Posts Tagged: garden
Los terrenos baldíos: una oportunidad económica en potencia
Científicos de UCCE estudian la viabilidad de cultivos especializados para pequeños cultivadores urbanos
Los terrenos baldíos de su vecindario podrían albergar cultivos de frutas y verduras y facilitando su acceso a ellas – a la misma vez que reducen la necesidad de transportar y distribuir estos alimentos. ¿Podría ser que convertir estos espacios vacantes en pequeñas granjas se convirtieran también en una oportunidad de desarrollo económico?
Para responder a esta pregunta, un equipo de investigadores de Extensión Cooperativa de la Universidad de California en el condado de San Diego investiga la viabilidad económica de sembrar cultivos de especialidad de alto valor en zonas urbanas como terrenos baldíos. El Proyecto – dirigido por Eric Middleton, asesor para el manejo integrado de plagas de UCCE para los condados de San Diego, Orange y Los Ángeles – se realiza actualmente en The Flower Fields en Carlsbad, una atracción de temporada para los residentes locales y turistas.
Escondido detrás del campo está el Small-Scale Urban Ag Demonstration Site (Sitio de Demostración de Agricultura Urbana a Pequeña Escala) en donde Middleton y su equipo establecieron, en el otoño del 2023, una pequeña granja sobre aproximadamente 17 mil pies cuadrados. Financiado por el Instituto Nacional de Alimentos y Agricultura del Departamento de Agricultura de Estados Unidos la granja está diseñada para evaluar la producción en contenedores en el exterior y bajo túneles altos.
Los agricultores no necesariamente necesitan terrenos, solo un espacio
Los túneles altos, conocidos también como casas de aros, son estructuras semipermanentes que actúan de manera similar a los invernaderos proporcionando un ambiente controlado. Durante el experimento, Middleton va a comparar costos, esfuerzo y durabilidad de dos tipos de túneles: uno hecho con acero y el otro con tubería PVC.
“Queremos proporcionar a los cultivadores interesados información sobre tantas opciones como podamos”, señaló Middleton, quien explicó que el proyecto fue motivado por los cambios en el entorno urbano, incluyendo el espacio limitado y la falta de tierra arable.
En esta prueba, están cultivando cúrcuma, jengibre y arándanos azules. Los cultivos de alto valor fueron seleccionados por su potencial de producir ganancias. Se recabará información que evalúa la variedad de plantas, mezcla de suelos, fertilizantes, crecimiento y producción y la presión causada por plagas y enfermedades y se incluirá un reporte al concluir el proyecto en el 2026.
A medida que los cultivos crecen en contenedores – los arándanos azules en macetas y el cúrcuma y jengibre en bolsas para cultivar – Middleton resaltó el aspecto de movilidad del estudio, haciendo notar que los cultivadores no necesariamente necesitan un terreno.
Ya sea en el patio trasero o en el techo, la producción en contenedores representa un traslado más fácil, especialmente porque los terrenos baldíos no siempre se mantienen vacantes para siempre y los lotes urbanos con frecuencia requieren acondicionamiento del suelo. Cultivar en contenedores resuelve el problema anticipado de tenerse que trasladar.
Donde establecerse en el condado de San Diego
Jan Gonzales, coordinadora del Proyecto y supervisora de educación comunitaria para UCCE en el condado de San Diego, encabeza el esfuerzo para identificar terrenos urbanos en esta área, así como políticas y procedimientos para que los cultivadores tengan acceso a estos espacios.
Gonzales colabora con miembros comunitarios que trabajan en proyectos similares identificando el espacio para posibles cultivadores.
“Esto se ha hecho antes para objetivos diferentes y áreas específicas de la región, pero la información era para proyectos específicos y no algo abierto al público o tan fácil de encontrar”. dijo Gonzales.
Tras haber hablado con personas asociadas previamente o en el presente a proyectos de identificación de terrenos para cultivo, Gonzales ha acordado coordinar y facilitar un grupo asesor para discutir potenciales áreas de colaboración y desarrollar la eficiencia del proyecto. Ella anticipa llevar a cabo la primera reunión del grupo antes de que termine el verano.
Una guía de producción para ayudar a miembros de la comunidad a recrear el proyecto
La audiencia ideal para un estudio como este es para cualquiera que quiera sembrar cultivos de especialidad, de acuerdo con Lindsey Pedroncelli, directora interina del Centro de Investigación y Extensión South Coast UC ubicado en Irvine, quien trabajó en el proyecto junto con Middleton cuando era investigadora asociada de UCCE en San Diego.
