While in São Paulo state it was great to take an opportunity to visit some fruit farms, exploring different crops and considering how they can play a role in diversified systems.

Obviously for me the strawberries were the main attraction. Fascinating seeing the different growing systems - Brazil has also gone in for fertigated tabletops, but uses substrates other than coir. Different pests - SWD present but not really a big issue, didn't really see mildew, but mites apparently present a challenge.

Pollination was very exciting - Brazil has a really vibrant culture of stingless bee management. Several dozen species being managed in different parts of the country. And they pollinate strawberries! As part of a mixed system, they could be very useful in supporting pollination of fruit crops. With the tiny species, maybe even cocoa - some studies suggest they could contribute?

#Strawberries #Horticulture #Pollination #IntegratedPestManagement #FruitCrops #StinglessBees

Spending the weekend in the Alps south of Geneva and seeing lots of hazelnut bushes everywhere! Also persimmon trees, ornamental pomegranates, wild strawberries (of course! :-), plums and apples.

A veritable fruit bowl here at 1000 metres in the mountains!

#Horticulture #Hazelnuts #Filberts #FruitCrops

Impressions of my first time driving along Italy's east coast: delightful scenery that included a diverse range of fruit crops: olives (lots and lots of olive trees!), nectarines, apples, kiwifruit, table grapes (on T-trellises), wine grapes (on high VSP, GDC, single wire high cordon...) and other things I couldn't identify because I was driving.

Refreshing to see polyculture!

#Italy #FruitCrops #Travel #Grapes #Biodiversity