50% REDUCTION OF DUST EMISSIONS AT THE LODOSA FACTORY IN SPAIN

At the Lodosa site in Spain, new facilities have been brought into operation in the granulation workshop. This new equipment ensures the complete sealing of several belt conveyors and their associated dust removal systems.

They add to a first investment phase involving the installation of a baghouse filter with a capacity of 95,000 m3/H to clean the cooling fluidised bed. This enables the site to continue to reduce dust emissions drastically.

At the industrial estate site in Saint-Malo, France, a new baghouse filter has also just been installed to process the air released from the drying operation using 600 bag filters. This dust-filtered air is then directed to a spray tower inaugurated in September 2020.

Not only does this equipment contribute to a significant reduction in material loss, but it also ensures energy optimisation. Besides, it is of great interest in the recycling of our process water. All of our sites are continually seeking to make our workshops even cleaner and to improve their operations.

Bitter Pit is a physiologocal disorder, linked to a calcium deficiency in apples.

Symptoms: dark brown or black lesions, results of the breakdown of the cells under the skin, appear on the skin of the fruit only after harvest.

Calcium is not very mobile within the trees. Even though soil and leaves are correctly fed with this element, a deficiency can appear on fruits. This is especially true when the number of fruits is high and fruits are large, as calcium is diluted through the total amount of biomass. ​

Application of calcium on fruits during fruit growth can help reduce Bitter Pit. But, as the disorder is caused by calcium immobility in the tree, it is very important to stimulate the plant in its physiological activity to reduce Bitter Pit. Furthermore, when soil has sufficient calcium content, stimulating physiological activity helps maximize the transfer of calcium to the plant.​

Varieties do not have the same sensitivity to this disease but an orchard’s management and fertility program have a huge impact on the development of the disease.

To learn how to improve calcium availability to apples, contact your local TIMAC AGRO representative!

The number of tillers is the primary yield component of straw cereals, including wheat, the world’s most widely grown cereal. The number of tillers is fundamental to crop yield development.

It will compensate for the loss of plants during sowing due to poor planting. It is directly related to the final number of ears. Three leaves constitute a tiller, and this tiller can be transformed into an ear depending on the vegetative growth conditions. Therefore, all the factors favoring optimal tillering must be put in place at the end of winter, when most of the tillering occur. Primarily linked to genetics, the number of tillers depends on the variety sown. However, other factors must be considered:

• First of all, the climate. It is necessary to reach a certain temperature for a tiller to appear.
• Nutrition: although nitrogen does not help tillering, nitrogen deficiency will strongly limit the number of tillers.
• The root system development: there is a linear relationship between the number of secondary roots and the number of tillers

Not only does an optimal development of the root system influence the number of tillers, but it also enables better plant nutrition. It is precisely during this tillering phase (followed by straightening) that the wheat’s secondary roots develop. These secondary roots will later feed the plant: At the level of the first soil horizon, a well-developed root system enables better nitrogen capture. Nitrogen is essential to limit the decrease of tillers during the wheat’s vegetative growth phase. In the second and third soil horizons, the wheat root system, which can reach a depth of up to 160 cm, will mainly collect water. This water stress issue is becoming a recurring issue for wheat, as illustrated by how dry spring seasons have been in recent years.

In 2021, TIMAG AGRO France was an official partner of French Agriculture Week, a nationwide celebration of this vital industry from May 13-24. In addition to their partnership, TIMAC AGRO FRANCE published a series of educational videos to provide an interesting and dynamic way to share some of TIMAC AGRO’s expertise with other agricultural actors in France.

Video 1: Do plants already have all the nutrients they need in the soil?

Video 2: Do organic farms need fertilizers?

Video 3: Is any source of calcium beneficial for soils?

Video 4: Do ruminants need assistance to make the most out of their feed?

Video 5: Does France need fertilizer plants?

The main challenge for farmers at the end of the tuber initiation phase is to achieve a high number of tubers above 15 mm. Any tubers that do not reach this size shrink and disappear. The main challenge after the tuber initiation phase is to optimise the reserves and obtain a maximum of marketable tubers.

Potatoes are a demanding and lethargic crop. Their P requirements during the tuber initiation phase are high. To achieve an optimal yield, 50% of the phosphorus requirement must be absorbed between 15 and 45 days after emergence. Potatoes are also a crop with a shallow root system. Therefore, phosphorus needs to be close to the roots and also the soil’s P content needs to be high enough. Once the number of tubers is established, the quality of the filling will impact the yield. During this tuber filling phase, N and K in turn become essential.

Photosynthesis is the biochemical pathway that converts light energy into glucose molecules. This phase requires high nitrogen levels – nitrogen being a component of chlorophyll, the pigment where photosynthesis occurs. Following glucose production, the molecules bind to form starch, which is a chain of glucose. During initiation, assimilates and soluble sugars (products of photosynthesis) begin to be distributed in the young tubers through the phloem. This transfer of nutrients requires a lot of energy and potassium, which is essential for nutrient transport. At the end of the tuber initiation phase, there is no more leaf formation or growth, and the assimilates are mainly found in the tubers. At the end of the cycle (senescence), the complete transfer of assimilates and water from the leaves and stems to the tubers occurs.

