Articles
French organic hazelnut production: a case study in southwestern France
Article number
1379_77
Pages
531 – 538
Language
English
Abstract
In France, organic hazelnut production is a real challenge.
Considering the lack of organic solutions to limit insect pests in orchards, yield and nut quality could be impacted.
This trial aims at evaluating: i) tree growth and nut productivity; ii) nut quality; iii) abundance of insect pests; and iv) soil insect biodiversity under organic and conventional orchard management.
Trees were significantly taller and bigger in a conventional orchard than in an organic orchard (291 cm height and 72.9 mm diameter under conventional vs. 196 cm height and 43.3 mm diameter under organic). In the organic orchard, the yield was low (0.231 t ha‑1), while in the conventional system, the yield was 1.91 t ha‑1 during the 6th year.
Concerning insect pests, few stink bug species (Hemiptera) were observed in conventional orchards.
Three Gonocerus acuteangulatus were observed in both orchards, one in the organic and two in the conventional orchard.
One individual of Palomena prasina, and one individual of Peribalus strictus were identified in the conventional orchard while five individuals of Nezara viridula were identified in the organic orchard.
Stink bug damage ranged from 4 to 14.5% in organic orchards and from 0.4 to 4.9% in conventional orchards over the three harvests.
While no nut weevils were collected in the orchards, the observed damage of Curculio nucum on nuts was 0.47-1.55% in the organic and 0.17-0.37% in the conventional orchards.
Finally, in the soil, a larger number of insects were collected in the organic orchards than in the conventional orchards, respectively 17.2 vs. 5.7 individuals per soil sample in 2019, and 10.2 vs. 8.9 in 2020. The macrofauna was distributed into 3 classes, scavengers (73 vs. 68%), predators (12 vs. 8%) and harmful (15 vs. 24%), respectively, in organic and conventional orchards.
To conclude, while the soil biodiversity was better in the organic orchard, soil preparation for tree establishment seems to be essential for improving tree growth and yield under organic systems.
Considering the lack of organic solutions to limit insect pests in orchards, yield and nut quality could be impacted.
This trial aims at evaluating: i) tree growth and nut productivity; ii) nut quality; iii) abundance of insect pests; and iv) soil insect biodiversity under organic and conventional orchard management.
Trees were significantly taller and bigger in a conventional orchard than in an organic orchard (291 cm height and 72.9 mm diameter under conventional vs. 196 cm height and 43.3 mm diameter under organic). In the organic orchard, the yield was low (0.231 t ha‑1), while in the conventional system, the yield was 1.91 t ha‑1 during the 6th year.
Concerning insect pests, few stink bug species (Hemiptera) were observed in conventional orchards.
Three Gonocerus acuteangulatus were observed in both orchards, one in the organic and two in the conventional orchard.
One individual of Palomena prasina, and one individual of Peribalus strictus were identified in the conventional orchard while five individuals of Nezara viridula were identified in the organic orchard.
Stink bug damage ranged from 4 to 14.5% in organic orchards and from 0.4 to 4.9% in conventional orchards over the three harvests.
While no nut weevils were collected in the orchards, the observed damage of Curculio nucum on nuts was 0.47-1.55% in the organic and 0.17-0.37% in the conventional orchards.
Finally, in the soil, a larger number of insects were collected in the organic orchards than in the conventional orchards, respectively 17.2 vs. 5.7 individuals per soil sample in 2019, and 10.2 vs. 8.9 in 2020. The macrofauna was distributed into 3 classes, scavengers (73 vs. 68%), predators (12 vs. 8%) and harmful (15 vs. 24%), respectively, in organic and conventional orchards.
To conclude, while the soil biodiversity was better in the organic orchard, soil preparation for tree establishment seems to be essential for improving tree growth and yield under organic systems.
Publication
Authors
J. Toillon, R. Hamidi, G. Salaün, A. Paradinas, A. Lefrançois, L. Ramade, M. Thomas
Keywords
Corylus avellana L., filbert, organic farming, Integrated pest management, IPM
Groups involved
Online Articles (78)