Dr. Joan Tous
Καθηγητής, Τεχνικός Συντονιστής, Καινοτόµες Επιχειρήσεις Garrofa, EIG, Ισπανία.
Biography
Since 1985 Dr. Joan Tous has worked as researcher for the IRTA-Mas Bover (Generalitat of Catalonia, Spain) in olive, carob and hazelnut plant material evaluation, the improvement of some cultural practices and olive oil and carob gum quality characterisation until he moved to the private sector in 2012, such as technical coordinator of the EiG organization (Empresas Innovadoras Garrofa, Spain) and international olive, hazelnut and carob consultant. He has received two fellowships on hazelnut orchard management at INRA-Bordeaux (1988) and some mediterranean crops at University of California (Davis, 1995). He has participated in several Spanish R+D projects on selection and management of olive and nut tree species (hazelnut and carob).
He has carried out surveys of olive (only Catalonia), hazelnut (only Catalonia) and carob plant material in different areas of Spain (Catalonia, Balearic Islands, and Andalusia) and northern Africa (Morocco and Tunisia) and, also, has formed germplasm banks of these species, located in the NE of Spain (Tarragona). He has publised more than 150 scientific and divulgation articles so far. Author, editor and coeditor of several olive, carob and hazelnut books, standing out the following: «El Olivo en Tarragona (1990)», «El Algarrobo (Ceratonia siliqua, 1990)», «Variedades del olivo en Cataluña (1993)», “Carob tree (1997)” and «Las Variedades de Olivo en España (2005, 3 books)».
He has also participated in several Symposiums (International Society Horticultural Science-ISHS, OliveBioteq) and Workshops (FAO and International Olive Oil Council-IOC). As Convener, he organized two ISHS (International Society Horticultural Science) Congresses: Hazelnut in Tarragona, Spain (2004, Acta Hort. nº. 686) and Olive in Lisbon, Portugal (IHC 2010, Acta Hort. nº. 924).
Regarding the technology transfer activities, has obtained together with his formed working group, significant internationally successes, highlighted, among others, those related to the selection of three olive variety clones (‘Arbequina IRTA-i·18’, ‘Arbosana i 48’ and ‘Koroneiki i 38’) which constitute the varietal base for the global model of super-high density planting (SHD), and other carob clones for the intensive orchards. He also realised several international missions as adviser, researcher and invited speaker in several olive (Argentina, Australia, Chile, Uruguay and USA) and carob (Morocco, Tunisia, Australia, Israel, and China) countries.
Awards and honors:
2004. «ISHS Medal», in recognition as Convener of the 6th Int. Congress on Hazelnut (Tarragona, Spain).
. 2010. «ISHS Medal», in recognition as Convener of the Olive Trends Symposium, within 28th International Horticultural Congress (IHC 2010, Lisbon-Portugal).
. 2012. Honorary Member of Carobs Australia Inc. Nedlands, Western Australia (WA).
