Consumers’ demands for high-quality fruits, including organic berries production, have showed a strong upward trend. This fact motivates Romanian farmers to improve their berry cultivation technologies, and an important source of information for them is the ResBerry project.

Currently, there is a growing interest in organic berry production, especially concerning the development of innovative and resilient cropping systems in response to consumers’ expectations for high quality in terms of taste and nutritional content. Raspberry and strawberry are two of the most appreciated crops among small fruits due to their special taste, nutritional values, and versatility in the food industry. A resilient raspberry and strawberry cultivation implies a commitment to innovative technology for growing and preserving the health of plants, as well as a modern approach to biodiversity.

The CORE Organic project ”ResBerry” — Resilient organic berry cropping systems through enhanced biodiversity and innovative management strategies, aims to enhance above- and belowground biodiversity in European organic berry orchards in order to increase the resilience of berries against major pests and diseases, while producing high-quality, high-value organic berries. Innovative strategies are achieved through various means, including different methods for increasing plant diversity (via flower strips, trap plants, cover crops), enhancing soil microbial diversity, and organizing demonstration plots for innovative pest control strategies. These new techniques for organic berry producers are being carried out on a collaborative basis by partners located in Denmark, Poland, Germany, Romania, and Morocco.

The interesting article delves into the activities in Romania, and can be read HERE

Source: Core Organic Pleiades