Carlos Mirabet is a founding partner and commercial director of Agrozymes. This SME, which is part of the AgritechMurcia business ecosystem, has extensive experience in biotechnology focused on achieving safe agricultural production, maximum profitability and, as a result, top quality food.
The company’s CEO explains that ‘we have been in the market for 11 years. Two years ago, we had to tackle a paradigmatic challenge: a mandarin farm in Molina de Segura had a problem with Alternaria spp., the ‘brown spot’ caused by a fungus which prevented a regular crop and only allowed 200,000 kilos of mandarin to be harvested from the whole plot, with average or low quality. We were studying the case and a weather station was set up. We were analysing the climatic conditions throughout the year and we chose a combined strategy. We carried out a series of applications aimed at the soil. The result: this year, on the same plot, almost 800,000 kilos of very high quality are expected to be harvested. The cost has been around 300 euros per hectare. They are very good tools. Now we are carrying out trials on broccoli with the problems of Alternaria spp. and Sclerotinia spp. on lettuce’.
How was Alternaria generated in the mandarin plantation?
Alternaria toxins are mycotoxins produced by naturally occurring fungal species in the environment that cause disease in many plants. The inoculum is always present, but it is waiting for the right conditions of development in terms of temperature and humidity to cause the problem. This fungus creates a round black spot on the fruit and depreciates.
Does it occur in other places?
In Spain and Portugal, although it occurs all over Europe. It doesn’t affect the produce itself, but nowadays consumers want produce in perfect condition, without stains, which makes this fungus an inconvenience. It is like a peck on the fruit. It is an aesthetic damage, it stays on the mandarin skin, but it does cause the mandarin to fall to the ground before harvesting time. This is what we found last year when we arrived at the plantation and saw half of the crop on the ground in a blanket of orange.
What is Soluzymes and how did it eliminate the planting problem?
It is a soil fertiliser. The product consists of a bacterium, Pseudomonas putida. It is a bacterium that solubilises the phosphorus that is in the soil. Phosphorus is part of the substrate material, of the nutrient richness, it is in an insoluble form. The plant cannot absorb it and through the bacteria, through its reproductive exudates, it dissolves the tricalcium phosphate molecule and solubilises the phosphorus and the plant has access to it, as well as calcium and iron. On the farms where we have applied this product, soil fungi have been greatly reduced.
We did a laboratory test. A culture of alternaria, we put it in several Petri dishes, we inoculated it with
Petri dishes, we inoculated it with bacteria and we saw the effect. A priori it gave us very
a priori gave us very valid information on how this fungus could act. Throughout this year, we have prepared a strategy for the control of this fungus. It consists of 15 foliar treatments. The number of treatments is very high and our product has been included in six of them. You have to make combinations, nobody has a one-size-fits-all solution. You have to look at and combine different active ingredients, even using phytosanitary products. With a combined strategy we have managed to greatly reduce the incidence of this fungus.
How was Alternaria generated in the mandarin plantation?
Alternaria toxins are mycotoxins produced by naturally occurring fungal species in the environment that cause disease in many plants. The inoculum is always present, but it is waiting for the right conditions of development in terms of temperature and humidity to cause the problem. This fungus creates a round black spot on the fruit and depreciates.
Does it occur in other places?
In Spain and Portugal, although it occurs all over Europe. It doesn’t affect the produce itself, but nowadays consumers want produce in perfect condition, without stains, which makes this fungus an inconvenience. It is like a peck on the fruit.
It is an aesthetic damage, it stays on the skin of the mandarin, but it does cause the mandarin to fall to the ground the mandarin falling to the ground before harvesting time. This is what we
We found last year when we arrived at the plantation and saw half of the crop on the ground, in a blanket of orange.
What is Soluzymes and how did it eliminate the planting problem?
It is a soil fertiliser. The product consists of a bacterium, Pseudomonas putida. It is a bacterium that solubilises phosphorus in the soil. Phosphorus is part of the substrate material, of the nutrient richness, it is in an insoluble form. The plant cannot absorb it and through the bacteria, through its reproductive exudates, it dissolves the tricalcium phosphate molecule and solubilises the phosphorus and the plant has access to it, as well as calcium and iron. On the farms where we have applied this product, soil fungi have been greatly reduced.
