Project title:
Management of the disease Plum Pox Virus (Sharka) and the pest Grapholita molesta, innovation in technology and processing quality on Plum culture

Project objective:
To evaluate new sustainable varieties from Sharka and their suitability through testing in four climatic zones of our country:

a) Monitoring of trials with 10 varieties of plums resistant to Sharka. To determine if the varieties are adapted to the local climate and if the fruits remain un-affected by the Sharka viral disease and at the same time meet the demands of Albanian consumers and processors in the respective areas
b) Testing whether the plum fruit bollworm pest can be effectively biologically controlled with the help of male moth sexual confusion pheromone dispersants.
c) Testing simple solar and electric dryers suitable for plum processing by women entrepreneurs in rural communities.

 

Main results:

– Rezultati 1:

Monitoring in trials with 10 varieties of plums resistant to ‘Sharka’; disease This monitoring will serve to determine if the varieties are adapted to the local climate and the fruits are stable or tolerant of Sharka and at the same time meet the demands of Albanian consumers and processors in areas such as: Diber, Korce, Vlore and Tirana.

– Result 2: 

Testing for the control of the plum worm through the use of pheromones. Testing whether the bollworm pest of plum fruit can be effectively biologically controlled with the help of pheromone dispersants for sexual confusion of the male bollworm and pest monitoring through pheromones.

– Result 3:

– Testing simple solar and electric dryers suitable for plum processing by women entrepreneurs in mountain communities.
– Since the production of plum is one of the second crops for the nuclear fruit trees in these areas, their production can be for fresh production and a part for processed production of plum fruits.
– For women in Dibra district (and other mountainous regions of Albania) starting a plum drying business will help them generate family income and empower them through entrepreneurship.