In the talk “The importance of blueberry nutrition by phenological stage: experiences in Mexico”, the renowned researcher and consultant Carlos Castillo, from Good Berries, presented a research work that he has carried out during the last three years on phenology cultivation, a very important issue because there are many varieties of blueberries on the market, but it is unknown how they behave under certain weather and management conditions. In his presentation, the expert showed various analyzes contemplating the growth curves of different varieties of blueberries based on the management conditions.

His talk, which closed the XX International Blueberry Seminar at Expo Guadalajara, essentially referred to nutrition and irrigation in hydroponic protected agriculture, including containers and different types of substrate, and was linked to this analysis of plant growth according with the different phenological stages of the crop, obtained from the results of its study, in the perspective of collaborating in research and science applied to the crop.

More research, science and precision

“It is something that we as agronomists realize every time. That the agriculture we practice must be precision agriculture, because the investments made in the management of these crops are very high. This management requires constant knowledge and monitoring ”, he explains, adding:

“Due to the high investments, it is increasingly necessary for us to be clear about how the different varieties behave according to the genetic conditions they bring, plus the weather conditions, plus the management. To guarantee high production levels and a quality in fruit production that allows better access to better markets ”.

At the Seminar and in the run-up to his talk, the expert revealed his vision of the future of the blueberry industry in Mexico, predicting an important mobility of the crop and the future of the industry.

How do you see the prospects for the Mexican industry?

When blueberries started here in Mexico, with Fundación Jalisco, which was a pillar in the development of blueberry growth in Mexico, no one took into account that this crop was developing better on the other side of the meridian. Currently we have the case of Sinaloa and Sonora and the north of Guanajuato, where we are talking about states that are on the other side of the Tropic of Cancer, and the conditions are favorable for the development of the crop, so I am seeing a trend in these three geographical areas of the country that are going to have an exponential development, because the climatic seasons are more marked and that favors the production of the crop. The crop falls within its natural production window, so this will allow these regions to start painting within the production map.

The dynamics changed

Carlos Castillo explains that the developments in Sinaloa, Sonora and Guanajuato are growing very aggressively. “In these states there are no longer farmers, there are agricultural entrepreneurs. The dynamics changed ”, he assures.

"That's what's happening. So in 2 or 3 years the blueberries in Mexico will be concentrated in these 3 regions, because the production levels are very high, yields are obtained that are not obtained in central and western Mexico. We are talking about productions of 1 kg per plant in the first year in Biloxi, which in central and western Mexico costs a lot, while in those areas, due to the climate and latitude conditions, it occurs naturally . So that's where the market goes and that's where production goes. Production will be concentrated there. Those regions were yet to be discovered in the management and production of blueberries in Mexico ”, he concludes.