“Si eres un nuevo cultivador o un cultivador que desea diversificar su producción, lo que estamos aprendiendo aquí se puede aplicar a ti”, manifestó Pedroncelli.
Pedroncelli ha sido instrumental en darle vida al experimento y en documentar paso a paso, hasta ahora, su flujo de trabajo. La guía de producción, la cual está siendo creada conforme se desarrolla el proyecto, incluye instrucciones detallando cómo replicar el experimento desde cero Actualmente, contiene información sobre cómo diseñar tu granja, los materiales a comprar, estructuras de edificios, instalación de riego y manejo de cultivos.
La pregunta abierta más intrigante, si la operación es rentable, es sobre la fuerza impulsora de la guía de producción y será sin duda abordada, dijo Pedroncelli.
Haga una cita y visite la granja
Cuando visite la granja, podrá encontrar tres variedades de arándanos: Star, Snowchaser y Misty. La Snowchaser ha sido la productora principal desde que se le plantó en enero, pero a la variedad se le conoce como productora de principios de temporada.
Usando solo una variedad de cada una, el cúrcuma y jengibre fueron plantados a finales de marzo y principios de abril. Con un clima anticipadamente frío en el condado de San Diego, ambos cultivos batallaron al salir de su latencia, resultando en un progreso muy lento, algo con lo que el equipo sigue lidiando hoy en día.
Visualmente, Middleton y su equipo han notado diferencias entre los cultivos que crecen bajo los túneles y los que crecen al exterior, a pesar de que la información aún no ha sido analizada para confirmar o explicar las diferencias notables.
En su intento por demostrar cómo producir cultivos de alto valor de manera rentable en entornos urbanos usando espacios y recursos limitados, Pedroncelli dijo que espera que este estudio motive a los individuos a sembrar cultivos culturalmente significativos para sus comunidades.
Para recorrer el Small-Scale Urban Ag Demonstration Site en The Flower Fields de Carlsbad, escriba a Eric Middleton al egmiddleton@ucanr.edu con la frase "Urban Agriculture Demonstration Site Tour" en la línea de asunto.
Para conocer más sobre el proyecto y su progreso, visite: https://ucanr.edu/sites/socalIPM/Small_Scale_Urban_Agriculture_Project_/.
Adaptado al español por Leticia Irigoyen del artículo en inglés. Editado para su publicación por Diana Cervantes
UC Master Gardener of San Diego County’s ‘labor of love’ improves health of older adults
The Belden Village Apartments in Clairemont Mesa East of San Diego is home to a diverse population of older adults. Shital Parikh, a UC Master Gardener of San Diego County, took the initiative to build a garden that grows food and encourages residents to spend more time outdoors, getting their hands dirty alongside neighbors.
Almost a year ago, Parikh – a UC Master Gardener since 2014 – proposed to develop a community garden within the low-income residential facility with the intention that the residents would manage it independently overtime. When the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) and County of San Diego approved the proposal, Parikh moved swiftly to break ground on what is now the Belden Community Garden.
“The Belden Community Garden is a labor of love,” Parikh said. “One that has been made possible thanks to the knowledge and support gained from the UC Master Gardener Program and the invaluable support from Amy Zink from the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.”
Breaking ground for a community garden
In September 2023, interested residents at the Belden Village Apartments gathered to learn of the project and understand how they can be involved. In October, the County of San Diego received a donation from Home Depot which included garden beds, and the materials needed to build them. All of which were donated to Parikh to establish the Belden Community Garden.
“This project has received approved funding from our partners and there has not been any out-of-pocket expense,” said Parikh.
In preparation for the garden beds, residents teamed up with more than a dozen UC Master Gardeners of San Diego County to learn various gardening skills. Some taught residents how to create seed tape, making it easier to plant seeds in an organized manner, the basics of vegetable gardening and food prep classes as well.
In January 2024, 13 garden beds were installed and ready for planting. In March, residents enjoyed their first harvest of vegetables and leafy greens by hosting a salad-making luncheon where everyone could taste the fresh produce grown on-site.
“The residents are at the heart of this, and it's been a joy to see them come together across different languages and cultures, sharing in the harvest and learning alongside us,” said Parikh.
