By Antonia Maggiolo, Head of Research and Development at CASM Blueberries.
Research, development, and innovation are fundamental pillars of the work we carry out at CASM Blueberries. Our R&D services operate in Chile, Peru, and Mexico, focusing on the evaluation of a wide range of agricultural inputs—including biostimulants, nutritional products, and crop protection solutions—to deliver practical, validated solutions for the blueberry industry.
Our work begins in the early stages of each project, collaborating closely with companies to provide both technical and market insights that help align each product’s characteristics with the specific needs of blueberry growers.
We then conduct field trials following established protocols, overseeing site selection, treatment applications, and the continuous monitoring of key variables. Finally, we analyze the data and prepare robust technical reports that support both the internal product development process and the technical and commercial validation of each innovation.
One of the most important aspects of our work is product validation. When evaluating new solutions, we assess not only their agronomic performance but also their real-world impact in the field and their contribution to fruit productivity and quality. Only after obtaining and thoroughly analyzing this information do we recommend a product to growers.
Our goal is to provide data-driven information that enables growers to make more efficient, reliable, and informed decisions.
The unique value of our trials lies in their exclusive focus on blueberries. Our team of specialized advisors defines the appropriate application rates, management strategies, and technical evaluation criteria specifically for this crop. This work is carried out in close collaboration with crop protection and agricultural input companies, whose extensive product knowledge and experience complement our expertise. This represents a significant advantage, as many agricultural products are developed for multiple crops and often lack blueberry-specific technical information.
Today, growers are more focused than ever on producing high-quality fruit. With that objective in mind, the tools we evaluate are designed to maintain crop health while enhancing key quality attributes such as fruit weight, size, firmness, and postharvest performance.
However, one of the greatest challenges in R&D is maintaining technical integrity. Scientific rigor means acknowledging not only when a product delivers positive results, but also when it fails to meet expectations. That transparency is a core part of our commitment to both the blueberry industry and its growers.
At CASM Blueberries, we are blueberry specialists, and every trial we conduct is supported by rigorous technical analysis. Innovation drives our work, but our greatest motivation is generating practical, applicable, and scientifically validated knowledge that contributes to the continued advancement of the global blueberry industry.
