Minimising economic losses from spring frosts
19th February 2026
According to UK-based agricultural biotech company CropAid, its biological
solutions can help UK vineyards, orchards and glasshouses to combat weather challenges and improve crop resilience.
As climate volatility accelerates, resilience will increasingly determine success in fruit and wine production. Technologies that strengthen plants biologically, rather than relying solely on energy-intensive infrastructure, are set to play a central role in sustainable horticulture.
For growers seeking dependable protection, improved crop performance and predictable economics, CropAid says its AntiFrost and AntiHeat have already proven their value – both in British fields and across the globe.
British tech with global reach
For more than 20 years, CropAid International Ltd, an agricultural biotechnology company based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, has been developing practical biological solutions to combat weather challenges.
At the core of the company’s technology are two biostimulants: CropAid AntiFrost, the most efficient biostimulant for frost protection, is designed to protect crops from damaging low temperatures; and AntiHeat, formulated to support plants during periods of high temperature and drought stress.
From English vineyards to American orchards, or even Mediterranean stone-fruit farms, CropAid’s biostimulants are now part of commercial production systems worldwide. Yet the company says it continues to refine its formulations in close collaboration with growers, ensuring innovation remains grounded in practical agriculture rather than laboratory theory.
Proven in trials and on UK vineyards
CropAid’s AntiFrost has been evaluated in controlled trials by ADAS, confirming it as an efficient frost protection biostimulant for mitigating stress and crop performance. However, the company is keen to point out that the most compelling evidence of performance comes from independent grower trials under real commercial conditions, both in the UK and internationally.
Tim Spakouskas of Yorkshire Heart Vineyard, Yorkshire, comments: “We first used AntiFrost as a frost protection in May 2025; we were forecast a -1°C frost, so were quite concerned. We applied it 24–48 hours before, our thermometer recorded -0.8°C during the frost, and we had no issues at all. We decided we would include it as a monthly addition, and we feel it really helped with the health of the vines and improved the yield and quality at harvest.
Echoing these sentiments, Andrew Barnes of Hungerhill Vineyard, Bedfordshire, adds: “I used CropAid AntiFrost during the cold period with good results. There was one morning that we had a light frost, certainly 0°C, and you could feel ice on the open buds. I sprayed a few days before and then on the morning of the light frost, and we had no damage at all. We will continue to use it in 2026.”
Another vote of confidence comes from Mark Darley, of All Angels Vineyard, Berkshire: “We have been using CropAid AntiFrost for a number of years as part of our frost fighting armoury. Following the instructions and applying it regularly through the frost season has provided seemingly good protection although the frosts have not been so severe in recent years. We will use it going forward.”
Finally, Martyn Pollock of Nine Oaks Vineyard, Kent, shared: “I have been using it for three years and I noticed an increase in buds and quality of buds. This is a low-cost solution that every grower should have.”
CropAid has also received multiple national and international innovation awards for its contribution to sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient crop protection.
In a landmark 2025 trial, Mallard Point Vineyard in Lincolnshire partnered with CropAid to implement a strategic application of CropAid AntiFrost and AntiHeat to protect its Cabernet Jura and Merlot vines. The results were:
- Despite temperatures reaching -4ºC, no frost damage was recorded on the treated vines
- The vineyard reported an increase in yield of up to 50% compared to the previous year
- Harvest arrived two weeks earlier than expected.
Independent grower trials beyond the UK
While UK results demonstrate local relevance, international independent grower trials further illustrate the technology’s performance under extreme conditions.
In Western Virginia, Pheasant Creek cider orchard recorded approximately 70% bloom survival after temperatures dropped to -11°C following a single AntiFrost application, while nearby untreated orchards suffered near-total crop loss.
In Utah’s Kamas Valley, Dendric Estate reported that when temperatures reached -9°C, treated apple blocks retained viable buds while adjacent untreated areas experienced over 90% bud mortality.