Other than English, there are four primary languages spoken in the residential community, including Spanish, Arabic, Farsi and Vietnamese. All garden signs communicate the names of crops in these primary languages – a nod to the residents who helped establish and maintain the garden, which also features crops important in the various cultures.
Residents at the ‘heart' of it all
The Belden Community Garden has two residential garden coordinators, Art Dawson and Lisa Hillman, who are responsible for watering and general maintenance of the garden. Neither Dawson nor Hillman had prior gardening experience.
In the three years that Hillman has been living at the Belden Village Apartments, this is the first time she's participated in a community effort like the garden. “I didn't come outside or interact with neighbors much – but since I started volunteering here, I see so many people and I know more people in my community,” said Hillman, who described the various colors of squash – her favorite vegetable, so far – grown and harvested in the garden.
Dawson, in contrast, isn't a big fan of squash and prefers greens instead. “I'm African American, so I'm all about the collard greens,” said Dawson. Learning as he goes, Dawson said his primary job is managing irrigation.
“I've never gardened before in my life. But I like helping out and working with my hands,” he said. “I kind of like it. It keeps me busy, and I love seeing how everything grows from a tiny seed.”
Shahnaz Roshanoi, a resident whose native language is Farsi, said she was so happy when the garden came to fruition. Roshanoi maintains a garden of her own using the limited space that surrounds her apartment with plants reaching as tall as seven feet. Since the community garden was established, Roshanoi has been an active volunteer, sharing her extensive gardening knowledge with others and inviting more residents to join the fun.
Parikh's effort inspires development of more community gardens
During her earlier days as a UC Master Gardener, Parikh taught gardening via Zoom because of COVID-19. Parikh focused on teaching low-income residents, who are often at a disadvantage in accessing affordable healthy food options. Her gardening projects have all benefitted from her 10-plus years of experience in companion planting and crop rotation, pollinator gardens and native plants.
“Watching the garden evolve has been incredibly rewarding, and I can't wait to see how it continues to thrive!” said Parikh.
With generous support from the UC Master Gardeners Program of San Diego County, County of San Diego, SDHC's Achievement Academy, and the Del Mar Mesa Garden Club, the Belden Community Garden teaches residents how to grow their own food, enjoy it, and live healthier, happier lives.
The success and impact of the Belden Village community has inspired two more community gardens in low-income resident facilities located in the Mesa Valley and Otay Mesa neighborhoods in San Diego.
“I do what I can and then leave the rest to divinity,” Parikh said. “Time and again, help has found its way, or maybe it's simply a matter of trusting the process and staying consistent.”
The UC Master Gardeners of San Diego County work to expand the love of gardening and improve food security across the county. You can support their efforts by donating at this link here: https://give.ucanr.edu/forms/SanDiego-MG
Homeless people cultivate food, better health while gardening in Alameda County
Fresh fruits and vegetables are essential to a healthful diet, but it's hard to keep perishable foods on hand if one doesn't have a refrigerator or a home. To enhance the health of homeless people, the CalFresh Healthy Living, UC Cooperative Extension team in Alameda County has partnered with the South County Homeless Project to grow fresh produce for people staying at the emergency housing in Hayward.
For the past seven years, CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Alameda has been delivering nutrition lessons to residents of the South County Homeless Project, part of Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency. The classes include Rethink Your Drink, Food Safety, Making Every Dollar Count, Eat Healthy Be Active Community Workshops, and Fresh from the Garden.
The South County Homeless Project facility houses 24 people for up to a year. With the help of the CalFresh Healthy Living, UC Cooperative Extension team, its existing garden was refurbished and redesigned. The large outdoor garden behind the facility offers therapeutic gardening opportunities to residents and provides food for their meals.
"I love the garden and when the cook cooks the vegetables, they taste amazing,” said one resident. “I am thankful for this garden and for having the CalFresh Healthy Living team.”
At one time, South County Homeless Project's backyard featured a flower garden. After years of neglect, weeds overtook the garden.
In 2022, CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Alameda proposed getting residents involved in growing food by resurrecting the garden with edible plants.
“Not only could we continue to engage residents in nutrition education classes, but we could also work together to reinvigorate their neglected garden,” said MaxFairbee, nutrition educator withCalFresh Healthy Living team,UCCE Alameda.
More than 15 varieties of herbs and vegetables planted
Residents and staff set out to replace the weedy beds with a vegetable and herb garden.
“We worked with South County staff and residents on the design, clean up, planting, harvesting and ultimately incorporating food from the garden into the kitchen for residents to enjoy the fruits of their labor,” Fairbee said.
