SUMMARY
The optimization of the factors of agricultural production they are directly related to the development of the technological infrastructures, usually in greenhouses to environmental control and systems of fertirrigación, to increase the efficiency of the use of the waters and the use of the nutrients from a perspective of conservation of the natural resources.
The agrarian macromagnitudes reveal the importance of the strawberry in Europa's southwest, and especially in the province of Huelva. The value of the production of strawberry in Huelva overcomes 340 millions of €, with a surface of cultivation of 6.700 it has. And a production of 300.328 t. (www.cap.junta-andalucia.es). In Huelva, there takes place a high concentration and specialization of the cultivation, the cultivated surface of strawberry in Huelva represents 86 % of the national surface, 91 % of the national output and 94 % of the national exports (www.mapya.es). The evolution of the cultivation of strawberry in Huelva has determined that turns into the major producing and exporting core worldwide. Due to the fact that the cultivation of the fresa repeats itself year after year (without rotations) and bearing in mind that the varieties are extremely sensitive to Phytophthora spp, Verticillium spp, etc. The disinfection of the soil becomes indispensable to control the negative share of the fitopatógenos edáficos, being the Bromide of Methyl (BrMet) the product more widely used (Lopez-Aranda, 1999). Nevertheless, the association established among the BrMet and his aptitude to degrade the cap of ozone, determined his elimination 01/01/2005 (Rodríguez-Kabana, 1998; Batchelor, 2002). The systems of cultivation without soil (CSS) are an alternative to the BrMet and the need to find alternatives to the same one has acted as catalyst for his development. Mud and Edwars (1995) already demonstrated that the production of strawberry without BrMet is possible using CSS. The fiber of coconut, for a few years, has started using as way of cultivation both in seedbeds and in ornamental plant and in cultivation without soil, there being obtained very good results (Cánovas et to., 1999).
The principal aim of the present Project is to optimize and to improve the cultivation without soil (CSS) of strawberry, using fiber of coconut as substrate with the purpose of implementing a system that he contributes to a major sustainability of the same one, avoiding the appearance of ferric lacks during the cycle of the cultivation with the purpose of obtaining a product of major quality.
PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
Precedents
The production in Spain has suffered a notable development from 1965, with a strong increase of cultivated surface and of production, as consequence of the incorporation of new technologies: a) New Californian varieties, b) Fish-ponds of height, c) Disinfection of the soil with Bromide of Methyl, d) Quilted, e) Act rashly for drip, etc.
The strawberry is cultivated in the whole Europe and of important form in Spain and in all the Spanish regions though with unequal distribution; this way, in Andalusia and concretely in the only province: Huelva, there takes place(is produced) a high concentration and specialization of the cultivation. The cultivated surface of strawberry in Huelva represents 86 % of the national surface, 91 % of the national output and 94 % of the national exports (www.mapya.es). The evolution of the cultivation of the fresa in Huelva has determined that turns into the major producing and exporting core worldwide.
In Portugal, the area occupied by the cultivation in 2004 was of 551 it has with an approximate production of 13000 t distributed principally in the zone of Ribatejo-west (60 %). In the south (province of the Algarve) they exist near 90 it has of this cultivation, of which 30 it has they take place in cultivations without soil
Due to the fact that the cultivation of the fresa repeats itself year after year (without rotations) and bearing in mind that the varieties are extremely sensitive to Phytophthora spp, Verticillium spp, etc. The disinfection of the soil becomes indispensable to control the negative action(share) of the fitopatógenos edáficos, being the Bromide of Methyl (BrMet) the product more widely used (Lopez-Aranda, 1999). Nevertheless, the association established among the BrMet and his aptitude to degrade the cap of ozone, determined his elimination 01/01/2005 (Rodríguez-Kabana, 1998; Batchelor, 2002). The systems of cultivation without soil (CSS) are an alternative to the BrMet and the need to find alternatives to the same one has acted as catalyst for his development. Mud and Edwars (1995) already demonstrated that the production of strawberry without BrMet is possible using CSS.
Advantages of the CSS
- An ideal relation obtains air / water in the system radicular of the plant, favoring therefore the development of the cultivation.
- The nutrition is much more controlled that in the systems of cultivation in soil, since interactions do not exist. A nourishing solution is used directly or applied to a totally inert substratum, without chemical activity, or on substrata with a low capacity of cationic exchange.
- In closed systems, where the drainage is re-used, it is possible to obtain a saving of water and fertilizers. By the fact of having the controlled above mentioned drainages the pollution of soils is avoided and aquiferous.
- Different substrata can be used to commercial known and proceeding from residues, as the straw of cereals, the fiber of coconut, crushed brick, fiber of wood, residue of the industry of the cork, etc., with many possibilities and with possible solutions for exploiting to local level.
- On having used in most of the cases totally inert substrata, with absence of typical diseases of the soil, they turn to the system of cultivation without soil, as a good alternative to the employment of disinfectants, among which it is necessary to mention the bromide of methyl, which is in phase of disappearance.
- Generally there is obtained in the cultivation a good uniformity that facilitates the cultural labors, as prunings, entutorados, etc. There are suppressed the works of subscribers' incorporation of bottom, preparations of soil and elimination of the weeds, improving in general the conditions of work.
- It is possible to obtain a major precociousness and major productive potential.
- Generally it is possible to obtain a better quality of the cultivation and therefore of the product.
Disadvantages of the CSS
- In the facilities where one works to lost solution, the system can be a pollutant, when evacuan the drainages to the soil ó to a pit.
- The spillage so much of substrata as of plastic of uncontrolled form, it is also pollutant.
