The 2015/16 agricultural season will be complicated. According to experts, the intense constant rains in some departments, such as Santa Rosa, Luján, Maipú, and Tupungato, in combination with the hail, affected all crops and generating losses that, in different plantations are estimated will reach 40%.
According to data provided by engineer Aldo Lopez, a specialist in garlic crops from EEA La Consulta National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA), 40% of the 9,800 hectare devoted to the cultivation of some emblematic vegetables of the province, such as garlic, were affected by diseases associated to the constant rains.
Engineer Cecilia Fernandez, of the Institute of Rural Development (IDR), said that all the horticultural and fruit production in the province had been affected by the constant rains caused by El Niño, but that the cultures that were most sensitive to the rain were cherry, apricot, and vine crops in the eastern and northern areas of the province.
"Since they are early crops, the spring rains affected the flowering of the cherry and apricot plantations. The rains did not allow the bees to pollinate cherry crops, so the number of fertilized flowers decreased. Additionally, if there are rains at harvest time, the cherries would be damaged and could not be marketed," said Fernandez.
Fernandez estimated that, compared to the previous season, apricot production and cherry production would decrease by 50%, and 40%, respectively.
Vine crops
It was not the only crops damaged by the constant rains. Vine crops in the eastern and northern areas of Mendoza were also affected by the rains.
"We estimate the production of the vine crops in these areas will decrease by 40% over the previous season," added Fernandez.
Jorge Prieto, from the EEA Mendoza INTA, said the rains had favored the development of fungal diseases on the vine's leaves and clusters, which may have affected their performance and quality. "This year, there were pockets of rot very early in the season before the grapes' veraison in January, i.e. before the grapes change color. As a result, the red varieties have red and blue pigments, while the white varieties turn yellow. This biological process was complicated this year," said Prieto.
The constant rain also caused downy mildew in some cases, and the diseases were not adequately controlled. According to Prieto, the excessive water caused the vines to lose the foliage that covers the fruits, making them more vulnerable to the sun's rays and affecting the grapes' sugar accumulation and correct ripening. Thus vine crops were unable to perform photosynthesis properly.
"The plant might not accumulate sugar in its trunk and roots correctly, so the quality of its reserves for next season decreases," said Prieto.
At any rate, Prieto said, climate change forecasts predict an increase in the frequency of severe storms, and a decrease in snowy precipitation. As a result, the challenge is to maintain the plants and the grapes' health throughout the cycle, taking into account that there may be less water available for irrigation.
That's why the INTA continues working on vine varieties suited to water deficit and irrigation strategies to adapt to drought. "The snow precipitation that feeds the rivers in the mountains will decrease, so there will be less water available for irrigation," said the specialist from the INTA.
Peach, water and garlic
According to Alberto Barros, a producer that has plantations of peach for industry in Villa Seca, Tunuyán, the production of peach for industry, which the IDR had forecasted would amount to 160,000 tons, only amounted to 100,000 tons because of the rains.
"The rain has brought us all kinds of complications, there are complicated diseases such as smallpox and Monilinia" said Barro. The fruit Monilinia is a disease caused by the rains and it is taking place during flowering.
"The rainwater washes the plant at the time of flowering, one of the most vulnerable stages of the fruit. The vast majority of producers have not performed crop work so the yields in some farms have decreased by 45% compared to last season," said Jose Luis Vidar, a member of the Association of Producers of peach for industry.
Moreover, according to Viar, "we estimate the pear harvest decreased by more than fifty percent over the previous season. The apple harvest is also smaller," he said.
Barro, who also chairs the Federation of the Peach for Industry's Strategic Plan (Fepedi), said the productive year had been complicated by the spring rains and that there could even be fungal diseases in the 2016-2017 season.
"The Monilinia is so harmful to peach crops that if the affected fruit is not properly disposed of and covered with lime, so as to inhibit the fungus, it will return the following season," stated Barro.
According to Aldo Lopez, who specializes in garlic crops, garlic producers are not used to conservation and prevention systems.
Garlic crops were affected by fungi that stained the production, which lead to a decrease in prices.
"The rot also occurs at the time of harvest, it is important that the garlic does not get wet," warned the specialist. According to him the traditional conservation systems used for garlic between December and March in the province are not helpful.
Source: losandes.com.ar