Articles
Current situation of hazelnut production in Slovenia
Article number
1379_5
Pages
27 – 34
Language
English
Abstract
Slovenia has 196 ha of intensive hazelnut orchards, which is six times more than in 2002 and represents 4.4% of all areas under intensive fruit production.
Per year-production ranges from 250 to 300 t of in-shell nuts.
The main cultivar in older orchards is Istrska dolgoplodna leska. New hazelnut growers have shown increasing interest in foreign cultivars such as Tonda di Giffoni, Ennis, Corabel, etc., that have already been tested in Slovenia.
Planting material is partly obtained from domestic nurseries, using the wire-girdling propagation method.
Additional plants are currently imported from abroad.
The orchards include 333-500 plants ha‑1. A multistem bush is still the main training system, although in a few newer orchards the single-trunk shape has been introduced.
Less than 20% of the orchards are irrigated.
Major phytosanitary problems such as hazelnut weevil, brown marmorated stink bug, bacterial diseases and phytoplasmas are difficult to control due to lack of registered pesticides.
Nut harvest is manual or by machine, as well as with the help of nets placed under the plants.
They are sold at local markets at good prices, mainly as kernels.
The main producers offer them under the trademark Slovenski lenik, which was created and protected by the Association of Nut Growers of Slovenia.
The association includes most of the growers in the country, cares about knowledge transfer, and organizes different forms of education.
Due to good economic results and many beneficial health effects, an interest in both planting and consuming hazelnuts is increasing.
It is supported by research, mainly coordinated by the Biotechnical faculty.
It is focused on testing foreign cultivars, some phases of orchard management and plant protection, and biochemical characterization of the nuts and their by-products.
Per year-production ranges from 250 to 300 t of in-shell nuts.
The main cultivar in older orchards is Istrska dolgoplodna leska. New hazelnut growers have shown increasing interest in foreign cultivars such as Tonda di Giffoni, Ennis, Corabel, etc., that have already been tested in Slovenia.
Planting material is partly obtained from domestic nurseries, using the wire-girdling propagation method.
Additional plants are currently imported from abroad.
The orchards include 333-500 plants ha‑1. A multistem bush is still the main training system, although in a few newer orchards the single-trunk shape has been introduced.
Less than 20% of the orchards are irrigated.
Major phytosanitary problems such as hazelnut weevil, brown marmorated stink bug, bacterial diseases and phytoplasmas are difficult to control due to lack of registered pesticides.
Nut harvest is manual or by machine, as well as with the help of nets placed under the plants.
They are sold at local markets at good prices, mainly as kernels.
The main producers offer them under the trademark Slovenski lenik, which was created and protected by the Association of Nut Growers of Slovenia.
The association includes most of the growers in the country, cares about knowledge transfer, and organizes different forms of education.
Due to good economic results and many beneficial health effects, an interest in both planting and consuming hazelnuts is increasing.
It is supported by research, mainly coordinated by the Biotechnical faculty.
It is focused on testing foreign cultivars, some phases of orchard management and plant protection, and biochemical characterization of the nuts and their by-products.
Publication
Authors
A. Solar, A. Medic, R. Veberic, M. Hudina
Keywords
Corylus avellana, cultivars, orchard management, harvest, postharvest, marketing
Groups involved
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