PRESENT STATE AND DEVELOPMENT OF DECIDUOUS FRUIT CULTURE IN BOYACÁ, COLOMBIA

As a result of the low self-sufficiency (5%) of deciduous fruits in Colombia, Boyacá region in very important producing about 2 000 ha in altitudes from 2 000 to 2 800 m apples, pears, peaches and japanese plums.
Plantations are on plain plots or on inclined slopes of up to 30% or more, with yearly or twice-yearly rainfall regime and chilling hours (≤7.2°C) fewer than 400 and accumulated chilling hours (North Carolina modell) until 1 400. At the moment there is a change in the culture techniques using new varieties (`Anna’ in apples, `Kieffer’ in pears and `Coral’ in peaches), bending horizontal lateral branches (in apples and pears), applicating chemicals for budbreak (hydrogen cyanamide), ferti-irrigation, etc., raising the yields from 5–10 t/ha (with traditional methods) to 20–25 t/ha.
There are various development programs from government services and also from the University in Tunja in cooperation with Technical University of Berlin, dedicating on continued education of agronomists and professionals; propagation of plant material in nurseries and in-vitro-techniques; adaptation of new varieties; fitopathology and compensation methods in lack of chilling hours.

International Symposium on Fruit Growing in Tropical Highlands

G. Fischer

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1992.310.4