New research projects on Organic Agriculture

This initiative is part of the Plan of Actions for the promotion of organic agriculture in Spain for the period 2007 to 2010.

The Agreement provides for the development of four projects for which funding will be maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Secretary for Agriculture and Food, Josep Puxeu, representing Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Secretary of State for Universities and Research Miguel Ángel Quintanilla, from the Ministry Education and Science, have signed an agreement Management conducting research projects on organic agriculture.

Agreement provides for the implementation of two research projects about control methods that are compatible with organic agriculture, the "worm Cabezudo "; one of the pests Fruit of the main bone in Spain and throughout the Mediterranean area, and "tigre of almond ", a major pest of this crop throughout the Mediterranean area which often causes high levels of damage in summer and especially the driest years.

There were also carried out a study on alternative crop for the production of materials intended for animal feed and organic livestock as well as an essay about the behavior of different varieties of fruit bone and horticultural products under management in organic agriculture.

Projects whose cost will amount to 627,373 euros, will be financed by the MAP, to be drawn from the National Institute of Agricultural Research and Technology and Food the work of field and laboratory requirements during the three years envisaged for the implementation of the projects in question.

These initiatives are part of the Plan of Actions for the promotion of organic agriculture in Spain for the period 2007 – 2010, which includes a set of concrete actions that affect all stages of production, from crop and livestock production, through processing, marketing, distribution and consumption, to training and research.

The projects are part of the agreement of the latter section, in which field work was conducted on the fight against pests and plant diseases, veterinary treatments, methods of cultivation and management of livestock to prevent plant and animal diseases, plant genetic resources and the development of varieties suited to organic agriculture, as well as technology transfer.

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