Last week we launched the third annual specialized seminar for vegetable and fruit growers from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, focusing primarily on protected crop production…
Prevention is better than cure: the third annual seminar for vegetable and fruit growers
Last week we launched the third annual specialized seminar for vegetable and fruit growers from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, focusing primarily on protected crop production. The main motto of this year's meeting was a simple yet highly important rule in practice: prevention is better than cure.
Traditionally, we prepared the seminar in cooperation with our partner Intra and its representatives Marek Bertens and Mayra Nagtzaam, who have long focused on hygiene issues in agricultural operations.
The main topic of the seminar was agricultural facility hygiene and strengthening the vitality of fruiting vegetables. Throughout the season, we receive numerous practical questions from growers – for example, how to correctly work with Intra products, how to choose the most suitable cleaning and disinfection procedure, or what their specific applications are in everyday practice.
We incorporated these exact questions into the seminar program. The presentation focused primarily on practical experience and real-world operational situations that growers deal with during the season. Using specific experiments, we also addressed topics such as the corrosiveness of products and their correct application in various types of equipment.
Because hygiene measures are closely related to plant protection, we expanded the program to include this area as well. The seminar was enriched by a lecture from Dr. Tetiana Kalachova from the Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, who introduced the most common bacterial diseases of fruiting vegetables.
The presentation also provided a look at current research and future potential solutions for these diseases, which may offer growers new approaches to crop protection in the future.
This topic sparked a lively discussion at the end of the seminar, demonstrating the growers' great interest in modern and sustainable plant protection solutions. Special thanks go to Václav Psota for facilitating the connection with the Academy of Sciences.
The third annual seminar recorded record attendance and very positive feedback from participants. We are extremely pleased by the growers' interest in topics that help improve operational hygiene, strengthen plant vitality, and at the same time reduce the need for chemical pesticides during the season.
We believe that the emphasis on prevention and correct operational procedures helps growers move their production a step further – toward healthier fruits and vegetables and a more sustainable method of cultivation.
We are already looking forward to the next year of the seminar, which we will take to the next level together.