For gardening expertise and support, Fairbee enlisted the UC Master Gardeners of Alameda County's Community Garden Team to help. While the CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE staff continued providing nutrition classes, the UC Master Gardener volunteers trained the residents on the basics of gardening.
In April, after heavy rains, the group planted 50 seedlings, half donated by the UC Master Gardeners. They planted two varieties of lettuce,arugula, four varieties of tomatoes, zucchini, kale, onions, cucumbers, green beans, Swiss chard, kale, basil, cilantro, tarragon, thyme, parsley, rosemary, oregano and mint.
From garden to table
“In May, we harvested lettuce and in June, we harvested green beans, cucumbers, kale and onions,” Fairbee said.
The fresh vegetables and herbs were used to prepare salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes for the residents. Fairbee and the other educators have also used the fresh produce for cooking demonstrations and tastings as part of their Fresh from the Garden class.
"We have been able to use many of the veggies as sides or to go in the salad," said one of the South County Homeless Project cooks.
"One of the chefs used the zucchini in the pasta sauce, it was so good! I didn't really know you could use it that way!" said a resident.
After tasting summer squash andgazpacho made with tomatoes from the garden, a South County resident namedSelina said, "I was surprised how good the raw summer squash tasted and how the flavor was different after it was cooked. I'll definitely be adding more zucchini to my plate."
Challenges to keeping the garden going
To keep the garden healthy, they faced competition with plant-chewing snails, slugs and aphids and cats digging in the soil. Because the water source is over 200 feet from the garden, they run a long hose across the main path, along the parking lot to water the plants, then unhook the hose and stash it indoors after each use so that it won't get stolen.
Another challenge of maintaining the garden is getting enough residents and staff to volunteer to work on it.
“Although staff are supportive of the garden, none actually have time to work in the garden,” Fairbee said.
The residents harvest, wash and store the produce in the kitchen. Only four to six of the 24 residents are typically interested in working in the garden, pulling weeds and protecting the plants from pests – most are focused on getting a new job and a home. South County residents usually leave the temporary housing within a few months.
For more consistent garden maintenance, Fairbee is looking to other community groups for volunteers. He is also hoping to persuade the county government to install a water spigot close to the garden so they can install drip irrigation to water the garden.
“We'd like to work with the UC Master Food Preservers to teach residents how to preserve herbs and vegetables,” Fairbee said.
He hopes South County Homeless Project residents will continue gardening in their new homes to grow fresh vegetables so they can enjoy a more nutritious diet and better health.
Beyond the fresh food, the South County Homeless Project residents and staff enjoy the ambience of the garden.
"It's really nice to go back there and just sit, it's really peaceful," said one staff member.
A resident added, "(The garden) relaxes me from stress. I love the garden."
Rachel Surls has cultivated a healthier LA County through gardens
UC Cooperative Extension advisor who promotes school gardens, urban agriculture to retire after 35-year career
A stroll through a leafy, green garden can give one temporary relief from life's harshness. During her career, Rachel Surls has used gardens to cultivate healthier communities, whether they are growing nutritious food or providing science lessons for students.
Over the past 35 years, Surls, University of California Cooperative Extension sustainable food systems advisor in Los Angeles County, has witnessed many changes – such as promoting public events on Instagram rather than typing and mailing press releases. A comforting and consistent presence has been the UC Master Gardener Program, part of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“As I look back, the UC Master Gardener Program has been a constant in my work. It helps so many people,” said Surls, who joined UCCE as a school and community garden coordinator in 1988.
“My new job with UCCE-LA was my dream job. I organized community gardens around the county and supported teachers who wanted to start school gardens,” recalled the Michigan native, who plans to retire at the end of the year. “I had a bachelor's degree in agronomy and was freshly out of a stint with the U.S. Peace Corps in rural Honduras. My work there inspired me to pursue community development work related to gardening.”
Louisa R. Cardenas, trustee of Los Angeles County Natural History Museums, was a UC Master Gardener volunteer for 25 years.
“Among Rachel's many skills and assets are her willingness to listen to and consider ideas from Master Gardeners that eventually reach and empower Los Angeles County residents to grow food that supplements their nutritional needs,” Cardenas said.
To complement the nascent UC Master Gardener Program in Los Angeles County, Surls organized “Gardening Angels,” a cadre of volunteers to work with teachers and students to develop school gardens. She edited a guide for teachers, parents and volunteers to build gardens for children.
