Carob rootstock trial starts at Sa Granja

A carob rootstock trial using clonal plants has begun at the Sa Granja experimental farm in the Balearic Islands on 25 August 2026. The Balearic Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment launched the study to assess how carob growing can be adapted to climate change.

The Institute for Agri-food and Fisheries Research and Training is running the long-term project. It will seek plant material better able to meet the future needs of the islands’ farming sector.

Comparing clonal and seedling rootstocks

Researchers are assessing two selected clonal rootstocks against the seedling-rootstock system commonly used in the Balearic Islands. The plants were produced through in-vitro culture, giving the trial genetically identical material.

Over the coming years, the team will examine tree vigour, compatibility with different varieties, productivity, plantation uniformity and performance under varying environmental conditions.

Preparing carob farms for tougher conditions

Carob is among the Mediterranean crops already well suited to drought, but rising temperatures, scarcer water and more frequent extreme weather are creating fresh challenges for Balearic agriculture.

The research is intended to identify rootstocks that can cope better with restricted water supplies, poorer soils and the climatic conditions expected across the Mediterranean in the coming decades. It is also expected to support the modernisation of carob production, which has gained economic importance for farms across the archipelago in recent years.

Topics: Agriculture · Economy

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com