ARI Biennial Review for 2018-2019

LIFE+ORGANIKO: Revamping organic farming and its products in the context of climate change mitigation strategies The ultimate goal of the project was to demonstrate the comparative advantages of organic versus conventional farming and products using indicators of mitigation efficiency to climate change, agronomic and environmental quality, decreased children exposure to diet-based pesticides and healthy food promotion for better children’s health. Experimental work was carried out for the needs of the LIFE+ORGANIKO programme under the coordination of the Agricultural Microbiology Laboratory. The impact of different agricultural practices on GHG emissions and fruit quality was examined under conventional and organic apple cultivation. (S. Ioannidou) 3PRO: Proactive Producer and Processor Networks for Troodos Mountains Agriculture The project’s general objective is to improve agricultural production and food processing in the Troodos Mountains of Cyprus, through social innovation, sustainable natural resource management and climate change adaptation. The Sector’s contribution to the project will be aiming to sustainable fruit production with the application of protective nets in cherry and apple orchards. Sustainable fruit production improves natural and Agricultural Resource Management, leading to the conservation of economical, natural and cultural resources to the benefit of the society and the environment. Productivity, fruit quality and environmental impact of integrated fruit production under protective nets will be examined in the context of the project. (S. Ioannidou) National catalogue varieties of fruit tree genera and species In cooperation with the Department of Agriculture of Cyprus, the description of fruit plant varieties in order to be accepted for registration to the National Catalogue of Cyprus according to the provisions of the national legislation for the production and marketing of propagating material of fruit genera and species is conducted. (S. Ioannidou) 21 FRUIT TREES