Epagri brings producers together for a Field Day in Videira.

Epagri will hold, next Tuesday (2), at the Experimental Station of Videira (SC), the Stone Fruit Field Day, starting at 14 pm. The event, open to producers, technicians and students, will present technologies for peach, plum and nectarine orchards. Registration is free and done on site.

The program includes demonstrations of new cultivars, training systems such as the fruit wall, pest and disease management techniques, and the use of bio-inputs. The expectation is to repeat the participation of more than 100 producers, as in previous editions. The event has the support of Embrapa.

The Videira Experimental Station is a benchmark in the development of temperate climate fruit growing in Santa Catarina. It was there that pioneering research consolidated the regional cultivation of stone fruits, increasing income and diversification for farmers. The unit continues to improve varieties, evaluate adaptation to altitude, and disseminate techniques that improve productivity and orchard quality.

“This knowledge reaches producers through training, field days, and technical guidance,” highlights André Kulkamp de Souza, manager of the Station. The unit serves the main stone fruit producing region of the state, with emphasis on Pinheiro Preto, Videira, Tangará, and Fraiburgo. In 2024, Santa Catarina's peach production reached 14,7 tons, an increase of 8,9% compared to the previous year.

Among the technologies that will be presented is the fruit wall system, which forms plants in a rectangular structure, facilitating pruning, thinning, and harvesting, as well as reducing labor costs. "We seek to mechanize and introduce chemical methods that reduce costs and maintain high fruit quality," explains André.

Epagri also works on the genetic improvement of stone fruits, testing varieties suitable for the region and developing its own plum cultivars, such as Zafira, which is resistant to bacteria. Xylella fastidiosa.

At the event, participants will also learn about the latest research in pest control, with a focus on the St. Joseph's aphid, which has severely affected orchards in recent years. The use of bio-inputs in production systems will be another topic addressed by the researchers.