More organic matter in avocado plantations

A trend driven by new eating habits? A subtropical crop that has found space in our country thanks to climate change? Yes, but not only that.

The cultivation of avocado began to expand in the southern regions of Italy relatively recently. However, the presence of avocado trees several decades old in Sicily—Italy’s leading avocado-producing region, where it is grown on about 1,000 hectares—shows that our country ventured into avocado production well before the significant effects of climate change became evident.

Global avocado demand has grown exponentially, leading to a world production of about nine million tons (2022 data). Although avocado is grown in over 60 countries worldwide, most production is concentrated in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Indonesia, Colombia, and Brazil. Mexico tops the list with over 2.5 million tons produced in 2022, accounting for nearly 30% of global production. In Europe, 90% of avocado cultivation is concentrated in Spain, which produced about 105,000 tons in 2022.

Avocado is an evergreen species with a very particular flowering behavior known as synchronized dichogamy. Each avocado flower opens and closes twice over two consecutive days for several hours each time. On the first day, the flower functions as female, while on the second day it functions as male (anther dehiscence).

Cultivars are classified into groups A and B based on their floral behavior. In type A cultivars, flowers open as female in the morning, close at midday, and reopen the next afternoon as male. In type B cultivars, flowers open as female in the afternoon, close overnight, and reopen the next morning as male. A flower cannot self-pollinate because when receptive to pollen, its male organs are not yet mature, and vice versa. To promote cross-pollination, it is advisable to plant varieties from both groups (A and B) together. Pollinating insects, such as bees, are also essential for transferring pollen between trees.

This floral behavior largely depends on temperature, so the cycle may vary under warmer or cooler conditions.

Avocado is sensitive to cold: ideal thermal conditions include annual average temperatures between 18 and 26 °C, with mild winters and no late frosts.

Water requirements are high, given the subtropical origin of this species, adapted to humid climates. Avocado needs constant water supply, especially in summer and during the fruit enlargement phase. Annual water demand is estimated between 7,000–12,000 m³/ha, depending on crop load, weather, and orchard size.

While rising average temperatures due to climate change have made avocado cultivation possible in areas previously unsuitable, the irregular rainfall caused by the same phenomenon means water availability is not always sufficient to meet the crop’s high needs. Careful water management—often via drip irrigation—is crucial for research and experimentation, also to improve environmental and economic sustainability. One promising technique is controlled deficit irrigation.

Ideal soil for avocado is loose, with good organic matter content, and slightly acidic (pH 5.5–7). The species is sensitive to waterlogging (which can cause root asphyxia and favor root rot by Phytophthora cinnamomi), excess active lime (which can induce iron chlorosis), and salinity (which slows plant growth and delays maturity). Great attention must be paid to irrigation water quality, which should be low in sodium and chlorides and have conductivity below 1 dS/m.

From a nutritional standpoint, the macronutrients most required by avocado are Nitrogen and Potassium. Indicative annual removals per hectare are 150 kg N, 40 kg P₂O₅, and 200 kg K₂O.

In the first years, apply about 20–30% of these amounts, gradually reaching 100% by the 5th–6th year. Among micronutrients, deficiencies of Iron and Zinc are particularly critical.

Why choose one of these solutions?

Supplying nutrients combined with an organic matrix meets crop needs while also addressing issues such as waterlogging—reduced thanks to improved soil porosity—and salinity, which can result from excessive nutrient concentrations during drought. The gradual nutrient release from organic and organo-mineral fertilizers helps prevent these problems.

Agricomplex 10.5.15 is an organo-mineral fertilizer that, in a single application, provides the mineral fraction containing Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, as well as a significant amount of highly humified organic matter and meso-elements. Its organic matrix consists of a blend of highly humified manures, naturally fermented for about 180 days in a covered, ventilated area. Humified organic matter improves soil characteristics, while the chelating action of humic acids protects nutrients from losses, enhancing fertilization efficiency. It also supplies secondary nutrients and micronutrients, although only Sulfur and Zinc are legally declared.