Canarian tomato exports could increase by up to 60% if new measures to help maximize plant sizes and photosynthesis efficiency are put in place. 

The tomato sector of the Canary Islands could be given a production boost if simple yet effective procedures are adopted, according to long-term research carried out by the Canarian Institute of Agricultural Research (ICIA) in conjunction with the Canarian government.

Specific areas of improvement include enhancing protective structures and introducing taller greenhouses to optimize plant growth.

Other measures involve raising the plants' uptake of solar radiation by staking tomato plants and removing leaves to improve photosynthesis efficiency.

ICIA says these simple methods could result in exportable production rises between 48% and 60%.

The research has been carried out over the last ten export seasons at a tomato plantation and horticultural experimental farm station operated by ICIA on the Canary Island of Gran Canaria as part of a research and development project affiliated with the Canarian Government's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Water.

The study's complete findings are published in the doctoral thesis of scientist Vanesa Raya, who led the research.

"The results of the thesis on improving this Canary export crop confirm it is possible to achieve substantial increase in both production and quality of Canarian tomatoes for export if the factors are optimized by determining culture changes in cultivation techniques and application of simple improvements to structural protection," an ICIA release says.

ICIA said it will continue its work researching and developing different tomato varieties for production on the Canary Islands.

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