Unlocking Performance and Quality in Blackberries

Mateo Martínez Nicolás, ICL México’s National Commercial Technical Manager, featured in a recent interview with Tierra Fértil. During the interview, Mateo joined local berry growers to explain how Mexico is starting to benefit from ICL’s global experience as one of the greatest pioneers and innovators in the fertilizer industry.

Over the last two years, ICL Growing Solutions Mexico has focused on specialty products that make more efficient use of soil-water resources, including high-solubility water-soluble fertilizers, foliar fertilizers, irrigation improvers, controlled-release fertilizers, and other products that help improve crop production.

The interview was conducted within the context of a berry crops in Zapotitán de Hidalgo and Jocotepec, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Blackberry is one of many berry crops proven to benefit from ICL’s Nova PeKacid and Nova HiPeaK products.

The interview also featured local blackberry growers to bring first-hand experience of the products. They discussed what they observed when using ICL products in their crops and how they improved crop yield and quality. Julio César Robles Gómez, one of the managers responsible for the crop, explained that Nova PeKacid, a phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer from ICL, produced immediate benefits. Nova PeKacid is not only a valuable source of phosphorus, but it also lowers the pH level of water and soil. Julio explained how this allowed them to unlock other nutritional elements in the soil structure.

“In terms of cost-benefit, it has helped us a lot. Nova PeKacid is our workhorse, and we plan to keep using it.”

Nova PeKacid improved fruit production and vegetative growth, resulting in large and vigorous plants.

Meanwhile, cultivation manager Samuel Tolentino Mercado explained how he uses Nova HiPeaK to boost fruiting and fruit filling. With applications of Nova HiPeaK from pre-flowering, he sees a clear improvement in the flavor of the fruits, something he has not achieved with other products. Nova HiPeaK also increases the yield and creates fruit with Brix degrees they have not achieved before.