“I met Rachel in 1992 and was so blessed to come up through the ranks with her,” said Rose Hayden-Smith, UCCE emeritus advisor in digital communications in food systems and extension education. “We were in neighboring counties, and had many similar programmatic interests, including school gardens. Her research informed my work and was so helpful to me.”
Advancing food security, community nutrition
In 1994, after earning her master's degree from Cal Poly Pomona in agricultural science with a focus on agricultural education, Surls accepted a newly created position: UC Cooperative Extension urban horticulture advisor.
To retain Los Angeles County funding in 1992, the UCCE staff had become part of the county's Housing Authority/Community Development Commission. As the UCCE urban horticulture advisor, Surls was tasked with developing gardens at five public housing sites. At one of these locations, Carmelitos Housing Development in Long Beach, she worked with community partners to select landscape trees, hire a greenhouse contractor and design a horticulture job training program for public housing residents. This site became known as the Growing Experience Urban Farm.
“I'm pleased that 29 years later, the Growing Experience is still an active community farm where UC Master Gardeners offer workshops for the community,” Surls said.
In 1997, when George Rendell retired as director of UCCE in Los Angeles County, Surls applied for the job. For the next 14 years, she oversaw more than 70 employees and local programs, including the 4-H youth development program, which launched afterschool, hands-on learning for children.
Surls, who participated in 4-H herself as a child, worked closely with 4-H funders. She helped secure grants, contracts and gifts for 4-H as well as the UC Master Gardener Program and UCCE nutrition programs for projects that encouraged Angelenos to eat more fruits and vegetables.
“Rachel was incredibly creative and innovative as a leader,” said Hayden-Smith, who served as director of UCCE in Ventura County. “Rachel models a kind of quiet leadership that invites people into the process, honors the group and moves work forward in important ways.”
While working, Surls earned her Ph.D. in higher education administration at Claremont Graduate University in 2008, with an eye on pursuing other leadership roles. Instead, the global financial crisis inspired her return to working directly with Los Angeles County residents on urban gardening to reduce food insecurity.
To focus on outreach, the UCCE sustainable food systems advisor handed her UCCE director duties to Keith Nathaniel, UCCE 4-H advisor, at the end of 2011.
Developing, sharing resources for urban farming and gardens
In 2012, she organized colleagues within UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and community partners to study the needs of urban farmers and begin offering workshops for them. She led the development of an urban agriculture website, with resources covering business management, food safety, marketing and regulations. She served on the leadership board of the Los Angeles Food Policy Council and began advising cities on policies that would make it easier for residents to grow food.
“These have been my favorite and most productive years of my career,” Surls said.
Drawing on skills she began honing as an undergraduate at Virginia Tech as a news writer for the Virginia Extension Service, Surls co-authored a book about the history of agriculture in Los Angeles County, called “From Cows to Concrete: The Rise and Fall of Farming in Los Angeles.” She is currently working on a second book about urban farming in the U.S.
The Grow LA Gardens Initiative – which helps aspiring gardeners start their own gardens quickly – is one source of pride for Surls. Hundreds of people have taken the four-week course and, after participating, nearly 70% planted gardens.
In 2018, Surls was honored with the Bradford-Rominger award by the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis for her work promoting community gardens, school gardens and urban agriculture.
With community gardens and school gardens now commonplace, Surls chuckles as she recalls veteran UCCE colleagues advising her to choose a more “serious” academic focus early in her career.
“It's gratifying to see so many people in academia working on farming in cities, school gardens and community gardens,” Surls said.
Advocating for equity
In 2022, while Surls was on sabbatical, she and Cardenas – the longtime UC Master Gardener volunteer – requested and received $100,000 from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to hire an equity, diversity and inclusion coordinator and to fund outreach. This UC Master Gardener project championed by Supervisor Sheila Kuehl specifically reaches underserved populations within the county. “Such a significant achievement would not have been possible without Rachel's encouragement and support,” Cardenas said.
After she retires, Surls plans to volunteer her expertise for online training of UC Master Gardener volunteers statewide. To support their program efforts including outreach to the Spanish-speaking community and scholarships for underserved communities, Surls has pledged to give $5,000 as a matching gift to donations to the UC Master Gardener Program in Los Angeles between Giving Tuesday, Nov. 28, and Dec. 31 at https://ucanr.edu/LAmastergardener.
