Dream team panel session orchard management case studies - green field orchard - alwyn du preez
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Transcript of Dream team panel session orchard management case studies - green field orchard - alwyn du preez
Dream team session
Alwyn du Preez
◦ Deep well drained soil
◦ 20-35% clay with water holding capacity
Is organic matter content important?
◦ It is a benefit, but not compulsory
◦ 1000-1200mm per year
◦ 150 -200mm per month starting Nov to March (nutset-maturity)
◦ 20-50mm per week
Would you utilise irrigation? ◦ Yes, especially if it is dry during the flowering
period.
◦ At least 100 Ha
◦ One Manager can manage 100 ha in SA.
Would it be staged plantings or all in one planting?
◦ All in one, if the weather allows it.
◦ High kernel recovery cultivars
◦ 816, A4
◦ Cross pollinator cultivar
◦ 741, Daddow, Beaumont?
Would you use pollinators? ◦ Yes
◦ 2-3 bee hive per Ha depending on cost for bees
◦ 8m X 4m
What row configuration would you plant? (east/west or north/south or on the contour?)
◦ North / South for optimum light interception
What is the maximum length per row? ◦ No Limit, the longer the easier to spray if it is flat.
◦ Cross roads every 500m.
◦ Yes, rip soil before planting commenced
Would you mound the rows? ◦ Only if the soil is shallow and drainage is a
problem
(planting shade tolerant grasses?) ◦ No need in SA with labour harvesting
Year 5 production target = (tonnes of SK/ha)
◦ 400Kg – 600Kg
Year 10 production target = (tonnes of SK/ha)
◦ 1600kg – 2000kg
Year 20 production target = (tonnes of SK/ha)
◦ 1600kg - 2000kg
◦ Start to train trees in year 1
◦ Encourage central leader and side branches
◦ 816 needs to be pruned to start bearing earlier, they do not tend to make side branches
◦ Limb removal starts from year 5 annually
◦ Pruning program must start early winter.
What method would you use? ◦ Limb removal
◦ Cut the rows open
◦ Maintain regrowth removal and management
◦ Tree height maximum 7 meters for effective spray coverage.
◦ Plant early flowering and late flowering cultivars separately.
◦ Filling points for spray machine must be close and accessible.
◦ Harvest weekly
◦ Harvest crop a.s.a.p. when mature and dry/ cure properly for optimum quality.
◦ Build proper curing facilities to accommodate the maximum crop volume at any given time.
◦ Build a sufficient storage facility.
◦ Resorting facilities for NIS between curing and storing bin.
◦ Rule 1: Never allow harvesting or pruning to take up valuable hunting and fishing time!