Strategies for agricultural recovery from natural disasters

30 January, 2025/in academic/by arvensisagro

One of the most talked about current affairs since the last months of the year 2024 has been the DANA, which affected different areas of Spain. The region of Valencia was one of the most affected, causing damage in 8 regions of the province and in more than 65 municipalities. It severely affected from El Camp del Túria to Ribera Baixa, being l’Horta Sud the zone 0 of the climatic catastrophe.

The province of Valencia is characterized by a Mediterranean climate, although this is changing and winters are almost non-existent and summers are getting hotter and hotter. The annual rainfall is around 500mm, although on October 29th, in the Plana de Requena-Utiel, it accumulated up to 315mm. That is, in a matter of hours it rained more than half of what usually rains in a year. We are used to seeing every year, during the months of September and October, news of how the cold drop reaches the Levante, but it has been a long time since its consequences were as serious as this time.

Consequences of flooded fields

The natural disaster that occurred only a few months ago caused many human and material losses, with agriculture being one of the most affected sectors, causing citrus, persimmon, vineyard and rice farms to be flooded and destroyed. The affected area is estimated at around 25,000 ha and 49,000 farmers.

The orange and mandarin plots are the most damaged and some will even have to be replanted. The floods, in addition to causing root asphyxia to the crop, expose it to possible infections such as gummosis.

This pathology is caused by the fungus Phytophtora spp. that affects the root and the neck of the plant, although it can also affect the aerial part due to the splashing of the drops when they hit the ground. One of the most complicated aspects of this disease is that its symptoms are not visible until a few months after infection.

The internal parts of the trunk darken and rubbery exudations appear. The rotting of the trunk and the appearance of cankers prevent the correct functioning of the sap from the roots to the organs. This significantly affects crop health, production and yield, which in some cases can even lead to tree death.

To reduce the possible damage caused by citrus gummosis, the Generalitat Valenciana, together with the IVIA, recommended removing any accumulation of soil that may have remained on the leaves of the tree, since citrus varieties are usually much more sensitive to Phytophtora than the stem. Remove any tool that could retain more moisture than necessary in the crop as plastic protections that are usually put in young plantations in order to reduce damage from cold, mammals or phytotoxicity by the use of herbicides. On the other hand, the Department of Agriculture, Water, Livestock and Fisheries of the Valencian Community has distributed to growers in affected areas systemic fungicides authorized in citrus for prevention.

Unity lifts us

Even so, during this campaign that in just a few months begins, Valencian farmers should have a more severe control over the health of their crops. For this, they have to take into account a balanced fertilization, with a good soil management and the application of biostimulants to optimize the physiological processes of the plant. It is also recommended to use phytofortifying products to reduce the risk of infections by pathogens and pests. From Arvensis we propose the use of ecological defense promoters such as Lignomix and Glopper. Lignomix is applied as a preventive, as it activates the synthesis of phytoalexins, generates new vascular tissue and helps the transport of sap between organs. On the other hand, Glopper contains 100% complexed copper, which allows better absorption and rapid penetration into the plant, preventing the possibility of washout due to rainfall. Glopper also protects the plant from possible fungal infections and helps maintain plant health throughout the season. Combining both, crop protection would be complete and very effective.

Bibliography

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El cultivo de frutales en producción ecológica. Autor: Centro de Formación de la Asociación CAAE

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