Population growth requires more and more food and therefore more agricultural land to produce as much as possible. This increase in agricultural activity leads to an abuse of fertilisers and pesticides. This has led to a replacement of the biological functions of the soil and therefore an increased dependence on external inputs to maintain production levels.

If agricultural management has not been correct, the soil biota is negatively affected, either because the soil pH has been drastically changed, the C/N ratio is altered by the addition of manures and fertilisers, or the number of fungal hyphae is reduced by tillage etc.

Poor soil results in a less productive crop, with less capacity to defend itself against diseases and pests, which leads to an increasingly higher cycle of need for exogenous inputs, gradually increasing soil degradation.

ECONATUR COMMITMENT

At econatur we are very aware of the problems that affect the soil and we have directed much of our efforts to develop technologies and solutions that break this cycle of degradation and allow a long-term regeneration and sustainability of crops. As a result of these efforts our technical solution, SOIL, was born.

Econatur SOIL is a formula of natural origin whose main function is to regenerate agricultural soils that have suffered a high level of productive wear. Moreover, its versatility is exceptional and it fulfils not one but four beneficial objectives for any soil and crop.

Firstly, it is a highly effective fungicide. It has been shown to reduce by 98% the colony-forming units of phytopathogenic fungi of the genus Fusarium, Macrophomina, Phytopthora and Verticilium , among others. It has also been developed to control nematode populations such as Meloidogyne incognita, Pratylenhus sp and Ditylenchus sp, where we have observed up to 88% control of galls and a 90% reduction in vascular wilt.

Its second and third virtues are possibly the most important. Econatur Soil has selective and pre-probiotic capacity , as it protects and increases beneficial microbiota such as Thricoderma spp, Bacillus thuringiensis and other non-pathogenic Actinomycetes while increasing populations of beneficial saprophytic nematodes.

Finally, the formulation of our product gives it BIOSTIMULATING capacities in the early stages of cultivation: it activates root absorption properties and stimulates the primary metabolism of the crop.

Consequently, we transform the challenge of soil degradation into an environment suitable for growing high quality crops without compromising sustainability.

La entrada Soil, the basis of life se publicó primero en Econatur.

Furthermore, the growth in imports from third countries such as Morocco explains the worrying drop in Spanish and EU tomato production that has been experienced in recent years.

At Econatur, we focus our efforts on solving the different problems we encounter in the field. Our innovation department is constantly studying the different possibilities for improvement in each crop, making use of the 3 pillars that support our company: Biostimulation, Biocontrol and Advanced Crop Nutrition.

PRODUCTIVITY INCREASE THROUGH BIOSTIMULATION:

Tomato is one of the many crops where we have focused our efforts to develop and improve our solutions. We have carried out a large number of trials where we have pursued and achieved different objectives: on the one hand, to increase production by increasing both the number of flower buds and weight, and on the other hand, by acting on the productive period of the crop, extending its duration and homogenising the fruit. At the same time, we have managed to increase sugar concentrations with our solutions, resulting in a higher quality solution that is more competitive on the market.

PEST TRIALS

Our most recent lines of research focus on crop protection through the use of basic substances registered with Sanco such as Urtica spp. extract, which has insecticidal, acaricidal and fungicidal properties.

In these trials, we have managed to control pests such as moths with the same efficiency as other chemically synthesised products, while respecting beneficial auxiliary fauna for the crop such as nesidiocoris tenuis (which is a predator of tuta absoluta whitefly and thrips).

Finally, with our technical solutions we are able to create specific strategies that result in both a qualitative and quantitative increase in production, thus being able to adapt to the increasingly stringent conditions dictated by the field.

La entrada Production framework for Spanish industrial tomatoes se publicó primero en Econatur.

Furthermore, it is necessary to keep in mind that fertilisers are appropriate only when they are needed, in the right amounts, at the right time and in the right place.

In irrigation application, fertiliser should be applied on the surface of the soil or mulch, as rain or irrigation will move the fertiliser to the roots. Without irrigation or rain , fertiliser can be lost through evaporation into the atmosphere without any benefit to the plant. In foliar treatment, the quality of the application and the quality of the adjuvants used are key to rapid nutritional assimilation.

La entrada how is fertiliser applied? se publicó primero en Econatur.

Nitrogen (N) is a major element in plant nutrition, as it is the nutrient that makes up proteins, nucleic acids, amino acids and chlorophyll. Nitrogen (N) is therefore linked to the vegetative growth of plants.

According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) nitrogen fertilisers account for almost 59% of the total world consumption of mineral fertilisers. The main nitrogen fertilisers used in agriculture are: ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate, MAP, DAP and urea. Urea is one of the most widely used nutrients in the world, however, it is also the nutrient that can have the highest nitrogen (N) losses before being absorbed by the crop. In turn, this and other sources of N can lead to contamination of aquifers and can be counterproductive when applied in excess.

La entrada what are the most commonly used fertilisers in agriculture? se publicó primero en Econatur.

There are three types of fertilisers:

• Organic: those that are naturally formed with very little human involvement in their formation. Organic fertilisers can be of mineral, vegetable or mixed origin. Manure would be an example of an organic fertiliser.
• Chemical: these are mainly man-made nutrients. We also differentiate these chemical fertilisers by their manufacture: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. They are mainly of mineral, vegetable or synthetic origin.
• Inorganic: substances derived from rocks and minerals that are applied to the soil or substrate to increase the fertility of crops.

fertilisers are beneficial in the field of agriculture: they provide the necessary nutrients that the soil lacks for agricultural use, allowing for increased crop production and yields.

La entrada what is an agricultural fertiliser? se publicó primero en Econatur.

An auxin is a compound that can be synthesised inside plant cells, in the cytosol or in chloroplasts. In plants, they grow mainly in shoots, but also in rapidly growing tissues. In particular, they are usually synthesised in the apical bud of the plant and then transported in a polar fashion to the root.

Its functions are varied:

1. They promote the formation of adventitious roots and cell elongation in the stem, thanks to the extensibility of the cell wall. In this case, a dormant state occurs for 10 minutes after the arrival of auxin. After that, the process is initiated. This directed growth mediated by auxins also occurs in response to directional stimuli (tropisms), concentrating on the light side, in phototropism, and on the roots in gravitropism.
2. The regulation of plant metabolism may depend in part on free auxin present in cells, tissues and chloroplasts from the cytosol or chloroplasts.
3. They are involved in apical dominance, lateral root emergence, leaf absorption, vascular differentiation, flower bud formation and fruit development.

GLIBERELLINS

Glyberellins were discovered 20 years after auxins. These hormones are made up of isoprene units, form a large group of terpenoid compounds and more than 125 are known at present. These molecules are synthesised under the control of environmental factors such as temperature, photoperiod or the presence of auxins. Also, the expression of genes involved in their synthesis is controlled at the transcriptional level.

Its main functions are:

1. Induce a drastic elongation in the internode of certain types of plants. Have a stimulating effect on stem growth by elongation and cell division.
2. Produce changes in the youth and sexuality of flowers.
3. Produce changes in fruit promotion and fruit set, fruit growth and seed germination.

CYTOKININS

Cytokinins are hormones that regulate many cellular processes in plants. Zeatin is the main cytokinin in higher plants. These molecules are synthesised in roots, developing embryos, young leaves and fruits.

They are mainly concentrated in young cells, in roots and in cells of poorly differentiated embryonic tissues (meristems) in the apical zone of stems. They are not actively transported, but passively transported from the root to the stem via the xylem together with the processed sap.

Its functions are:

1. Participate in the regulation of various processes such as stem and root morphogenesis, chloroplast maturation or cell senescence.
2. Regulates cell cycle control in growth and development, in collaboration with auxins. Both hormones act synergistically to regulate cell division. It is important to know that a high auxin-cytokinin ratio promotes root differentiation while a low auxin-cytokinin ratio promotes stem differentiation.

ABSCISIC ACID

Abcisic acid, commonly known as ABA, is a hormone that is synthesised in almost all cells containing plastids (organelles found in plant cells). This molecule can be transported through the xylem and phloem. Its concentration in the plant can vary drastically due to developmental and environmental changes. During seed maturation, the concentration of ABA has two maximum peaks of concentration, in the middle of embryogenesis and at the end of embryogenesis.

Its main functions:

1. Inhibit growth and stomatal opening, usually when the plant is under stressful conditions.
2. Regulating seed maturation and dormancy.

Germination is regulated by the ratio of ABA to gibberillae, as high ABA concentration prevents seed germination until the seed is developed, at which point the concentration of gibberillae increases and the seed germinates. During stress events, the ABA concentration can be up to 50 times higher than the basal level. This induces stomatal closure, increases the hydraulic conductivity of the root and increases the root-to-stem ratio at low water potentials.

La entrada Phytohormones: Plant hormones se publicó primero en Econatur.

what is a biocontroller?

Bio-controllers are a type of pest and disease controller. They are designed to control pests and diseases that affect plants and animals. Bio-controllers can be used to control a variety of pests, including insects, rodents, mites, nematodes, weeds and pathogens. They are used in many places, such as greenhouses, nurseries and agricultural fields. An example of a biocontroller is the bacterial spray that uses bacteria to kill insects and fungi.