In Hungary, one grower documented 13 consecutive nights of frost between -3°C and -4 °C. However, as AntiFrost had been applied, around 50% of the apricot crop remained – a commercially positive outcome, as many neighbouring growers lost their entire crop.
In France, peach, nectarine and apricot growers who are members of a cooperative – www.pechesetabricotsdefrance.fr – have been using increasing amounts of AntiFrost for years. They reported that, aside from no frost damages, they were able to eliminate the need for additional strengthening products and that fruits during cell multiplication had good development. This meant lower input costs for the growers with higher yields.
Rather than replacing all traditional measures, many growers now use CropAid products as their primary defence, significantly reducing reliance on heaters, irrigation or emergency mechanical interventions, the company explains.
How does AntiFrost work?
AntiFrost is a concentrated liquid formula blend of bacteria and minerals, and works by stimulating the plants to produce their own antifreeze proteins. These proteins inhibit ice crystal formation and growth inside cells, significantly reducing structural damage during frost events.
Each application provides protection for up to 14 days, enabling growers to cover extended frost risk periods with minimal intervention, though it is recommended to spray it every 7–10 days to maintain protection at optimum levels.
The application of AntiFrost is straightforward, involving a foliar spray that can be used across various crop types. This method offers a sustainable and affordable alternative to traditional frost protection measures. AntiFrost also boosts crop health and quality as surplus antifreeze proteins are converted by the plant into essential nutrients.
Drone-applied frost protection
CropAid’s development programme now extends beyond formulation alone. For the current UK season, CropAid has teamed up with Ian Beecher-Jones, owner of JoJo’s Vineyard and chairman of the WineGB Technology Group. Ian has been testing various technologies at his vineyard in the Chiltern Hills near Henley-on-Thames, which he planted
with his wife Tess in 2019.
“Managing frost is challenging for everyone,” said Ian. “I saw the CropAid AntiFrost product at an industry event in November and thought it was an interesting way of protecting vines from frost. However, applying the product with a conventional sprayer, starting in March in a wet year, was going to cause soil compaction issues which would have consequences to the vines. So, I thought, why not look at another method of application using drones?”
Ian continued: “With the change in regulations which allowed drones to apply non-MAPP regulated products from the air in 2024, it seemed a sensible approach. We’ll be working with Steve Frost from SAS Agri Drones who has extensive experience with drone application. There are six of us in the trial in the Thames and Chilterns region. The main aim is to look at the benefits of the CropAid biostimulant on the vines for frost protection and then look at the opportunities for the rest of the season.”
These commercial-scale trials across vineyards will commence soon and will assess precision aerial spraying under real frost-risk conditions. Drone application offers several potential advantages:
- Ultra-rapid deployment ahead of frost events
- Consistent canopy coverage, including difficult terrain and tight row spacing
- Reduced soil compaction
- Lower labour and fuel requirements
- Reduced operational carbon footprint.
CropAid believes the partnership represents the next step in combining field-proven biostimulants and precision agriculture technologies into an integrated frost management system. Subject to UK trial results, the programme is expected to expand into other major wine-growing regions. Independent trial summaries, technical data sheets and distributor information are available at www.cropaid.com
Benefits for the grower
According to CropAid, the key benefits of AntiFrost include:
- Low-cost frost protection, equivalent price to a cup of coffee per hectare per night
- Adds up to another 7°C degrees of resistance to the plant’s natural tolerance
- Approved for organic use by the Soil Association
- 20 years of proven efficacy with independent trials, including ADAS UK
- Contains nitrogen-fixing and soil conditioning beneficial bacteria
- Competitive pricing, maximising your return on investment while minimising costs
- Easy to mix and spray (1-litre with 200-litres of unchlorinated water)
- Effects last up to 14 days per application (low operational costs)
- Compatibility with standard spray programmes
- Stronger bud survival, reduced shoot necrosis, and more even fruit set
- Provides vitality throughout the entire growing period right up until harvest
- Surplus antifreeze proteins are converted by the plant into essential nutrients
- Improvements in yield, fruit size and uniformity.
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