WCHR Home WCHR 1 WCHR 2 WCHR 3 WCHR 4 WCHR 5 Search
Jesus Cuartero and R. Lozano
Estacion Experimental la Mayora
<
Estacion Experimental la Mayora
In theory, research in a determined horticultural sector should
be settled to give an answer to the requirements of consumers,
distributors and growers of that sector. In the case of the vegetable
under plastichouse industry of Southeastern Spain, where approximately
half of the production is consumed by the domestic market and
half by other European countries (Germany, France and UK mainly),
we would have to know first what are the characteristics the European
consumers demand of the vegetables for fresh consumption; what
additional characteristics are required by the distributors; and,
finally, what do the growers need for growing competitively the
vegetables that the consumers and distributors ask for?
The vegetable species for fresh consumption grown in the plastichouses
in Southeastern Spain are in order of importance: tomato, pepper,
cucumber, melon, green bean, watermelon, eggplant, squash, and
lettuce. Currently there are about 40,000 hectares of plastichouses
in the Southeastern part of Spain which produce about 5x106
t of vegetables. Germany is the main vegetable importer
in Europe (3x106 t) followed by UK and France which
both together import 2x106 t. The distances from the
production area to the main distribution areas vary between 600
and 3,000 km with an average of 1,500 km.
The German consumers want cheap vegekm.
The German consumers want cheap vegetables that look like just
recently harvested, without residues of chemicals, packed with
as little plastic as possible because they do not like to produce
unnecessary garbage.
The UK consumers want vegetables with very uniform color and size;
firm; and safe because they do not have residues of chemicals
and because they have been grown, packed and transported hygienically,
with complete identification of the producer in the label and
not very expensive.
The Spanish consumers want mainly high flavor and aroma, adequate
size and, to a lesser extent, nice external aspects and organically
grown vegetables.
Distibutors want vegetables very firm, with high rot resistance
and with just-harvested appearence during 10-13 days which is
the average period of time elapsed between harvest and consumption.
Growers like lowering production costs, increasing the yield,
fruits that once ripe can stand on the plant for several days,
and constant productivity when slightly stressful conditions come
about in the greehouse due to high or low temperatures, watering,
or salinity.
The objectives marked by consumers, distributors, and growers
are not independent but additive which means that, for example,
a melon cultivar must possess high flavor and adequate flesh texture
for the consumer. If it lacks long enough shelf life, it won't
be accepted by distributorong enough shelf life, it won't
be accepted by distributors; and if it lacks high productivity
in terms of kg of marketable fruit/hectare, it won't be accepted
by growers.
According to the expectations of consumers, distributors, and
growers research needed in the vegetable under plastichouse industry
in Southeastern Spain would be:
1. Vegetables with a shelf life of 10-15 days are required today by distributors and seems also to be asked for in the future. This objective can be attained by breeding new cultivars for capability to maintain cell wall structure during and after ripening, or by controlling ripening evolution by cooling and by atmosphere modification from the packing house to the shop.
2. Vegetables with enhanced flavour and aroma are increasingly
asked by consumers. New cultivars selected for high flavor and
aroma would be welcome. The development of these new cultivars
will be enhanced by the development of instrumental methodology
for analysis to substitute the time consuming sensorial evaluation
of the vegetables by taste panels. Environmental growing conditions
have strong influence in vegetable flavor and aroma so that, together
with the new cultivars, new plastics for covering the greenhouses
with specific length-wave permeability, new structures improving
ventilation and light transmission, together with some heating
and cooling, cheap systems are also necesse heating
and cooling, cheap systems are also necessary.
Knowledge of the physiology and biochemistry of ripening is essential
for the development of the new cultivars and some of the technologies
outlined in points 1 and 2.
3. Productivity. New cultivars should maintain at least the productivity
of today's cultivars and should incorporate tolerances to slight
temperature and water stress which allow maintenance of a constant
productivity and quality. The new plastics and structures mentioned
in point 2 will also increase the productivity.
Productivity can also be increased by decreasing growing costs
because of mechanization, automation and work organization. Harvest
is the most costly labor in vegetable production under plastichouses,
then harvest mechanization would have the highest incidence in
lowering costs.
Biological and growing methods (integrated control) are necessary
to control diseases, pests and weeds with no, or the lowest, use
of chemicals. Knowledge of epidemiology of pathogens and pests
in the plastichouse environment is essential to prevent diseases
and pests, and to efficiently use predators, pheromons, and biological
control of fungi. Cultivars with resistance or tolerance to pests
and diseases would substantially help in the integrated control.
Control of the plastichouse environment (heat and humidity) would
extremely facilitate the prevention and control of
extremely facilitate the prevention and control of pests and diseases.
Re-utilization of the rest of crops and plastics from the greenhouses
will help in the environment care of the production area.
Prevention of the contamination of soils and aquifers by the adequate
use of fertilizers, water, and chemicals would maintain the environment
and enhance quality of life in the production area.
The development of new cultivars will help the achievement of
a number of objectives described above. The development and use
of molecular markers can speed up the selection and acquiring
process. Release of new more eficient transformation and gene
cloning methods will allow the development of transgenic cultivars
that would be used provided that consumers accept them.