Oct 24, 2019

Brown spot, stink bugs to be top topics at World Pear Forum

Brown spot disease and Marmorated stink bugs are the main phytosanitary problems that affect pear growing and will be heavily discussed in technical sessions of the World Pear Forum at FuturPera 2019, Nov. 28-30 in Ferrara, Italy.

The aim of this technical part of the international forum, organized in association with Centro Servizi Ortofrutticoli (CSO) Italy, is to take stock of the latest news and possible strategies for defense against two severe pear tree diseases and how improving production, as explained by Albano Bergami, member of the FuturPera Board of Directors and national chairman of the fruit growing section of Confagricoltura.

“2019 will be remembered as the ‘horrible’ year for national pear growing,” Bergami said. “The priority, in order to relaunch the sector, is to identify and share strategies for containing these problems, at economically sustainable levels.”

In detail, on Nov. 28, starting from 2 p.m., there will be a session on “Analysis and possible solutions for the damage of brown spot disease” with a first part dedicated to the report on the in-field tests by Marina Collina (University of Bologna); Stefano Civolani (Innova Research centre); Claudio Cristiani (CAE test centre); and Michele Preti (Astra). The second part will bring the experience of nurseries, grower organizations and consortia – Salvi Vivai, Vivai Mazzoni, FruitModena, Agrintesa, Consorzio Agrario dell’Emilia, C.or.ma. This will be followed by Loredana Antonacci (phytosanitary department of the Emilia-Romagna region) and the Australian horticultural adviser Marcel Veens moderated by Ivano Valmori, director of AgroNotizie.

A session called, “How to tackle new challenges: the example of the Marmorated stink bug,” will take place 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 30. CSO Italy will open the day with a summary of the surface areas used for pear growing and a projection for the year 2020, with a report by Michele Mariani, a technician from the Fll, Luca Casoli (Phytosanitary Department of Modena and Reggio Emilia) and Lara Maistrello (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia) moderated by Giannantonio Armentano, a journalist for the Informatore Agrario journal.

FuturPera is organized by Ferrara Fiere e Congressi and OI Pera in association with CSO Italy, Fll. Navarra Foundation, the contribution of Emilia-Romagna Region, Municipality of Ferrara and Chamber of Commerce of Ferrara and the support of Bper Banca, Generali Italia and VH Italia Assicurazioni.

– FuturPera

Above: The conferences at World Pear Forum in 2018. Photo: FuturPera