LIBRO-CONGRESO-CITRUS

S11
management. Due to the lack of nurseries able to comply with these requirements, a study was financed by
the Italian Ministry of Agriculture (MiPAAF) regarding the preparation of suitable organic media for growing
citrus rootstocks and for the evaluation of the commercial bio-product Clonotri (Trichoderma harzianum and
Clonostachys rosea), and this to enhance plant vigour and protect the trees against soil-borne pathogens.
Substrates were prepared and evaluated using the growing medium of IAM-Bari (IAMB mix) as control,
since this substrate has been used with success for the production of citrus plants. Considering that peat
moss is a non-renewable natural resource, commercial and experimental composts for organic production
(ECOS and Compas, respectively) and coconut fiber were individually evaluated for reducing the peat moss
quantity (35%) in IAMB mix. Moreover, a Guano-based fertilizer was added to the 3 growing media and
the elemental sulfur used for pH adjustment. Trials were carried out in an insect proof screenhouse for the
premultiplication of the trees in the Apulian certification programme. About 3-4 month-old ‘Volkameriana’
lemon, ‘Troyer’ citrange and sour orange seedlings were transplanted to the 3 growing media and the IAMB
mix. All growing media were evaluated individually and in combination with Clonotri, using 20 replicates
per treatment per rootstock. Plant growth, trunk diameter and dry weight were evaluated at the end of the
experiment. Significant increase in vegetative parameters was obtained in all citrus rootstocks grown in the
Compas-based growing medium. However, no significant results in enhancing plant growth were achieved by
the combination of Clonotri.
S11P21
The diversification of agriculture in the new Cuban Citriculture
Cueto J.C. 1 , Piñero J.P. 2 , Ortega I.O. 3 , and Torres L.T. 1
1 Grupo EmpresTimes Fruticola (GEF), Direccion Técnica y de Desarrollo, Cuba; 2 Empresa Cítricos Ceiba, Dirección, Cuba; and 3 UBPC 24
de Febrero, Cooperativa de Producción, Cuba. despacho@iift.cu
The Cuban citrus production is developed by the specialized enterprises of Fruit Culture Enterprise
Group (GEF) mainly; those enterprises are located all over the country under a great diversity of climatic
conditions. The existing climatic and soil diversity also permitted the successful development of many
other horticultural crops, like other fruits and crops with short production cycle. After the invasion of
HLB disease to Cuba, the yields of the old and affected citrus groves have been decreasing quickly and
the financial capabilities of the producers went down. The productive infrastructure and the industrial
capabilities for the citrus fruit processing are not exploited efficiently during the whole year. Cuba has the
goal to recover its citriculture through the diversification of the plantations, with plantings mainly in new
areas dedicated to citrus production. However, in the Cuban conditions, these decisions and practices
have very little background information available. In this paper we summarize the principal experiences
obtained in some Cuban enterprises in the last three years (2009-11) about use of intercropping with
minor crops in citrus plantations. This approach is analyzed in details using the results obtained by one
citrus production cooperative at “Ceiba Enterprise”.
S11P22
Presence of weed biotypes with suspected resistance to glyphosate in agroecosystem citrus
orchards in Cuba: a latent threat
Otero L. 1 , and de Pardo R. 2
1Institute of Research in Tropical Fruitculture, Cuba; and 2University of Córdoba, Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Spain.
lilianotero@iift.cu
In all the citrus orchards in Cuba, in the last few years, there has been evidence of weeds escaping from
glyphosate control at doses which normally controlled them (1440 g∙ha -1 ) in the four annual frequencies of
application dictated by the technologies set up for this crop. Species like Melochia pyramidata, Dichanthium
annulatum, Momordicha charantia, and Chamaesyce prostrata show an evasive behavior towards this
herbicide, which has had an exponential trend in its preference and use by agricultural enterprises for over 10
years. Some weeds like Bidens pilosa and Lepidium virginicum have been problematic in enterprises in various
areas of the country (Ceiba in La Habana and Arimao in Cienfuegos) where they occur with an occupation of
188 - VALENCIA CONFERENCE CENTER, 18th-23rd NOVEMBER 2012