The handling of crops of tomato and pepper, and greenhouses, protagonists of the first session

The President of expo Agro Almería, Miguel Lopez, was responsible for opening on November 12, the technical workshops of Expo Agro Almería, in the framework of the so-called 'meetings Expo Agro Meeting Point'. The Palace of exhibitions and congresses House of Almería Aguadulce (Roquetas de Mar) was the scene of the first two dates of the Conference, which addressed in-depth crop management of tomato and pepper, fundamental in the agricultural structure of the Almeria fields, and the greenhouse, addressing methods to increase and improve productivity in intensive farming.

The first day counted with the participation of more than 200 attendees, technicians and farmers, and began with a few words from Miguel López, President of Expo Agro Almería, which stressed that "the future of the Almeria agriculture is in innovation and these days"primarily aimed at farmers and technicians, they want to contribute to innovation and that efficiency so that we can compete with Europe and the world and we remain a sector of reference at the international level. "I think that we have managed to bring together a group of experts of recognized standing, in order to assist in this important increase of the productivity and quality."

After these first words, was responsible for the first session, Roberto García, director of the Centre Experimental Las Palmerillas of the Cajamar Foundation, who insisted on the idea that "we must continue the evolution of a sector which has enjoyed a very positive situation and which now has to continue to grow to be competitive".

More than 200 professionals in the Almeria fields attended the first of the events in the Palace of congresses of Almeria.

The first technical intervention was carried out by Jesus Gonzalez Vargas, of the Fito Cañada company, whose intervention dealt with the 'management of cultivation of tomato'. His speech, illustrated in many exposed graphic examples has all those present, went by different cultivation techniques for a better quality and optimization of the production of tomato; In addition to showing an example of follow-up to cultivation of tomato, also illustrated graphically.

Then Juan Carlos Gázquez Garrido, of the Las Palmerillas Experimental Station, intervened with a paper on pick 'strategies for the improvement of productivity in tomato (up with hangers and interplanting)', who began comparing the practices that are carried out cultivation practices elsewhere in the world and in Almeríaconcluding that "it is not that here it is done poorly, but elsewhere they produce with large investments in technology and innovation". In addition, he emphasized the cost-effectiveness of the system of hangers and made a graphic look at different ways of cultivation and on the interplanting Gázquez explained that this model allows to combine two crops in the same space, "getting the best results of each". Moreover, the Rapporteur offered some tips to increase productivity, with references to the Dutch model.

"You have to know the production and the price, as well as expenditures that must be incurred for performance"

Later, the theme focused on the 'handling of the pepper cultivation', starting with a talk that was provided by John Van Der Lee (Agrimanagement), which dealt with 'Adaptation of the Dutch model in Spain'. In the first of these, the rapporteur, with a wide experience in the cultivation of pepper for years in his country, pointed out that "for performance you have to know the production and the price, as well as expenditures that must be incurred." "You have to control these three factors, for performance." Also highlighted that "the heating determines the choice of varieties, insofar as there are some that can not be grown without heating" and other aspects relevant to the search for greater profitability of the crop.

After the made opening of the second of the Conference by the director of excellence of the Chamber of Commerce of Almeria, Francisco Lopez, the first of the Conference, under the title 'Optimal conditions and the basic technology', it was entrusted to Pilar Lorenzo, of IFAPA. In his speech, dealt with the different technologies to be applied to suit the conditions of crops in order to increase productivity, quality and quantity, reducing the application of non-reusable waste or minimize the use of natural resources.

During his speech, the rapporteur explained the factors that affect radiation intercepted by the crop, as the angle of the cover of the greenhouses, "studies of Teresa Soriano and Javier Cabrera", stated, "match in a close to 30 degrees angle". Another important factor is the "light transmission" through the cover, as the capacity of dissemination of the material or the cleaning of the cover.

The structural elements of the facilities, the framework and the density of the plantation, the leaf area index or light extinction coefficient, are other important factors to be taken into account. His presentation focused on the incorporation of basic technologies to improve the productivity of farms, Pilar Lorenzo emphasized other agents such as temperature, "which is a determining factor and brings different values according to the process that we are using"He explained. As for the relative humidity, "intensive type crops can see strong variations of humidity during the day". Finally, he made reference to various methods to improve the concentration of CO₂, in the greenhouse.

"Greenhouses of countries such as Spain, Italy or Morocco have a basic level of technology, low consumption of energy and, ultimately, a limited investment"

During the second Conference, in which interveno Juan Carlos Lopez, of the Pamerillas-Cajamar Las Experimental Station, and Guadalupe Lopez, of Tecnova is spoke of the different types of greenhouse in the Mediterranean area. According to data provided by Juan Carlos Lopez, "greenhouses of countries such as Spain, Italy or Morocco have a basic level of technology, low consumption of energy and, ultimately, a limited investment." His talk addressed different design criteria to decide what kind of structure purchase.

The characteristics of these greenhouses of the Mediterranean influence in that it is the own cultivation which adapts to the existing environment. "Not too much radiation, what we need to do is to control this radiation", noted in his speech, adding that "reduce the radiation means reduced production". The method of controlling the radiation consists of choosing well structure design and material of the cover. "We lose much radiation due to the used structures, since there is a transmissivity around 60 per cent and we could produce more."

Juan Carlos López also referred to cover materials referring to the condensation as the main problem. "Lead to a reduction of light and, in addition, the fall of drops in cultivation increases the risk of disease," he said. In the Palmerillas-Cajamar the Experimental Station is working with new plastics self-cleaning and also offered as a solution to the antitérmicos films.

At the second meeting was alerted about the need for quality products and be a leader in technology and innovation of greenhouses.

Guadalupe Lopez picked up the baton and continued with the presentation on the evolution of greenhouses and the AENOR norm in the greenhouse type Almería. In his statement reflected that there are three major areas of greenhouses in the world: far East, Mediterranean basin and, finally, Central America and South Africa. The latter has been a great increase in hectares of greenhouses structures in recent years.

"Almería, as it is known, has been an exponential growth in greenhouse structures in forty years, what has become a worldwide reference", he said. Costa Tropical, Murcia and Almería recorded an evolution in structures of greenhouses that has evolved in a similar way. The first structures were panas, simple and very low cost, but as the farmer was tecnificando, structures improved. In his talk he offered very meaningful data on the sector in Almeria, which represents some 14,000 farms, with 72,000 jobs direct, that invoice 1.7 billion euro per year and 2,000 million, if we take into account the auxiliary industry.

The most significant changes in the evolution of the greenhouse has been the increase in height, improving the ventilation and "all of this aimed at increased productivity of the crop". Finally, was the industrial structures which, although they are not massive in Almeria, "Yes that have brought a large increase in the quality of products, very important to direct them to the foreign market", said Guadalupe Lopez. In its conclusion, warned of the need of "betting on products quality and be a leader in technology and innovation of greenhouses".