Articles
THE FRUIT INDUSTRY AND THE ROLE OF RESEARCH IN THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN
Article number
582_4
Pages
69 – 76
Language
English
Abstract
The Mediterranean Basin is one of the worlds most important horticultural
districts.
Its typical climate of hot dry summers and cool wet winters has been for over
10 millennia the driving ecological force in the historical development and spread of
horticulture wherever mankind has put down roots around the Seas shores and hin-terlands.
Several of the ancient worlds main civilizations arose in and around the
Mediterranean and greatly contributed to the expansion of an array of horticultural
crops.
The Basins fruit industry has been a key component in the historical develop-ment
of the regions horticulture, extending in technology to the temperate continental
areas beyond the Mediterranean proper.
According to FAO data, the Basins size of
this sector today extends to almost 6 million hectares and accounts for an annual out-put
of almost 50 million tonnes.
Temperate fruits are the most important group, ac-counting
for 40% of the fruit area and 50% of the tonnage, while nuts make up 36% of
area but contribute only 4% to total production.
Citrus covers 18% of the area and
40% of the tonnage; tropical fruits are of limited importance.
Given the climate con-straints,
current research in the fruit industry strives to enhance the efficiency of irri-gation,
reduce or offset soil salinity, upgrade local genetic resources, develop and safe-guard
native germplasm, and prevent and control virus and virus-like diseases.
The
primary objectives of these efforts are to increase production efficiency and fruit qual-ity
in order to increase market competitiveness.
districts.
Its typical climate of hot dry summers and cool wet winters has been for over
10 millennia the driving ecological force in the historical development and spread of
horticulture wherever mankind has put down roots around the Seas shores and hin-terlands.
Several of the ancient worlds main civilizations arose in and around the
Mediterranean and greatly contributed to the expansion of an array of horticultural
crops.
The Basins fruit industry has been a key component in the historical develop-ment
of the regions horticulture, extending in technology to the temperate continental
areas beyond the Mediterranean proper.
According to FAO data, the Basins size of
this sector today extends to almost 6 million hectares and accounts for an annual out-put
of almost 50 million tonnes.
Temperate fruits are the most important group, ac-counting
for 40% of the fruit area and 50% of the tonnage, while nuts make up 36% of
area but contribute only 4% to total production.
Citrus covers 18% of the area and
40% of the tonnage; tropical fruits are of limited importance.
Given the climate con-straints,
current research in the fruit industry strives to enhance the efficiency of irri-gation,
reduce or offset soil salinity, upgrade local genetic resources, develop and safe-guard
native germplasm, and prevent and control virus and virus-like diseases.
The
primary objectives of these efforts are to increase production efficiency and fruit qual-ity
in order to increase market competitiveness.
Authors
C. Fideghelli, S. Sansavini
Keywords
temperate, tropical, fruit, nut, citrus, research, Mediterranean.
Online Articles (18)