We did a laboratory test. A culture of alternaria, we put it in several Petri dishes, we inoculated it with
Petri dishes, we inoculated it with bacteria and we saw the effect. A priori it gave us very
a priori gave us very valid information on how this fungus could act. Throughout this year, we have
prepared a strategy for the control of this fungus. It consists of 15 foliar
foliar treatments. The number of actions is very high and in 6 of these actions our product has been included.
our product has been included in 6 of these treatments. You have to make combinations, nobody has a one-size-fits-all solution.
solution that is valid for everything. You have to look at and combine different active ingredients,
even using phytosanitary products. With a combined strategy we have managed to
have managed to greatly reduce the incidence of this fungus.
Were other measures tried?
Foliar treatments with copper hydroxide were used. The problem is that too many treatments were
too many treatments were given and caused the tree to have no vegetative growth. It was
was very stressed. You could see that the leaves of the trees were curled and upside down.
upside down. The excess copper did damage to the tree. We saw a very high level of stress in the tree.
stress level in the tree. We came up with this strategy and were able to do a series of treatments, correcting them throughout the year.
treatments, correcting them throughout the year. In short, if there is a problem, it is corrected because we are not going to abandon the plot because we are not going to abandon it.
because you are not going to abandon the plot just because it is a trial.
How has mandarin production changed since you started applying these measures?
these measures?
The strategy is preventive. A weather station was installed on the farm to monitor all the data on temperature and humidity.
The strategy is a preventive one and a weather station was installed on the farm to monitor temperature and humidity data. Based on this data, the risk of
the risk of symptoms of the disease appearing. Depending on this risk, the treatment is carried out.
The treatment is based on this risk. The intervention is carried out in a short period of time and has a preventive effect on the development of the disease.
preventive effect on the development of the disease.
It may be necessary to treat every 15-20 days. Depending on the climatic conditions
Depending on the climatic conditions of the farm, these treatments are planned. This year there have been 15. In summer they are less frequent than in autumn.
less frequent than in autumn.
Do you work with this product outside Spain?
In citrus we are introducing the products in Morocco, we are finalising the registration of the bacteria.
registration of the bacteria. We are one of the first companies to register a product like this in Morocco, as it is quite difficult.
We are one of the first companies to register a product like this in Morocco, as it is quite difficult. We are carrying out registration actions in Egypt, and we are in the process
in Egypt, and we are in the process in Serbia, Greece and Poland.
How do you feel about the results obtained this year?
Satisfied. We have contributed to improving production and making it more profitable. A
biotech solution, accessible and at the right price.
What advice would you give to other farmers who have problems with the alternaria fungus?
alternaria fungus?
To trust the companies that work in detail with the farmer’s needs,
and in a close way, unlike the big multinationals that have a bigger name.
We have solutions at an economical price, and being economical doesn’t have to be bad or regular.
bad or regular. They must test the products and work with the technical staff of these local companies.
local companies. We have a lot to contribute and together we can make a strategic sector such as agriculture more profitable.
a strategic sector such as agriculture more profitable. If we do the same as we did 30 years ago
years ago, the result will be the same as 30 years ago. We will lose competitiveness. If we
incorporating new strategies and solving problems in a sustainable and more profitable way, the farmer will have a better chance of subsistence.
more profitable way, the farmer will have a better chance of livelihood.
What differentiates you from multinationals?
We are different in our dynamism. We make quick decisions, you don’t need a lot of internal
internal bureaucracy. We are very close to the farmer. When they place an order or make an enquiry, we are very dynamic and we have agility and know-how.
agility and know-how. We are an SME with very specialised staff in this area.
Are you working on other projects?
In terms of R&D, we are developing several areas. We highlight the work with another
company AgritechMurcia with which we are developing a line of biofertilisers for the market based on spirulina
based on spirulina microalgae. At Agrozymes we like to work with
colleagues, to optimise results between all of us.
We have other areas of development with microorganisms. We have registered a
bacteria that solubilises potassium in the soil, for the final phase of the crop cycle.
the final phase of the crop cycle. It takes up all forms of potassium that are insoluble in the soil and increases the uptake of this nutrient.
absorption of this nutrient.
