ISHS Acta Horticulturae 747: VIII International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates: Advances in Soil and Soilless Cultivation under Protected Environment
FROM CONVENTIONAL SYSTEMS OF GREENHOUSE TOMATO TO INTEGRATED PRODUCTION AND PROTECTION IN MOROCCO |
| Author: | A. Hanafi |
| Keywords: | mechanical control, cultural control, chemical control, biological control, monitoring, trapping, disinfection, invasive species, certified produce |
| Abstract:
Protected cultivation was introduced to Morocco as a technique of production in 1970 and went through a rapid expansion in the last 36 years. The aim behind this expansion was to enhance off-season production of vegetables and fruit; to produce earlier than open field crops and to improve yield and quality of the agricultural products. In the year 1971, only 1.6 ha of greenhouse was planted in Morocco. This area increased to 16 ha in 1975 and to 4841 ha in 1991. In 2006, the area under protected cultivation in Morocco was estimated to approximately 16,500 ha. Several greenhouse structures are used in Morocco for protected cultivation and include single-span tunnels, multi-span tunnels and canary type greenhouse of metallic and wooden structure. Plastic cover commonly used is thermal polyethylene of 220 microns and more recently, photo-selective plastic has been used in some 600 ha for the management of whiteflies vectors of TYLCV. Natural ventilation has worked until now without major problems for most greenhouse structures. However the adoption of insect nets to protect against whitefly vectors of virus diseases impeded ventilation and modified the greenhouse environment creating favorable conditions for foliar diseases. The development of Integrated Production and Protection (IPP) tactics in greenhouse crops in Morocco has evolved quickly over the last ten years showing impressive reductions in pesticide use while improving crop quality and yield. Unfortunately, the introduction of TYLCV from neighbouring Spain in 1998 has significantly increased the need for pesticide applications and impacted negatively the ability of many growers to grow disease free crops in many areas of Morocco. Several stimuli are pushing Moroccan tomato growers to use fewer pesticides and to adopt more sustainable ways to protect crops from pests and diseases as world marketing becomes more global. Consumer concern about chemical residues is a general stimulus for growers wishing to adopt IPP systems, but it is particularly relevant in fresh-consumed products like the majority of tomato grown in greenhouses. Consumers not only demand high quality products, but are also concerned with how they are grown to judge them from the environmental aspects and this has been at the origin of such labels as EUREPGAP or NATURE CHOICE which will become the norm by 2008. Over 50% of tomato grown under greenhouses for the export market are certified EUREPGAP and over 75% of packing stations are certified (BRC, ISO, etc.). | |
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