Fruit farming is facing new challenges due to climate change and the need to reduce the environmental impact of production, caused by the use of pharmaceuticals for agriculture. The only way to move forward is to place your trust in innovation, planning field operations in an increasingly precise way, thanks to the support of expert agronomy consultants.
Advice&Consulting recommends an effective line of defence against parasites and fungi, selecting the best products on the market and ensuring the natural balance of the plants is maintained.
We base our prevention strategy on in-depth knowledge of the biology of diseases, whether caused by fungi or insects, while safeguarding the useful insects that help agriculture and getting the most out of every single chemical product.
Criteria for mineral fertilizing (n – p – k)
Advice&Consulting recommends fertilizing crops on the principle of replacement, in other words introducing a quantity of mineral fertilizers equal to that taken away by production, bearing in mind that the leaves and wood leftover from pruning should be broken up and left in the field.
This principle can be adopted for all cultivars, right from the first year of planting, considering that the young plant increases in weight and productive volume 15 to 20 times in the first three to four years, to reach the maximum volume of production from the fourth year onwards.
Improvement of the organic substance content
During the first two years, we recommend the use of humic acids, which can be distributed via drip irrigation. After that, it is sufficient to cut and mulch the grass between the rows and leave it in situ.
Micro-elements
Advice&Consulting recommends the use of B-boron, Zn-zinc and Mn-manganese for on-leaf treatments, and Fe-iron in fertigation.
FERTIRIGATION WITH DRIP IRRIGATION
Fertigation makes it possible to take full advantage of the drip irrigation system. If we consider the soil as a simple support for the plants’ roots, it is necessary to provide the nutritional requirements via the irrigation system using soluble fertilizers.
Fertigation is therefore preferable to granular soil-based fertilizing because it uses about 25-30% less fertilizer.
Advice&Consulting recommends fertigation because:
- it is more efficient since the roots better absorb the nutrients from the water solution circulating in the soil.
- it is possible to administer the fertilizer in smaller doses throughout the season, according to the needs of the plants.
- the risk of fertiliser being washed away by rainfall is diminished.
- soluble crystal fertilizers permit a higher fertilizing nutrient content compared to liquid fertilizers, whose relatively high-water content (around 60-70%) increases transport costs unnecessarily.