Genetic improvements in apple rootstocks are beginning to show positive results in trials conducted in Chile

It is estimated that apple exports in Chile for this period will be 1.3% lower than in 2023. There are various factors that explain this, such as the climate or consumer behavior, but also the planted surface area, which decreased in the main producing regions such as El Maule and O'Higgins. The concern is transversal: increasing productivity and improving essential aspects in the plantation of this fruit tree is one of the topics that were discussed in the recent tour between producers, national and foreign specialists to various Chilean and Argentine fields to learn about and share experiences on how to improve the efficiency of the apple tree in our country. "Currently it is a very tight business, plantations that are around 20 years old have low yields. Chile has 27% of the orchards that are considered old and the trend towards high density is oriented towards using new genetics to improve productive capacity," says Jorge Rodríguez, commercial manager of Agromillora Sur. A ...