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Blueberry Course 2023 - Blueberry production techniques to obtain high quality fruit

The cultivation of blueberry is of recent appearance in 2004 in Loukkos and only around 2014 in Souss. It is a product of diversification which meets a certain success and whose extension is particularly fast.
Even if the current market conditions are very favorable to Moroccan growers, the current craze for this crop will mean in the medium term a downward trend in profits.

This is a crop that is very sensitive to soil conditions and irrigation water. Especially in the Souss region where growing in substrate is needed. Given the substantial investments required for this crop, technical mastery at all levels is required to ensure sustainable margins in the medium term.

Hyatt Regency Taghazout Bay - Agadir
2 days ( 10 - 11 November 2023 )
6750.00DH

Objective

Program

Speakers

Objective

Training objective : Achieving a level of performance in both soil and soilless Blueberry cultivation

Program

1- Blueberry physiology, phenology and characteristics of the species:
• Blueberry physiology, description of its morphology and characteristics of this fruit tree that influence its management in terms of soil/substrate, irrigation, nutrition.

2- Blueberry varieties. Edaphoclimatic characteristics and requirements
• Description of the groups of varieties cultivated worldwide and varieties of commercial importance today.
• Particular handling of the different varieties in relation to the soil/substrate and the climate where they will be established.
• Climatic and soil aspects of importance to consider in the cultivation of blueberries and their management.

3- Establishment of the crop and first care. Techniques for variety changes (grafting)
• Management recommendations in the establishment of the crop.
• Indications and care in the plantation together with its initial handling with the aim of obtaining a homogeneous orchard.
• Management to change the variety through grafting techniques.

4- Pruning, nutrition and irrigation. Use of biostimulants.
• Pruning according to the groups of varieties and edaphoclimatic zones where they are grown.
• Nutrition to obtain high quality fruit, along with important considerations in relation to blueberry cultivation.
• Blueberry water requirements, irrigation water quality, and optimal irrigation systems for the crop. Irrigation management in blueberry cultivation in soil and in pots.
• Oxidative stress in blueberries and its management in relation to the use of biostimulants. Recommendations for the use of biostimulants to obtain high quality fruit.

5- Main pests and diseases in blueberries
• Main pests and diseases that affect blueberries in Morocco worldwide.

6- Production of organic blueberries. Hydroponics and use of protected agriculture
• Requirements for organic production in terms of regulations.
• Nutrition management, pest and disease control in organic farming.
• Basis for hydroponic cultivation and its management in relation to the quality of the substrate/container. Considerations for choosing a suitable substrate and its care.
• Use of protected agriculture in blueberries:
› Management of nets and luminosity.
› Handling of plastics.

7- Harvest and post-harvest handling in blueberries
• Harvest and post-harvest handling together with the considerations to have in order to achieve a longer post-harvest life.

8- Blueberry situation worldwide. Planting and production trend

Speakers

Amazouz Said

Mr. Said Amazouz, an Agronomist specialized in Plant Protection, graduated from the National School of Agriculture in Meknes in 1999. He began his career at Domaine Douiet in 1999, and later joined the Azura Group (Maraissa) in 2001, where he played a key role in establishing the grafted seedling nursery.

He also managed the internal nursery for vegetable seedling production. He was part of the internal auditing team within the same group and took charge of integrated pest management development.

In 2007, he joined Koppert Morocco, a subsidiary of Koppert Biological Systems, as Technical Director. He significantly contributed to developing integrated pest management in Morocco for pepper, tomato, and soft fruit crops. In 2016, he joined the Domaines Zniber Group as Technical Director overseeing tree crops, citrus, olive trees, open field crops, and soft fruits. Since 2018, he has been one of the associated owners and the manager of the Company Solutions Agricoles s.a.r.l. This company has established itself as an agro-supplier, particularly in integrated pest management, natural pollination, agricultural nets, plant nutrition, and biopesticides. He is also an independent producer, expert, and accredited private agricultural advisor.

Ochoa Sebastian

Agricultural engineer, holder of an MBA and a master’s degree in technology. Advisor and consultant to blueberry producers and exporters in Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, the United States, Zambia, South Africa, Morocco, China, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Austria, Portugal, and Azerbaijan.

Expert in conventional, organic, and biodynamic production, in soil-based and hydroponic cultivation (over 14,000 hectares). Business involvement in intensive blueberry hydroponic greenhouse production projects.

Global advisor for the company’s productive projects and third-party growers in the Early Blue Australian (Oz Blu/United Exports) genetic program in Spain, Portugal, Australia, Zambia, South Africa, the United States, Mexico, Peru, and Chile.

Ashrafi Hamid

Dr. Ashrafi leads the blueberry breeding program at North Carolina State University. He holds a degree in genetics/breeding from Penn State and continued his career as a postdoctoral researcher and then as a senior researcher at the University of California-Davis.

In April 2015, he joined the Department of Horticultural Science as an Assistant Professor to work on blueberry cultivar selection. As an Associate Professor, he oversees the traditional breeding program and the blueberry genomics laboratory.

At NC State, his breeding program focuses on developing "Southern Highbush" (SHB) blueberry cultivars adapted to North Carolina environmental conditions and suitable for mechanical harvesting, with proper firmness and flavor. He has trained four PhD students and more than five master's students in small fruit breeding and genomics. He has also released a productive and flavorful SHB cultivar, 'Rowan', and three ornamental blueberry varieties for home growers, including one named Azur Blue.

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