This document contains a list of the services offered at some or all of the locations of IRTA’s Experimental Station Network. This network includes the Experimental Stations of Lleida (at Mollerussa, Gimenells, Borges Blanques and Llesp), the one of Ebro (at Amposta, Gandesa and Asco) and Mas Badia (at Girona). In total, these field stations, which specialise in carrying out experiments on crops, cover a total area of more than 150 ha. The services provided are mainly cross-sectional, but the stations also offer crop-specific services relating to the most common crops grown in the area of influence of each station. The crops studied include fruits (sweet fruit, nuts, citrus fruits and olives), grapes and cereals (including rice).
Tests on agricultural products
- Joint development of new products (tests on formulations, doses, mixtures, recommended applications, etc.).
- Official register tests on phytosanitary products (bioregulators and pesticides).
- Reports on the comparability of soil-climate conditions in different countries for the mutual recognition and registration of phytosanitary products.
- Trials of effectiveness for phytosanitary products (bioregulators and pesticides), fertiliser products, nutrient correctors and phytostrengtheners, and biological controls agents.
- Demonstration plots for phytosanitary products (bioregulators and pesticides), fertilisers, nutrient correctors and phytostrengtheners. Actions to support marketing and sales departments.
Evaluation of varieties and rootstocks
- Identification of UPOV descriptors and markers for vegetal material.
- Evaluation of the agronomic and qualitative characteristics of new varieties and rootstocks.
- Show-field of vegetal material for breeders and licensors.
- Organoleptic studies of new varieties of fruit (panel of experts for fruit tastings, sensory profile, consumer tastings, …).
- Certification, maintenance and study of the sanitary status of varieties and rootstocks. Conservation of material based on sanitary conditions.
Consultancy services
- Consultancy services relating to the preparation of recommendations of varieties before studying the productive schedule of the company.
- Consultancy services relating to the planting (choice of varieties and rootstocks, planting density, training systems) and management (phytosanitary treatments, fertilisation, …) of agricultural farms.
- Consultancy services related with the design of basic treatment schedules: to control pests and diseases; for the use of phytoregulators; to improve fruit quality, … according to each crop and variety.
- Consultancy services relating to the development of food products (Experimental Culinary Workshop).
- Consultancy services relating to experimental design (data analysis, statistical studies, …).
- Specialised consultancy services for the evaluation of agricultural machinery. Calibration of phytosanitary spray machines.
Fruit quality service
- External determinations of fruit quality for companies (distribution by calibre, fruit weight, percentage of colour, intensity of colour, …).
- Organoleptic determinations of fruit quality through destructive (firmness, sugar content, starch and acidity tests) and non-destructive (NIR, acoustic sensors) methods. Services for companies including the collection of samples, analyses and the production of reports.
Training
- Specialised training courses on fruit crop or by crops for technical departments and growers.
- “Made-to-measure” transfer and training activities.
Others
- Support of personnel specialised in fruit crop.
- Support with the commercial presentation of new products.
- Rental of experimental plots including technical and/or logistical support for plot management and/or experimental design and development.