The pest controller is an important device for agriculture in the developing world. It is used to protect crops from harmful pests by killing or repelling them with organic insecticides. This method is a more natural way of controlling pests that does not require the use of pesticides or other chemicals.

how do bio-controllers work? The role of predators

Bio-controllers are living organisms that can control the population of other organisms in a given ecosystem. Predators play an important role in this process. They have the ability to keep an ecosystem in balance by eating animals that would otherwise overpopulate and cause major problems for their environment.

Predators have always been an important part of ecosystems, but they were not always necessary to maintain balance. At one time, all animal life on Earth was prey and, as such, could not affect the population size of other animals. This changed when some species became predators and became bio-controllers by eating other species to maintain balance with the environment.

The role of parasites as a biocontroller

A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism (the host) and benefits by obtaining nutrients from it. The parasite gets its nutrients from the host without killing it. Parasites are often called “the hidden half of life”, because they are present in all living organisms, but their existence is not always obvious. They can be found in every organ system and tissue type within a single animal or plant.

Parasites can be classified as obligate or facultative parasites, depending on how dependent they are on their host for survival. Obligate parasites, unlike facultative parasites, require their host to complete their life cycle. They cannot complete their life cycles without their hosts. Some obligate parasites are flies, ticks and tapeworms. Facultative parasites depend on a host for reproduction, but have alternative means of completing the rest of their life cycles if necessary.

Parasites can affect their hosts in many different ways, some of which are not always negative. For example, some parasites actually protect their hosts from other parasites by killing them before they infect the host. There are also parasites that provide nutrients to their hosts.

The role of pathogens as a biocontroller

Pathogens are micro-organisms that can cause disease in humans and other organisms. They can be bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. They are an important part of the human microbiome and the environment. They affect our health in many different ways and have long been used as a form of biological warfare. They are often used as bio-controllers to limit the impact of other invasive species. They can also be used to control populations of other invasive species in the environment. This is because pathogens are often more successful at spreading and surviving than their hosts.

They are also considered biological control agents because they can control the population of other species in an ecosystem by keeping their numbers under control. Pathogens are also known as bioagents or disease-causing micro-organisms. Bioagents include viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and helminths (worms).

Biocontrol is an important component in the fight against destructive pests and diseases

In conclusion, biocontrol is an important component in the fight against destructive pests and diseases. It is a natural approach to pest control that has existed for centuries. It provides a safer alternative to pesticides and herbicides. It is considered to be the most promising tool in this fight.

This form of pest and disease control can help people live better lives by reducing pest and disease infestation rates. It also has many other benefits, such as helping to conserve natural resources, reducing dependence on pesticides and improving crop yields. It has been an important factor in limiting the spread of diseases and controlling agricultural pest populations for many years. Biological control is a natural, environmentally friendly and cost-effective way to control pests.

La entrada what are pest and disease bio-controllers? se publicó primero en Econatur.

These crops are Mango and Avocado. These tropical fruits are highly appreciated both for their flavour and for their nutritional, antioxidant and beneficial properties for cardiovascular(HDL cholesterol-lowering monosaturated fatty acid content) and digestive (fibre and enzymes) health.

These crops have a high added value. It is a crop where farmers invest in obtaining maximum yields, calibres and sugar concentrations, as these parameters greatly influence the final price of the product.

At ECONATUR we want to help farmers achieve maximum profitability. For this reason, we have been developing products for some time with the aim of increasing, improving and bringing forward the production of these crops. Moreover, honouring our work philosophy, we have found a way to meet this objective based on the use of natural by-products, we are talking about econatur e-TROPIC.

This formulation is composed of chlorogenic and polyphenolic acids that act mainly by catalysing the primary metabolism of the plant, acting on the synthesis of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates involved in the structural development of plants. Furthermore, it could be said that it is the most technical product in our catalogue as it is the only one that includes 2 of our most important patented technologies, ept® (Econatur Polyphenol Technology), which complements the action on the plant’s secondary metabolism, making it more resistant to biotic and abiotic stress situations as well as providing greater vascularisation plus ePM®(Econatur Primary Metabolism) fully focused on improving the fruit’s properties.

In the e-TROPIC trials we have observed excellent results in terms of increased sugar content , size and earlier harvest in all the plots and varieties studied compared to the control plots where other competing products have been applied, as can be seen below.

AVOCADO

MANGO

The increasingly demanding market and the new investments in this crop will generate an increasingly tough competition to achieve the best results in the shortest possible time, so farmers need the best technical advice and to be supported by the best tools.

La entrada Technological innovation applied to the tropics se publicó primero en Econatur.