CONTRIBUCIÓN AL DESARROLLO DE LAS COMPETENCIAS

Website

The website www.zelfzadentelen.be was developed during the duration of the

project and provides a significant dose of technical and practical information for

(future) seed growers about how to get started. The “minibib” section consists

of the information about the title, preformer and location of publications. The website has links to other websites about on-farm seed production. The Seed Growers’ Study Group continues to maintain the website.

Seed calibration

ILVO and the National Research Station for Chicory Witloof offer seed cleaning

and calibration activities to the growers. Marketing opportunities

During the final seminar on marketing, case studies were presented to the visitors. The five proposed cases each testified the commitment and creativity

of the manager who had created a market segment and an economic success story. The diversity of the local varieties is indeed well placed to respond to

new (niche) markets, such as regional markets, farm shops, community- supported agriculture food boxes, etc.

Where do we go from here?

Some growers have long seen on-farm seed production as a logical step for the company to provide organic seeds. This has not always been a success. Local varieties thrive in the environment where they are selected. A lot of effort is needed to develop a cultivar with good quality, high yield and a

long shelflife. Moreover, with several crops on the farm an adapted seed

multiplication plan is needed for species that cross over. The participating institutes in this project will further support were possible the main initiatives of the on-farm seed producers of local old varieties.

Partners:

• National Research Station for Chicory Witloof, Blauwe Stap 25, 3020 Herent [email protected]

• Inagro, Ieperseweg 87, 8800 Rumbeke-Beitem

[email protected]

• ILVO, Caritasstraat 21, 9090 Melle, [email protected] • Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, [email protected] • Seed Growers Study Group, Nonnenstraat 19, 2800 Mechelen

Within the Practical research station for Fruit Growing npo - unit experimental garden for pome and stone fruit - all new apple varieties are tested for their susceptibility to scab, powdery mildew, nectria canker and storage diseases. To this end, four trees per variety are planted in a separate parcel, which is not sprayed against powdery mildew, nectria canker and storage diseases. Sprayings against scab are only done when there are very heavy infections. In this way we get an idea about the susceptibility of the new varieties and their potential for organic fruit growing.

Search for resistant and/or less susceptible apple varieties

Since 2009, interesting new apple varieties for organic fruit growing are also planted in a separate parcel with an organic spraying scheme. Currently, 27 new apple varieties are planted in this parcel. Here we focus on the

influence of copper and sulphur sprays on the quality of the skin.

In the parcel with an organic spraying scheme the black strip under the trees is kept free of weeds by alternative weeding using rotating cutters and, when necessary, by mowing with a mower with a swinging arm. Against scab and powdery mildew, only copper and sulphur are used. We also use organic fertilisers.

In the planting year predatory mites are introduced into the orchard and

the codling moth and leaf rollers are controlled by mating disruption (and if

necessary, with virus preparations).

If promising varieties are found in the first screening, we plant more trees to find solutions for the specific problems of the new variety (especially

concerning cultivation techniques). At this time, we have one variety in the second screening, namely Sweetango®_{, a bicolour summer variety.}

Resistant and/or less susceptible apple varieties

Results

In 2009 the first promising new resistant apple varieties were planted in an

organic parcel. The trees are still too young to be able to decide whether any of these varieties are suitable for organic fruit growing.

Contact:

• Jef Vercammen ([email protected]) • Ann Gomand ([email protected])

Institute: Pcfruit npo - unit experimental garden for pome and stone fruit,

Fruittuinweg 1, 3800 Sint-Truiden

Funding: CMO project (50% European money and 50% growers) (2009- 2013)

The Belgian strawberry market is dominated by the Dutch variety Elsanta. It is possible to guarantee a continuous supply 10 months a year because this variety is used in a diversity of crop systems. The high productivity, the fresh red fruit color and the enjoyable taste are the most important plant/fruit characteristics of this variety. Nevertheless the disadvantages of this variety became also visible during the years. The plant produces fruits with a lower fruit classification under certain circumstances. These fruits are more sensitive for pressure and transport damage and after storage, fruits became pale. The biggest disadvantage of Elsanta regarding diseases is the susceptibility for Verticillium. The practical research station started an intensive search for a new variety with characteristics that can compete with these of Elsanta. Elsanta, Darselect, Clery and the new varieties Flair

and Elegance were tested in the 2011 and 2012 variety trial at the practical research station for small fruits in Tongeren (pah).

Plant and fruit specifications

Flair (Goossens Flevoplant) is a new, long-stalked variety with an early yield

and good flavour, but the coloring of the fruits is a weak point. Elegance (East

Malling) is a mid-season strawberry variety with a high production potential,

a good fruit classification and an excellent fruit quality. Extra attention

should be paid to control powdery mildew in these plants. Elegance (1,288

kg/pl) and Elsanta (1,211 kg/pl) seemed to be the most productive early

varieties while Darselect (76%), Flair (74%) and Elegance (74%) delivered

the best fruit classification. Elegance seems to be the perfect variety to

compete with the standard variety Elsanta. A disadvantage is the middle harvest period of the early full soil Elegance variety, which corresponds with the harvest of the strawberry season cropping. The variety Flair is a better early full soil strawberry crop compared to Elegance but it is characterised by lower production compared to Elsanta and a high picking frequency.

Growing specifications

The difference between an early and a late planting, tested in 2011, was

not explicitly due to the exceptional early spring. The Elsanta trial of 2012

shows a reduction of almost 50% between an early (16/08; 980 g/pl class I fruits) and a late (06/09; 500 g/pl class I fruits) planting. The optimal