From May 3 to 7, Lleida hosted the IX International Symposium on Almonds and Pistachios, an international event organized by the IRTA under the umbrella of the International Society for Horticultural Sciences (ISHS), bringing together researchers, professionals, companies and representatives from the agri-food sector from around the world to share the latest advances in almond and pistachio cultivation.
The symposium, held at La Llotja de Lleida, was coordinated by IRTA researchers Xavier Miarnau and Joaquim Bellvert and featured scientific sessions, oral and poster presentations, technical field visits and networking activities aimed at fostering international collaboration and knowledge transfer.
The institutional opening ceremony included the participation of Òscar Ordeig, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food of the Government of Catalonia; Josep Usall Rodié, Director General of IRTA; Xavier Miarnau, researcher in the Postharvest programme; Joaquim Bellvert, head of the Efficient Water Use in Agriculture programme; and Giulia Marino, representing the ISHS.
The opening lecture was delivered by Jordi Salas-Salvadó, from Universitat Rovira i Virgili, who addressed the nutritional composition of nuts and their health benefits.
Throughout the different sessions, key topics for the future of almond and pistachio cultivation were addressed, including genetic improvement, agronomic management, plant health, efficient water use, climate change adaptation and new technologies applied to production.
Among the highlighted presentations was that of Pere Arús, who explored Prunus genomes and the future of these crops, along with several contributions focused on breeding programmes, drought tolerance and new genetic resources.
The congress also became a space for exchange between research teams, companies and sector professionals, fostering new connections and collaboration opportunities.
One of the central activities of the symposium was the Field Day, a technical visit that allowed scientific discussions to be brought to the field and enabled participants to learn about applied experiences in production, irrigation and post-harvest handling.
The visit began in the Raimat fields, with almond orchards under an SHD system, and continued to Alcanó, at an Europistachios farm featuring precision irrigation systems and advanced water flow monitoring.
Participants then visited the IRTA experimental facilities in the Borges area, with almond trials designed to connect research with agronomic practice.
The day concluded with a visit to Torrons Vicens, where the processing, sorting and industrial valorisation of the product were showcased.
After five days of activities, the symposium concluded with a highly positive assessment, both in terms of scientific quality and international participation, with attendees from up to 15 different countries.
During the closing ceremony, the Business Meeting and ISHS Young Talent Awards were presented, with the support of CEBASfruit, Rota Unica and Vimar Equipos, recognising some of the most outstanding scientific contributions of the congress.
The awards went to Carlota Bernal (UPM, Spain), Best Poster Award; Enrique González-Martínez (IRTA, Spain), Best Oral Presentation Award; Pasquale Losciale (Università di Bari, Italy), Best Oral Presentation on almond; and Sergio Castro-García (Universidad de Córdoba, Spain), Best Oral Presentation on pistachio.
The congress was supported by a wide network of companies and collaborating organisations, including Agroptimum, Borrell, CEBASfruit, Daymsa, Europistachios, Kenogard by Sumitomo Chemical, Agronova Biotech, SAS Agri, Comercial Química Massó, Eurosemillas, Lab Ferrer Florapulse, Banco Santander, Vimar Equipos, Agromillora, Selectis Rovensa and Agrolainez.
Head of Programme / Remote sensing of water relations researcher
