Bulgarians are known as some of the best horticulturists in Europe and the Bulgarian vegetables are exported to many countries due to their unique taste. Such are the Buffalo Heart tomatoes or the fleshy red peppers for instance. Can we preserve these vegetables and grow them in times of heavy market competition and the pursuit of higher yield and profits? “We have to!”, contends Associate Professor Dr Dimitrina Kostova from the Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute, part of the Bulgarian Agricultural Academy in Plovdiv (Central South Bulgaria). Recently Dimitrina Kostova was a prize winner in the capacity of director of studies of an EU project under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technology (2007-2013), aiming at better exploiting research capacities in Europe and transforming scientific results into new products, processes and services in underdeveloped regions. The project is entitled EU-BALKANVEGETABLES, said for Radio Bulgaria Associate Professor Kostova.

“Our goal was to create an internal Balkan network which has to unite people working in the horticulture field on our peninsula. Our institute became the center of that network. Colleagues from Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, Greece and Turkey attended our conferences in Bulgaria. We managed to launch a very good network. This was one of the criteria for steadfastness of the project placed by the requirements of the new framework program for scientific research and innovations entitled Horizon 2020. Thus, a certain project can be extended after its deadline. The project provided opportunities for young scientists to specialize in prestigious European laboratories. It also enabled renowned European researchers to visit Bulgaria and hold lectures in high-priority spheres of the modern agriculture and horticulture. The technical status of leading laboratories at that institute such as the Plants’ Nutrition laboratory, the Fruit Quality laboratory and the laboratory of horticultural diseases and viruses was also improved. The launching of a network between European institutions and Bulgarian institutions operating in the horticultural field was also very important. Conferences with many interesting discussions about the financing of the research bodies were held. The latter also focused on topical problems in horticulture and gardening as a whole, linked with plants’ nutrition and horticultural diseases. Moreover, we were included in the European Food Network.”

What are the main problems Bulgaria currently faces in this field?

“Perhaps you would not be surprised that food quality is what matters the most”, says Associate Professor Kostova. “The maximum yield of most crops was already reached. However, quality is also a very important indicator. The accent of our project falls on better-quality fruit, rich in antioxidants and resistant to many diseases which reduce the use of pesticides. This contributes a lot to healthy nutrition.”

Which bio products have the potential to grow well in Bulgaria?

“Our institute has a valuable genetic fund”, Associate Professor Kostova went on to say. “The vegetables were adapted to the Bulgarian conditions and possess unique taste properties. We must preserve these vegetables, regardless of the high competition by the foreign sorts. The latter look great. They are also resistant to many diseases and are popular with their high yields. However, they do not taste good. For instance, we have many good tomato sorts and high-quality peppers. I hope we will start paying more attention to these vegetables, because they are very popular worldwide.”

Will Horizon 2020 revive the Bulgarian horticulture?

“It all depends on our success during the application process. I hope that more colleagues will show the ambition to participate in these competitions. I am afraid we have a very severe competition in this field and will struggle to succeed. However, when one has the ambition to do it and is motivated to offer a really interesting project and at the same time manages to find promising partners in Europe, many problems can be easily resolved. We are still looking for spheres where our project can be successful. It is not an easy job, but we are determined to apply under the new program, because we have a good background and we believe we can manage. We also have well-equipped laboratories, young and ambitions scientists, a good scientific capacity, including European partners, etc. There is no reason to abandon the Horizon 2020 project”, concludes Dimitrina Kostova.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov