Murcia's agricultural producers and horticultural entrepreneurs are working hand in hand with the Council of Agriculture in the search for new varieties of traditional crops and in the production of subtropical fruits in a clear attempt to address climate change, which will further complicate the situation of water deficit for both irrigated and rainfed crops.
"One of the basic goals is the fight against climate change and our role is to advise farmers to opt for new varieties or new crops, but they are the ones who have to make the decision," explains the general director of Innovation, Productions and Agro-Food Markets, Fulgencio Pérez, who adds that they also collaborate with producers in the search for new crop varieties that are more resistant to water stress. To this end, they work with the Murcian Institute for Agricultural Research and Development and Food (Imida). In fact, several projects are currently underway.
In the fruit-growing sector, researchers have been working "for a long time" with companies and growers in the introduction of subtropical fruits in the fields of the Region, mainly on the coast. This includes mangoes, papayas, avocados, cherimoyas and pitahayas.
The first estimates, which are not yet official because the Council still needs to conduct some monitoring and controls, point to there being 22 hectares of mangoes in Aguilas and Mazarrón, 24 hectares of papayas in Mazarrón, 14 hectares of avocados in Fuente Álamo and Cartagena, 1 hectare of cherimoyas in the Campo de Cartagena, and half a hectare of pitahayas in Mazarrón.
"These are very young plantations, some of which are already giving 80% yields, but others have smaller yields because they are new plantations that have not yet reached their full productive potential. In other cases, improvements are still needed in their adaptation to the environment, while others are still in the project stage, with the study of their possible adaptation to these areas," states the general director.
Varieties
Regarding the traditional fruits grown in the Region, Pérez explained that the work of researchers and growers is focused on finding varieties that are more resistant to lack of water and which can adapt to the conditions of certain areas and types of soil. "All projects have that goal of seeking resilience to climate change," insists the general director.
In horticulture, research is focusing more on the search for plastics for greenhouse production that have photoselective properties.
Source: laopiniondemurcia.es
