Water stress threatens the next horticultural campaign

Specialists in the area have evidenced in recent months an increase in electrical conductivity in irrigation water in specific areas of southern Spain, where they used to maintain optimal water quality.

This year's spring has ended up being the second driest in history. However, despite the forecast storms, the summer that has just begun "is expected to be very warm, even with the possibility of being among one of the five hottest in the last 30 years," says the spokesperson for the State Agency for Meteorology (AEMET), Rubén del Campo.

These climate changes directly affect the varieties of horticultural crops designed for specific seasons, such as zucchini and cucumber, for example. “They do not behave in accordance with the expected environmental conditions and, in addition, in some areas of Almería they face a probable water shortage,” observes the Field Marketing delegate of SIPCAM Iberia Eduardo Molero.

Faced with these types of circumstances, crops require biostimulants that protect the plant's cellular processes in periods of abiotic stress such as those predicted by AEMET. To help them cope with this situation, the plant health company SIPCAM Iberia has launched Stilo Hydro L , a new improved formulation of its emblematic microgranulated product Stilo Hydro. This innovative solution further enhances its protective effect against the negative effects of abiotic stress caused by water scarcity, increased temperatures or drops in environmental humidity that can cause reduced productivity in horticultural crops.

Stilo Hydro L, with a liquid formulation, “makes it easier for the farmer to handle and dose,” specifies Product Manager Pablo Granell. “In addition, it has demonstrated very positive results in field trials,” he adds. Even in tests carried out in the last phase of the zucchini and cucumber crops, the response has been immediate: “Stilo Hydro L has achieved an increase in the harvest and higher quality fruits in record time,” observes Molero.

Specialists in the area have evidenced in recent months an increase in electrical conductivity in irrigation water in specific areas of southern Spain, where they used to maintain optimal water quality. This aggravation can cause salt stress in most crops, but with the use of Stilo Hydro L via irrigation, it acts as a powerful osmoregulator that helps the plant to correctly absorb water and thus avoid dehydration and aging situations. premature.

“This new solution has been shown to reduce damage caused by physiopathies associated with water imbalances such as peseta, cracking or ironing,” adds horticultural expert Eduardo Molero. “With this new solution, SIPCAM Iberia is committed to the quality and profitability of the crops, improving post-harvest conservation and achieving thicker and more resistant fruit tissues, which translates into greater economic profitability for the farmer,” concludes Granell.