The pome fruit sector, which accounts for 65% of Switzerland's fruit-growing area, is facing increasing pressure to produce high-quality, residue-free food. However, reducing the use of synthetic products in orchards is also increasing the risk of losses due to fungal diseases during storage.
This has a significant impact on the sector's income and ecological footprint.
The aim of this project is to test and validate new approaches to limit losses in all production systems by meeting market expectations. The project aims to respond to public expectations and align with Switzerland's new Swiss agricultural policy. A participatory workshop was organized before the project to identify urgent needs and prioritize the methods to be tested. The project will proceed in five stages: (I) Validating the methods identified as priorities through on-farm and (II) on-station trials. (III) Developing screening tests to evaluate methods identified as promising. (IV) Evaluating the methods based on objective criteria of technical, economic, and regulatory feasibility. Finally, (V) transferring the results to practice to facilitate the implementation of innovations.
This project proposes a comprehensive approach that integrates pre-harvest biological control strategies and sustainable and effective post-harvest innovations to reduce losses associated with fungal rots during the storage of pome fruit.
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