Portal de Cartagena
www.portaldecartagena.com
The Ministry of Water, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries carries out a trial at Torre Pacheco Integrated Center for Training and Experiences (CIFEA) to verify the productivity of new almond varieties in the Cartagena Field as an alternative to other crops .
It is preferably addressed to farmers, technicians related to the horticultural sector of the region and research staff.
The almond varieties traditionally grown in the Campo de Cartagena (Peraleja, Ramillete, Colorada, Garrigues) are of excellent quality, but require cross-pollination, ie pollinating trees and insects, such as bees.
This, along with extratemperal flowering, may lead to a lack of productivity when the conditions are unfavorable, such as during periods of rainy seasons where bee activity is difficult, or when damage to populations occurs due to loss of natural habitats or Use of insecticides, among other factors.
In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to search for varieties of almond trees that are self-supporting, that allow to carry out monovarietal plantations and adapt correctly to the singularity of this region.
Different research centers in Spain have obtained autocompatibles and late flowering varieties, even extraterrestrial, for their cultivation in inland areas of the Peninsula.
In the region of Cartagena it is tried to verify the adaptation of these varieties autocompatibles, which is the most interesting factor.
That they are late flowering is not a necessary factor here, since mild winters predominate and few hours of cold.
Test
The experiment with new varieties of almond tree was started in 2010 at Torre Pacheco's CIFEA, on a plot of 1,037 m2, with a density of 330 trees per hectare.
The tested varieties are Marinada, Vairo, Constanti, Soleta, Belona, ​​Lauranne, Carrero and Colorada.
It was proposed with localized drip irrigation, looking for precocity at the start of production and considering the almond tree as an economically viable crop, compared to other crops predominant in the area, such as citrus and vegetables.
The strengths of irrigated almond cultivation are low investment per hectare, low costs due to high mechanization, and lower water requirements compared to other crops, allowing it to survive in adverse drought conditions.
In the trial, different types of pruning are applied, from the traditional to the non pruning, to verify their adaptation and thus to be able to handle the crop with the minimum of manual interventions.
Among other parameters, the dates of flowering, resistance to the most important fungal diseases, such as ocher spot, dates and ease of harvesting, production and quality of the almond are studied.
The test has an Environmental Efficiency Plan, in order to reduce waste, emissions, consumption of inputs, as well as to develop the project in a sustainable way.
The Ministry reports the partial results of each year of production, through reports and technical days, from the third year of planting.
It also makes publications with the results obtained and the techniques of cultivation, from the fifth year of planting.
Source: CARM
Privacy policy
- Legal notice
- Cookies