Objective There are market openings in EC countries for new products such as pumpkins. Increasing product quality and developing alternative agricultural practices help farmers to cope with the present problems caused by overproduction. The project concerns two regions with weak agricultural structures and where development is slow, namely Sologne in France and the region of Cordoba in Spain. It will help to develop natural resources and high-quality food products. Research on pumpkin varieties has been carried out over the past few years on an experimental farm in Sologne, France (Sainte-Marthe). The aim is to acquire knowledge of how they are grown, particularly when using organic farming techniques. The project is to determine the capability of pumpkin cultivars to grow in 3 different European locations when using organic farming techniques and to assess their storage ability and nutritional value. 10 varieties of pumpkin were chosen according to determined selection criteria. 2 field trials were established in each participating country. One of these field trails were organic with 30 plots consisting of 10 varieties with 3 replications and the other was conventional with 6 plots consisting of 2 varieties and 3 replications. Climatic conditions, soil characteristics and fertilization on each site were recorded. Crops have been harvested and some biochemical analyses made.The purpose of the EC project is to obtain more in-depth scientific and technical knowledge on : (1) organic farming techniques as applied to 10 varieties of pumpkin; (2) research into the biochemical composition and the nutritional value of these varieties (when harvested and after storage). The 10 varieties to be grown during the first year of the project are : - Cucurbita maxima specy : potimarron, hokkaido, rouge vif d'Etampes, bleu de Hongrie; - Cucurbita pepo specy : cornue d'hiver, melonnette, patidou, patisson; - Cucurbita moscata specy : butternut, courge musquee. Biochemical analysis will be performed by INSERM (Institut National de la Recherche Medicale), Unite 130, Marseille, France. Dry matter, protein, lipid, carbohydrate, mineral and vitamin content will be identified harvested and after 3 months in storage. The properties of dietary fibers will be studied with the collaboration of the University of Louvain, Belgium. Fields of science engineering and technologymaterials engineeringfibersagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturesustainable agriculturenatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipidsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculescarbohydrates Programme(s) FP2-CAMAR - Research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of competitiveness of agriculture and management of agricultural resources, 1989-1993 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator Groupe d'Études Pluridisciplinaires EU contribution No data Address 24 Les Cirollières 91770 Saint-Vrain France See on map Total cost No data Participants (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all GROUPE EXPERIMENTAL PLURIDISCIPLINAIRE DU CENTRE-FRANCE France EU contribution No data Address MAIRIE DE BLOIS 41004 BLOIS See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSIDAD DE CORDOBA - ESCUELA TECNICA SUPERIOR DE INGENEROS AGRONOMOS Spain EU contribution No data Address C/ALAMEDA DEL OBISPO S/N 3048 CORDOBA See on map Total cost No data WAGENINGEN AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY Netherlands EU contribution No data Address P.O.B.9101 6700 HB WAGENINGEN See on map Total cost No data
