ASIPO participates in an experimental protocol called “Innovative agronomic techniques to increase the dry substance content and the degree brix in industrial tomato”, running in 2019 and 2020.

This project is co-financed by eleven Producer Organizations, associated and coordinated by the Italian Union of Fruit and Vegetables, and by the European Union through the (EU) Regulation (EU) No. 1308/2013, Article 34, Operational programmes of CMO in fruit and vegetables.

The research activities are carried out by the CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of the Agricultural Economics) through its subsidiary CREA-OF (Research Centre for horticulture) and three OOPPs.

The experimental tests were carried out on farms located in three representative territorial areas in the cultivation of industrial tomatoes and precisely: Emilia Romagna, Campania and Puglia where the following activities were carried out:

  • foliar application to provide additional potassium, in addition to company fertilization (PPE) and use of antiperspirants and bio-stimulants based on active molecules or micro-organisms;
  • controlled irrigation management for an assessment in reducing irrigation;
  • varietal comparison between hybrids both recently introduced or and other references and already widely used.

FIRST YEAR OF RESEARCH

The first year of activity of the biannual applied research project “Innovative agronomic techniques to increase the dry substance content and the degree brix in industrial tomato” has ended collaborating with the scientific management of CREA OF Vegetable and Ornamental Crops of Pontecagnano and coordinated by Italia Ortofrutta Unione Nazionale and co-financed by 11 Producer Organizations of the industry associated with the Union (Italia Ortofrutta, APOPA, AOA, APOC Salerno, OP Terra Orti, Assodaunia, OP Mediterraneo, OP Ortofrutta Sol Sud, Asport, OP Ferrara, AS. IPO, APO Gargano) and by measure 4 “Research and experimental production” of operational programs of CMO in fruit and vegetables

Improve the quality of industrial tomatoes in terms of soluble solids content (degree brix) and total solids (dry residue) through innovations in field cultivation techniques and transfer the results of an ad hoc scientific research to the POs of the industry to increase the company competitiveness on the market and enhance the product value by meeting the processing industry and consumer demands, this is the objective of the applied research project.

The experimental tests were carried out on soils located in three representative areas of the various areas of cultivation of industry tomato, in other words Emilia Romagna, Campania and Puglia in which the following activities were carried out: foliar application to provide additional potassium, using antiperspirants and bio-stimulants based on active molecules or micro-organisms, controlled irrigation management and varietal comparison between hybrids, recently introduced on the market and other references, already widely used, in testing environments.