We are participating as a technological partner in the REDUCTAV project, led by the Agricultural Cooperative of La Selva del Camp (COSELVA) and with the involvement of the ADV of the Hazelnut. The project's aim is to tackle the issue of hazelnut white stain, an internal defect caused by the insect Palomena prasina, which affects the quality of the nut.
The project focuses on two main areas: improving the control of Palomena prasina in the field and developing non-destructive techniques to detect internal defects at the industrial level. As Leontina Lipan and Agustí Romero, researchers from IRTA’s Fruit Production programme, explain: “The goal is to develop effective tools both for detecting and reducing this defect, thereby improving product quality and the competitiveness of Catalonia’s hazelnut sector.”
The initiative also seeks to identify high-incidence areas and assess whether there are common influencing factors. In addition, it explores the importance of coordinated action through collective treatments and evaluates the effectiveness of various plant protection products. Another challenge is to determine whether spectroscopy technology can be used to detect white stain in the processing industry, as current systems do not allow it.
PAC Strategic Plan 2023-2027 action co-financed by:
