking insects, such as aphids, spider mites, leafhoppers, whiteflies, leaf miners, cucumber beetles, squash bugs and others.

Healthy ranges of °Brix measurement varies between crops.

Ole Engellyst +45 2133 2702.