The olive soil of the area of Cazorla is more and more eroded. The lack of essential nutrients such as organic matter, nitrogenous or phosphorus is the main reason for this problem, which can even affect production in future. The team of scientists of the department of Pedology and Agricultural Chemistry of the Universidad de Granada has come to this conclusion after an exhaustive research work in which they propose a method to prevent degradation: the planting of vegetable covers or the use of pruning remains.
According to one of the coordinators of the study, Emilia Fernández Ondoño, most olive properties farm in clean soils, a tendency that promotes the erosion, as there is nothing to protect the main olive nutrients against the rain and the wind. Therefore, he advices to preserve the leaves that fall under the tree crowns and use the pruning remains –after grinding them- in the streets as the great amount of organic matter of these remains favours both olive production and soil protection.
Vegetable covers is another solution proposed by the researcher, who adds that they are usually made up of grasses, easier to use and weed in the dry season obtaining the desired protection and promoting the creation of a respectful environment, besides promoting the development of new plants associated with the growth of numerous living creatures and the increase of the organic matter that absorbs the CO2 sent to the atmosphere. Therefore, they contribute to the reduction of carbonic emissions, essential for the future life of the planet.
Herbicidas and olive grove development
The research work also analyses the use of herbicides to remove plants which grow in olive groves. In this sense, Fernández Ondoño explains that a correct use should not involve any problem. In order to promote the correct use of these chemical products, the Department of Agriculture and Fishing forces farmers who want to receive the subsidies to be enrolled on courses where the experts will teach them how to benefit from their properties.
Another advice of this professor of the Universidad de Granada to improve the quality of the product is a correct olive harvest. He explains that the fruit must be collected directly from the tree, because as soon as it falls the soil becomes more acid and can be damaged by the presence of herbicides. To prevent the loss of olives provoked by the fall, the expert suggests bringing the harvest forward to obtain the optimum quality for each variety.
The researchers, who started to work in 1996, have already analysed the soils of La Loma, eastern Sierra Morena and Sierra Mágina, all of them in Jaen, and have also found in these areas the same lack of nutrients of the properties of Cazorla.
But this is not the only project they are working on. Nest year they will set in motion a new study based on the analysis of the effects of herbicides in soils, rivers and reservoirs close to olive properties. This time, the properties of Granada will be some of the chosen to carry out the experimentation phase.
Reference
Prof Emilia Fernández Ondoño
Dpt Pedology and Agricultural Chemistry.
Phone numbers. 958 24 32 33 (direct) / 958 24 85 37 (Office Manager)
E-mail. efernand@ugr.es