- They can appear, and of fact they appear, diseases of root, for absence of mechanisms of defense in the substrata.
- The system needs of a major precision in the managing of the irrigation and the nutrition and a mistake can bring fatal consequences.
- In substrata a minor thermal inertia gives itself that in the soil and the cultivation they are more exposed to the possible changes of environmental temperature.
- The establishment of a cultivation without soil, it supposes a major cost of installation.
- It is possible to obtain a major precociousness and major productive potential.
- It needs of a technical advice.
Current situation
Nowadays, the market demands on the one hand, to obtain a production of precocious major strawberry and out of season, which can be obtained by means of the CSS (it is possible to bring forward the beginning of compilation up to two months and in addition the yield to be increased for m2); and for other one, the obtaining strawberry without the utilization of the Bromide of Methyl (BrMet); disinfectant used of traditional form in the cultivation of the fresa and one of the big challenges not overcome by the sector, due to the fact that the BrMet was stopped using from 2005, therefore, the CSS appears as a viable alternative to the BrMet.
Additional, in Huelva, by means of the CSS the compilation begins in dates mas early (October / November) that in the conventional system (December / January), in fact, departs what takes place with CSS's systems is considered to be a precocious production (the production obtained for m2 on March 30 in CSS is the same that the obtained one on May 30 in conventional) and in addition the final yield is increased for m2). The interest of the sector is every time major like it is demostrated in the 30 has. of the campaign 2002/2003 opposite to the current ones with 200 it has. And with a great potential of growth, since, a competitive production is obtained opposite to other countries.
The interest in the CSS is not exclusive of our zone, but of all the countries of our environment where every time they are acquiring major relevancy, since in them it appreciates a decrease of the surface of the conventional cultivation and an increase of the surface of the CSS.
AIMS OF THE PROJECT
General Aim
To optimize and to improve the cultivation without soil (CSS) of strawberry, using fiber of coconut as substrate with the purpose of implementing a system that it contributes to a major sustainability of the same one, avoiding the appearance of ferric lacks during the cycle of the cultivation to obtain one product of major quality.
Specific Aims
- To study different alternatives to optimize the efficiency of the use of the iron in plants of strawberry, using innovative products.
- To use the infrastructures and the results of the tests as instruments of spreading of technology together with researchers, technical personnel, farmers and the public in general.
- To renew and to improve the infrastructures of support to the research and experimentation, to obtain information updated about the production of plants, acquisition of equipment of support to the research and experimentation, training of investigative and technical young persons and, in a general way, to strengthen the cooperation among Portugese and Spanish teams.
- To guarantee the conditions necessary for the training of the students of higher education of both Institutions, being able to be a base for the learning courses of Specialization.
METHODOLOGY AND PLAN OF WORK
For the obtaining plant of high nutritional quality and organoléptica, both partners will take part actively in the different tasks:
- Installation of substrata in greenhouses, using the before acquired and tested structures.
- Hydration of the substratum with nourishing solution (September).
- Installation of plants in the substratum (October).
- Induction of deficiency of iron across the management of the nourishing solution (November).
- Experimentation of different innovative compounds for the treatment of clorosis ferric across application you will foliate (November to May).
- Weekly record of different parameters of growth (November to May).
- Analysis of the information and spreading (May - December).
BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT, DIFFUSION Y EXPLOITATION OF THE RESULTS
Benefits
1. - Impulse of the economic, sector so much of the primary sector of the production like in the secondary one of transformation in both regions (Algarve-Andalusia).
2 - Technical and scientific cooperation among both partners already well-established, which it facilitates to improve the coordination of the project.
Diffusion and exploitation of the results
1. - The obtained results will be spread by the habitual scientific and technical riverbeds of spreading: Scientia Horticulturae, Record Horticulturae, Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, etc., as well as Scientific Congresses: ISHS (the XVIIIth International Congress of Horticulture, Lisbon, 2010), SECH and APH (the VIIth Iberian Congress), etc. In addition, the results will be characterized by his great short-term application, and the whole sector of the strawberry represented by Freshuelva.
2. - The available information will be transmitted to technical personnel and farmers by means of the publication of technical reports for all the partners to Freshuelva, exhibition in local fairs, etc.
TEAMS PARTICIPANT AND RECORD OF THE GRUPO OF RESEARCH
Team participants
- M. Pedro Correia. Email:
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- M. Antonio Machado. Email:
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- Ms. Maribela Pestana. Email:
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- Ms. Helena Rodrigues. Email:
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- M. Pedro Palencia. Email :
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- Ms. Fátima Martinez. Email :
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- M. José López Medina. Email:
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Record of the group of research
Group of Huelva
The project that is requested approaches a new subject matter with the purpose of giving response to the problematics of the ferric clorosis in systems of cultivation without soil. The team of research relies on a wide experience in the cultivation of the Strawberry. A wide number of works, published or unresolved of publication, have been a fruit of the activities developed up to the momento
Group of Portugal
The group of Portugal has a wide experience in the study of the ferric clorosis in the field and in systems of cultivation without soil. In the last years it published several works of research relating the biochemical, physiological and agronomic aspects of this nutritional deficiency in trees of fruit (citrus fruits, carob-trees) and more recently, also in plants of strawberry. In this cultivation there were studied the mechanisms of response and deficiency of iron across the enzymatical activities and quantification of organic acids as carriers of iron in plants. Several alternative products were also studied for the control of the clorosis, both in field and in greenhouse. The effects of the ferric clorosis in the quality of the fruits also have been studied by the group of Portugal in collaboration with other Portuguese and Spanish groups of research.
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