A technique that aims to revolutionize the varietal change of blueberries
At a time when varietal replacement appears as a real necessity for many blueberry orchards in the country, an agronomist from the Biobío Region is carrying out various trials that seek to validate the realization of this task through grafting, a technique that it would reduce costs and obtain 14 fruit production months later.
The positive transit that Chilean blueberries have had in recent times has been eclipsed, in part, by the increasingly constant quality problems that the fruit has exhibited in certain destination markets. This, according to the experts, is the unequivocal signal that the sector must accelerate the step towards the replacement of some old varieties by newer ones.
Although the idea generates consensus among producers and exporters, the task in many cases has not advanced at the desired speed, because in practice it means that a heavy investment must be made and it is a complex task.
"To make a variety change in blueberries, the old plant is usually started and replaced with a new one, which involves a series of inconveniences for the producer. Therefore, knowing that it is important to do so, there are many who delay the decision“says Álvaro Sanhueza, a small blueberry producer in the Maule Region.
In fact, a plant, depending on the variety and the nursery in which it is purchased, has a value that ranges between $ 900 and $ 1.800, which adds to that in an orchard, in general, are planted in the order of 3.300 to 4.000 units per hectare. Thus, it is estimated that carrying out a varietal replacement can mean an average investment of US $ 15.000-18.000 per hectare.
However, these days, a rethinking technique is being investigated in the country that promises to significantly reduce the costs associated with this task and, in addition, to advance the entry into production of the new plant. It is the replacement by grafting, an alternative that although it is widely used in other fruit trees, is not well known in the arandanero sector.
One of the advantages is that because the blueberry is a single foot plant, frank, in theory it would have no problem to be grafted with any variety, unlike what happens with other species, which depend on the compatibility between the pattern and the new grafted variety.
THE BASE OF THE REVOLUTION
"Strictly speaking, the grafting consists in using an adult plant with an already formed structure and taking advantage of all its reserves for the growth of the new one that will be located on top. To do this, a traditional spike graft must be made“, explains Pablo Muñoz, an agronomist and researcher at the Faculty of Agronomy at the University of Concepción, who has carried out the applied research independently.
Although the tests will extend for several more years, the specialist says that to date there are several preliminary results that make you see the future with much optimism. One of the most important is that this technique would allow to achieve, 14 months after the grafting, a production of 3.000-4.000 kg / ha, which in practice means that it would reduce in almost a year the time that normally elapses between the blueberry is planted and gets its first production.
But that is not all. According to Pablo Muñoz, thanks to this condition, the plant could obtain, by the second year after grafting, a production volume of around 10.000 kg / ha.
Regarding costs, it indicates that when using this technique in replanting, these could be reduced by around two thirds.
It is precisely these numbers that have enthused a handful of producers who already know the work that Muñoz is doing, motivated by his colleague from the Faculty of Agronomy of the University of Concepción, Humberto Serri.
Thus, for example, Edgardo Dietz and Guillermo Parr, producers of blueberries from the Biobío Region and partners of the exporter Alfaberries, decided to use this season a couple of hectares of its surface to test this system in the field.
"The issue of lowering costs is a tremendous incentive for us as producers. In fact, if everything goes well, the varietal replacement should go much faster“, assures Edgardo Dietz.
"As long as the good results are confirmed, the entire industry will be encouraged, since more and better fruit will be available. It would be something revolutionary for the sector“, complements Guillermo Parr.
THE KEYS OF MANAGEMENT
So far the tests have worked without great difficulties, although some unknowns have arisen.
For example, the high number of crown shoots, that is, they are born in the original pattern or plant and therefore are not productive, which could lead to the producer spending a lot of money and time in eliminating them, in order to avoid that the varieties are mixed, although Pablo Muñoz explains that everything will depend on the pattern with which one works.
Another issue is that the technique of grafting is not quick to perform. In fact, it is estimated that a person can graft around 150 daily plants, which means it will take a month to graft between 1 and 1,5 hectares.
"For this reason, if you want to work 10 hectares, you will need several gravers“, assures Pablo Muñoz.
Another question is how much sooner should the plant to be grafted be lowered and whether it should be done immediately or can it be expected.
"The idea is to know if the material to be grafted can be saved or must be of the day. This, in practical terms, is super important to clarify", says Munoz.
A minor issue is the date on which the graft must be performed. Although for now there is no certainty, Muñoz says that the preliminary results indicate that it is best that this work is carried out between September and October, at times when there are good weather conditions, ie no rain or frost.
Regarding the quality of the fruit, the agronomist indicates that it should not be affected, since what determines it is the variety.
"If we put a bad variety on top, we will probably have fruit of poor quality. And is that the quality has no greater relationship with the employer“he adds.
Regarding the possibility that the grafts do not stick, Pablo Muñoz says that there should be no problem as long as they are made by a person who has experience.
THE NEXT STEPS
For now, the expert clarifies that the final results could be a couple of years after the start of the field tests, which are about to begin on at least three hectares located in different parts of the Biobío Region.
Muñoz says he would like to continue studying the usefulness of the technique, as has the Regional Service of Agrifood Research and Development of Asturias (Serida) in Spain.
"I would like to do, for example, a project to test a variety such as Legacy, which occurs very well in the regions of Biobío and La Araucanía, on Brigitta, which would make it possible to correct the presence of pests such as white-wood larvae and other“, indicates.
At 2 ° year, production close to 10 thousand kilos per hectare would be obtained.
Source: Revista del Campo
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