To find out which TIMAC AGRO technologies are recommended to improve the tuber size and marketable yield of potatoes, contact us!

100% : this is the percentage of a vineyard that can​ be damaged by frost.

Cold snaps and frosts have hit many orchards and vineyards these last few weeks in France. ​

High yield reduction will be expected due to these cold waves, occurring after weeks of heat and crop development.​

During dormancy, grapevines can support temperatures as low as -15°C. However, as soon as the vines bud, they become more vulnerable. If frost occurs, the young shoots dry and die. The final yield is thus highly reduced, but this reduction may not reach 100%. In fact, improved weather conditions, with rain and good temperatures can relaunch the budburst, but the drying of the first bursts will impact this recovery.​

As the grapevines were already budding; starch and N storage have been consumed by the plant for its regrowth. Storage of starch and N are not at their maximum anymore for the second budburst. This has a direct impact on the energy of the crop and on the yield. Fertilisation and biostimulation must help the plant to sustain the coming flowering period to preserve the forming fruits.​

TIMAC AGRO products can help grapevines to recover and protect the coming harvest.

EVOLUTION OF STARCH AND N CONTENT IN GRAPEVINE ROOTS, AND DRY WEIGHT AFTER  GRAPEVINE CYCLE​

Our subsidiary Vitas Portugal continues its rapid and ambitious development in the wine industry with its company Falua.

Falua has acquired the vineyard “Quinta do Hospital.” With this recent acquisition in Monção, Falua builds upon its presence in the Tejo production region, now extending its operations to the Vinho Verde region. Quinta do Hospital is an exceptional property, whose origins date back to the 12th century when the Portuguese king’s mother D. Teresa donated it to the Order of Hospitallers. Covering an area of ​​25 hectares, 10 of which are vineyards, it allows Falua to extend its reach to the Vinho Verde production region.

Falua’s latest endeavors target areas where the Alvarinho grape variety thrives: in the Minho region, and in particular in the Monção and Melgaço sub-region. This is where this grape variety reaches its full potential thanks to the unique qualities of the land. With its incomparable aromas and flavors, Alvarinho is considered one of the best white grapes from Portuguese vineyards. This wine is an exceptional product which is produced only in limited quantities.

Vitas Portugal is bolstering its wine activities, now operating vineyards with a total of 305 hectares (55 owned and 250 leased). These acquisitions illustrate TIMAC AGRO’s ambition to reinforce its presence in the Portuguese wine industry and expand its role as a producer in the Minho region.

With 25 years of expertise, Falua wines have a compelling potential for growth. The team’s efforts have been rewarded: its different wines have received numerous awards, including two grand prizes in 2021 awarded by prestigious wine magazines: “Brand of the year” awarded by the Revista dos Vinhos and “Company of the year ”awarded by Grandes Escolhas.

“Although we’re still young, Falua already has a solid foundation that will help us meet the challenges of the years to come,” says Rui Rosa, director of Vitas Portugal.

Visit the Falua website to learn more about their products: https://www.falua.pt/

We are proud to announce that the two TIMAC AGRO USA technologies submitted to the Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers (EEFs): Environmental and Agronomic Challenge were among the 16 solutions selected to move forward to Phase Two of the competition. In the next stage, Duo Maxx and Top-Phos® will go through greenhouse trials conducted by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), in Alabama. The products’ claims will be evaluated based on environmental, agronomic, and economic performance factors.

Launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the EEFs: Environmental and Agronomic Challenge is in its first edition and aims to identify existing EEFs currently on or near-market that meet or exceed certain environmental and agro-economic criteria. Along with EPA and USDA, the competition is hosted in collaboration with The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).

Learn more: us.timacagro.com

The metabolism activity of the tree from flowering till the harvest is essential to ensure the highest possible commercial yield. Metabolism linked to fruit growth has to be supported by the energy of the plant. If not, the caliber will be scarce and irregular at harvest. Supporting the energetic production and transport into the plant is thus important.​

​Moreover, in apple cultivation, the regular opening of the floral buttons, as well as their good development, highly decreases the risk of having gradual maturation of the fruits. It also helps to reach the apple optimum size caliber at harvest. ​

​In order to get a regular floral button opening, it is necessary to stimulate the productions actions of all plant hormones, ideally in sustaining their natural biosynthesis and therefore maintaining​ the good regulation of the hormones balance.​

​Finally, abiotic stresses during flower development can also compromise fruit set, by increasing fruit drop.​

​TIMAC AGRO products can help to sustain apple trees in this fundamental phase. ​

​The growth of the ovary, and thus, of the fruit, is tightly bound to the presence of vegetal hormones auxins and gibberellins.​

TIMAC AGRO solutions can help to improve this hormonal balance to reach the apple optimum size​ caliber. Contact your expert!

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