California Avocado Society 1981 Yearbook - Volume 65:65-67
The Small Avocado Industry
in Greece
Nickos P. Psarros
Subtropical Horticulturist, Division of Horticulture, Ministry of
Agriculture, Athens, Greece
A few years ago, the Greek
Ministry of Agriculture imported a number of avocado cultivars and a collection was
established by the Institute for Subtropical
Fruit Crops in the District of Chania, on the island of Crete.
The total number of
commercially growing avocado trees is about 12,500, and
the total avocado production is up to 100 tons (1980). The total avocado
area is 75 hectares; and the main avocado growing district is Chania (72 ha), followed
by Hiraklio (1 ha), Messinia (1 ha), and the Province
of Troizinia (1 ha).
The usual avocado
rootstocks used are Topa Topa and Mexicola.
The number of avocado trees
and production in the area of Chania are, respectively, 11,813 and 84
tons (1980). The distribution of cultivated varieties and their
corresponding production for the same area are:
|
Cultivar |
Number
of Trees |
Production
[tons] |
|
Fuerte |
8,592 |
65.9 |
|
Hass |
1,320 |
7.9 |
|
Zutano |
1,290 |
6.6 |
|
Nabal |
396 |
2.3 |
|
Ettinger |
215 |
1.4 |
The harvesting period for
each of the above-mentioned avocado cultivars is shown in the table
below:
|
Cultivar |
Beginning
of Harvesting |
End
of Harvesting |
|
Fuerte |
November
1 |
May
30 |
|
Hass |
February
1 |
August
30 |
|
Zutano |
December
30 |
September
1 |
|
Nabal |
January
15 |
May
30 |
|
Ettinger |
November
15 |
January
15 |
The distribution of
avocado cultivars according to their adaptability and productivity
in Chania are:
|
Adaptability |
Productivity |
|
Fuerte (excellent) |
Ettinger, Hass (excellent) |
|
Hass |
Fuerte |
|
Zutano |
Nabal |
|
Nabal |
Zutano (poor) |
|
Ettinger (poor) |
|
It is evident that the best
adapted avocado cultivar in the district of Chania is the Fuerte,
while from a productivity point of view the cultivars Ettinger
and Hass are best.
No deficiency problems
have been observed as yet in this district. From the plant
pathological point of view, the fungus, Phytophthora megasperma,
caused some tree losses in two locations in 1980.
The avocado grower prices for fruit marketing
for local consumption depend on the marketing period and which for the 1980-81
period, per cultivar, were as indicated
below:
|
Month |
Drachmas/kgm [U.S.
$1=50.50 DRX] |
|
November |
60
- 80 |
|
December |
65
- 85 |
|
January |
70
- 90 |
|
February |
72
- 97 |
|
March |
75
- 102 |
|
April |
80
- 105 |
The fruit which was
exported by air cargo to West Europe — Munchen — achieved a price in the market
of 4 D.M./kgm. This export took place during the months of February and March, 1981,
corresponding to 3,350 kgm.
The main problems
encountered at the stage of production were those of fertilization, fruit
set, alternate bearing, and grafting. A small decrease in fruit production was observed in trees growing in
clay soils after the sixth year of
planting.
The district of Chania is
considered suitable for avocado culture. The quality of water is
excellent and the deep, fertile soil with a pH value = 6 -7,
with low CaCO3 content, sindy-sandy to sandy-clay type soils, give
good results.
In the district of Messinia
(Kalamata city), there is an avocado trial grove consisting of 200
trees with four cultivars (Fuerte 105 trees, Zutano 25,
Rincon 25, and Hass 25). 160 trees are of bearing age. The total 1980 production
was 3.5 tons.
From the adaptability and
productivity points of view, the best cultivar is the Fuerte, followed, in this
order, by Zutano, Rincon, and Hass. No phytopathological problems
have been encountered as yet, while it seems that the cultivars
Hass and Rincon are the more sensitive to cold conditions.
The Research Institute for
Subtropicals in Chania studies the adaptability and the general
behaviour of a number of avocado cultivars under the local environmental and
soil conditions. In its collections, there are 18 avocado
cultivars under study; that is, Hass (California), Fuerte (Cal.), Nabal
(Cal.), Bacon (Cal.), Reed (Cal.), Zutano (Cal.), Anaheim (Corse), Rincon
(Cal.), Ettinger (Israel), Benik (Isr.), Mexico (Isr.), Fuerte MacArthur
(Corse), Booth 8 (Corse), Booth 7 (Corse), Dickinson (Corse), Waldin (Florida), Fuerte
(Isr.), and Hass (Isr.).
In 1970, a new avocado
experimental plantation was established at Grysopigi-Chania, while in
1972, another one at the same location and a third one at the
location Gortyna-Messora, on the island of Crete, were established. These
experimental plantations consist of the above-mentioned
18 avocado cultivars. The data collected for the evaluation of these cultivars are: (a) tree characteristics;
that is, compatibility-incompatibility,
tree size, blooming period, production, and resistance to diseases; (b) fruit characteristics; that is,
weight, fruit size, oil content, maturity
season. Up to now, the best avocado cultivars from the commercial point of view are: Fuerte, Hass, Zutano,
Bacon, and Reed.
In 1977, another avocado
rootstock experimental plantation was established by the
Institute. Four different rootstocks are used: Topa Topa,
Mexicola, Duke, and Canda and seven different cultivar scions: Fuerte,
Hass, Zutano, Nabal, Rincon, Bacon, and Reed.