El consumo de aguacate crece, pero los retos para su cultivo también
¡Vaya que el aguacate sigue dando sorpresas! Quizás los consumidores sepan que es una fruta cremosita sabrosa, nutritiva y reconocida por su gran semilla. Pero algo poco conocido, es que en algún tiempo se pensó que era una drupa, frutas que tienen una semilla grande como el melocotón, pero no es así, el aguacate es una baya.
¿Por qué importa si es drupa o baya? Es información científica que ayuda a los expertos a entender mejor su cultivo. Pero más allá de los datos biológicos de esta fruta, hay otro dilema que preocupa a los productores.
El consumo de aguacate sigue creciendo en los Estados Unidos, pero desafortunadamente también los retos en su producción. Particularmente por el uso del agua. Dado que el aguacate es un árbol que requiere mucha agua y se produce en una región donde el agua está restringida y es cara.
De ahí que es imprescindible investigar y encontrar nuevas herramientas para un cultivo más sustentable.
Datos oficiales de Statista.com indican que en 2001 en los Estados Unidos, el consumo anual de aguacate por habitante era de 2 libras al año y para 2020 aumentó a 9 libras anuales por habitante.
California es a nivel nacional el productor principal de aguacate, con una producción estimada en 411 millones de dólares anuales, según el Servicio Nacional de Estadísticas Agrícolas.
Estudios de División de Agricultura y Recursos Naturales de la Universidad de California UC ANR indican que el árbol de aguacate tiene un sistema de raíces poco profundas que se necesita regar con poca agua pero frecuentemente y necesita agua de buena calidad. En los días más cálidos del verano, se debe regar cada 7 ó 10 días y con un sistema de goteo, el árbol puede necesitar de 45 a 60 galones de agua por día dependiendo de la zona climática y de las características del suelo.
En California, el principal bastión aguacatero está concentrado en los condados de San Diego, Riverside y Orange en donde el agua es cara y restringida. “Esta región enfrenta incertidumbre en el suministro de agua, por la reducción obligatoria en el uso del agua y el aumento en el costo, sostiene Ali Montazar, experto en Irrigación de UC ANR. “Y aunque el uso eficiente de riego es prioridad, el agua es el insumo más importante para la producción de aguacates”.
Ali Montazar, asesor en el manejo de riego de Extensión Cooperativa de la Universidad de California, está a cargo de ejecutar la investigación. El objetivo es crear herramientas que ayuden a mejorar las prácticas de riego de los productores en el sur de California, el bastión aguacatero del estado.
En colaboración con la Comisión de Aguacates de California se llevarán a cabo investigaciones de campo en seis áreas de cultivo de aguacates Hass, ubicados en los condados de San Diego, Riverside y Orange. Además, se añadió a este estudio al condado de Orange con el propósito de capturar mejor el amplio rango de microclimas y sistemas de cultivo de toda la región.
La investigación consiste en desarrollar “coeficientes de cultivo”, son datos técnicos que ayudarán a los productores de aguacate a determinar cuál es el riego óptimo para sus cultivos en base a una multitud de factores como: tipo de tierra, salinidad, características del dosel arbóreo, orientación de los surcos, pendientes y prácticas para el manejo de agua y más.
“Los agricultores no tienen muy claro la cantidad de agua que los cultivos necesitan ante esas condiciones”, manifestó Montazar.
Entre otros datos de información, el experto incorporará el uso real de agua en los huertos experimentales – incluyendo la información más reciente de los sensores de humedad del suelo y temperatura del dosel arbóreo. Son mediciones que ayudarán a garantizar que los agricultores no rieguen ni más ni menos de lo que realmente requieren los cultivos. Mucha agua puede provocar una enfermedad devastadora del aguacate conocida como pudrición de la raíz, causada por el patógeno de la planta Phytophthora cinnamomi.
La investigación incluye la labor de divulgación para que una vez que se identifiquen cuáles son las mejores prácticas para cada área, también se den a conocer a toda la comunidad agrícola. “Desarrollar y adoptar estas herramientas de información puede ayudar a resolver los problemas de calidad y cantidad del agua y reforzar la sustentabilidad económica no solo en la región aguacatera del Sur de California, sino además en Kern y Tulare condados en donde ya están surgiendo nuevas plantaciones de aguacate”, explicó Montazar.
Para finales del 2022 se espera dar a conocer los resultados de la investigación y sus recomendaciones preliminares.
Mike Hsu es el autor original de este artículo en inglés.