Agricultural Engineer Konce Baydar, who is the director of the Babutsa Selection Project initiated under the Agricultural Research Institute, told TAK about the issue that the project, which was carried out together with Çukurova University, started in 2016.
Baydar stated that examinations were carried out at 485 points in 194 villages, the morphological features of the babutsa, namely its general structure, were examined, whether it was thorny or thornless, and features such as the color and shape of the fruit.
Noting that the analyzes of babutsas were made according to international (UPOV) criteria, Baydar noted that in these analyzes, fruit weight, internal weight of the fruit, peeling status of the fruit, fruit size and core hardness were examined.
Baydar said, “In this study, ‘are the types determined different from each other, or they differ due to the conditions in which they are grown; We are looking for answers to the questions, ‘Are these the only types that grow in Cyprus?’
Noting that they created parcels in Güzelyurt from 14 prominent types, Baydar noted that the reason for creating parcels was to see if they were different by cultivating these types under the same conditions.
Baydar noted that if 14 of the 14 prominent types are different, they aim to apply for registration with 14 of them, and stated that they have created parcels for the purpose of protection from 95 types apart from 14 types.
SOME TYPES DISAPPEARED DUE TO CONDITIONAL DISEASE, BUT THIS IS PROHIBITED WITH Plots
Noting that the cactus cochlea disease destroyed many trees, and maybe some species disappeared in this process, Baydar noted that they prevented many species from disappearing with the plots established within the scope of the study.
Agricultural Engineer Konce Baydar, the director of the Agricultural Research Institute Babutsa Selection Project, stated that they can start the production of registered types after the registration process is completed.
Noting that the parcels were established last June, they expect them to bear fruit in 2024, they can apply for registration only after fruiting, Baydar also noted that the registration process may take 2-3 years.
TWO TYPES OF thorns
Stating that they identified two types of thornless babutsa in the study, Baydar noted that one of them was common and a rarer type was a more rounded type. Baydar stated that both types are among the types to be applied for registration.
Reminding that babutsa is mostly consumed as table food in Cyprus, and ice cream has started to be made, Baydar noted that only wine, liquor and marmalade can be made.
CACTUS CONNECTED
Noting that the spread of cactus cochlea can only be prevented by spraying, Baydar noted that spraying should be done not individually, but in mass, because the disease spreads from untreated trees. Baydar said that mineral oils are generally used in spraying.
WORK WILL BE STARTED TO IDENTIFY THE NATURAL ENEMIES OF CONDITIONER
TAE Director Cem Karaca stated that the identification of varieties with superior characteristics is the product of 5-6 years of research. Karaca emphasized that some babutsa cultivars were destroyed due to the cosnile pest, but some cultivars were saved from extinction thanks to this study.
Stating that the parcel in Güzelyurt should be protected against cosnium, Karaca noted that there is no licensed medicine in the world against cosnium in babutsa, and that some drugs protect the plant against cosnium, but the fact that it is not licensed for use in babutsa is an obstacle.
Karaca explained that for this reason, as the Institute, they will start a study on the detection and performance of the natural enemies of cosnium, as in other countries. Karaca stated that if they are successful, the natural enemies of this cosnium can be multiplied and released into nature.
REGISTRATION
In the product registration, a product is named as a variety and the characteristics of that product are stated; Explaining that the product in question is also registered according to the region in geographical registration, Karaca noted that the producers can find the market for the products with the postponed products more easily and they can sell their products at more affordable prices.
Karaca said that for this purpose, as TAE, they will apply to Turkey for registration for some babutsa varieties.
