Farming mango instead of other fruit typical of the subtropical climate of Almuñécar, like cherimoya or avocado pear, is one of the manin recommendations of the research group Edaphology and town and country planning of the University of Granada, directed by Professor José Aguilar Ruiz, after the works carried out in the property El Zahorí in Almuñécar, in collaboration with Armando Martínez Vilela of the CIFA (Centre of Food and Agriculture Research and Training) of Granada.
Water and soil quality worsening in arid areas is a growing problem increased by weather alterations in the last years with dry and rainy periods. The subtropical climate of the coast of Granada is a good example. It is an ideal area for the suitability study of irrigation water quality and the potential impact of irrigated lands and the farming of certain fruit in the regeneration of agricultural resources.
Mango crops are relatively recent in the European Peninsula and is limited to coast areas, due to that they do not bear low temperatures. However, in Almuñécar there are nearly 30 catalogued varieties that have been mainly imported from Florida. These scientists from Granada have worked with the following theory: farming the so-called queen of the fruit contributes to soil salinity decrease in this area of the province of Granada.
Before long, the article Impact of salinity on the fruit yield of mango in the European Journal of Agronomy, “a scientific publication of high international impact”, Aguilar Ruiz points out. The experimental property El Zahorí is a project of the Town Council of Almuñécar to develop subtropical crops and scientific labour related to them. This property has also been an intermediary berween the necessary high-technical qualification in this subject and the farmers of the area.
But researchers from Granada have not only studied this town when going deeply into soil degradation risks. In relation to waters and salinity, they have done research in other areas of the province of Granada, giving recommendations to prevent degradation and regenerate the affected areas.
Sloping-land Crops
In relation to erosion and olive areas of Jaén, “we must pay special attention to sloping-land crops”, factors which contribute to erosion decrease by avoiding cultivation works. Four doctoral theses are being carried out on pollution in Eastern Andalusia, in Almeria and Malaga among others. “Such studies can be used as a basis to set measures to determinate scientifically whether or not soils are polluted in Andalusia”, Aguilar Ruiz points out.
The scientific work of this group became very important with the works of Aznalcóllar to reduce pollution by arsenic and calcium carbonate after the break of the dam of Boliden. In addition, “together with a work on the paleosoils of Granada, they were the first European thesis of the University of Granada”, Aguilar says.
Further information:
Dr. José Aguilar Ruiz
Department of Edaphology and Agricultural Chemistry
Phone number: 958 243393 / 248537.
E-mail: aguilar@ugr.es
