apple trees – Giropoma

Giropoma predicts a good season despite the drought

Since the beginning of the 2023 campaign, with the harvest of the Gala variety, Giropoma has predicted a good apple harvest. According to data from the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Poma de Girona, which groups the apple producing and marketing companies of the province of Girona, a harvest of 88,570 tons is expected, a figure very similar to that of the closing of the 2022 campaign.

Despite being a year marked by high temperatures and low water availability, this campaign is characterized by the high quality of the apples, good size and excellent sugar content.

In the symbolic act of the harvest of the first apple, held on August 10, 2023 and organized annually by the IGP Poma de Girona, Joan Bonany, IRTA expert, commented that drought has been a constant concern of this season, but through efficient irrigation systems and communication with irrigation communities, it has been possible to minimize its effects.

For his part, Jaume Armengol, president of the PGI Poma de Girona, shared that the drop in temperatures at night has allowed the apple to take its color and the relevant sugars.

For Giropoma, the drought has been very present at all times, but it has not been a decisive element in terms of the results of the campaign. Thanks to the irrigation system based on soil moisture sensors that the company has had in place since 2018, which consists of soil monitoring based on probes that measure the volumetric water content in the soil, and the thinning that was carried out to ensure that the fruit could reach harvest with the desired quality, it has been possible to lighten the effects of this situation.

Even so, despite the fact that the Catalan Water Agency declared an emergency for the Fluvià Muga aquifer, with the aim of preventing the 22 municipalities of Alt Empordà that depend on the aquifer from having supply problems, it has not affected apple tree production this season.

SCABKILL project, rationalization of the use of phytosanitary products in the control of apple scab

Giropoma Costa Brava SL, as leader, together with Girona Fruits SCCL, Fructícola Empordà SL, Serrater SL and Agroalimentaria Mas Saulot SL; and with the participation of IRTA as technological center; is working on the development of precision treatment systems and inoculum management techniques to rationalize the use of phytosanitary products in the control of apple apple scab (SCABKILL).

In the Girona area, the control of apple apple scab concentrates more than 80% of the phytosanitary treatments, being the control of primary infections in spring one of the critical points for the management of the disease.

In this context, the main objective of the SCABKILL project is to define a comprehensive strategy for the sustainable control of apple scab by:

– Developing tools to manage the primary inoculum of ground leaves.

– Evaluating systems that allow forcing the release of inoculum at a time without risk of disease

– Using precision dusting systems to improve the efficiency of treatments

– Evaluating sustainable alternatives to synthetic products.

SCABKILL is framed within the European Innovation Partnership Operational Groups support for agricultural productivity and sustainability, financed by the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

“Project funded through the Operation 16.01.01 Cooperation for Innovation of the Rural Development Program of Catalonia 2014-2022.”

Giropoma starts planting new apple tree farms, which will last until March

This month, Giropoma has started the planting of new apple farms, which will take 1 and a half to 2 months, depending on the weather. Everything will depend on the rainfall during the next weeks, which could make it impossible to access the worked fields for a few days.

Prior to planting, the company’s producer-partners have prepared the land by working the soil to make it suitable for the trees. When the field is prepared, soil preparation compound is generally applied to improve organic matter and to favor nutrients for the plants.

Subsequent to the soil work, the location of the poles and anchors, which will form the structure of the farm, and the irrigation system are marked.

Subsequently, a trench is opened between the poles where the roots will be buried, and the wires that will support the apple trees are placed, together with the wires that will fix the trees.

Finally, the apple trees are planted and the nets are installed, which are mainly used to prevent hail damage, sunburn and help mitigate the wind.

As for the varieties that are decided to plant, they are chosen according to the needs of Giropoma and the grower, who is advised by the company with the aim of continuing to offer the best apples to consumers.

For Giropoma, teamwork and communication with grower-partners are essential to obtain good results and to guarantee quality and service.