INTA conducts poplar and willow trials in San Rafael

The National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) is conducting trials in San Rafael, Mendoza, to improve the regional forest-industrial sector. The study involves testing different varieties of poplar and willow to determine which clones offer the best adaptation, productive potential, and health characteristics for the local agroecological conditions.

These species are vital to the region, with poplars and willows accounting for 93% of Mendoza's cultivated forest surface. The research, conducted in collaboration with the National Directorate of Forest-Industrial Development, aims to provide local producers with efficient and sustainable alternatives. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of forest windbreaks, as San Rafael possesses the largest extension of these barriers in the Cuyo region, which serve to protect crops, reduce wind speed, and prevent soil erosion.