COVER STORY
10 Tonne Project grows Dried Fruits Australia’s 10 Tonne Project will continue for another year to put all the pieces of the high-yield puzzle together.
“That aerial imagery has allowed a
“That’s where we start to confirm
couple of even the smaller growers,
that’s how these tools work.”
The project aims to demonstrate
the whole lot.
that, with the right tools, consistently producing 10 tonnes per hectare is achievable. The first three years of the project monitored aerial imaging, fertiliser, disease and moisture monitoring data across a number of sites. “It’s important that the industry believe that this is achievable,” DFA field officer Stuart Putland said.
who knew they had some problems in patches, to realise they needed to manage to the weakest point,” he said. “If you lift the weakest point, it’ll lift
Stuart said it had become clear that consistent monitoring of the four pillars was important for consistent and continued success. “We know from experience that when
“And for the bigger guys, having more
you chuck those tools away, things get
data is helping them identify problems
out of kilter again,” he said.
and also monitor recovery.”
“If you want to get 10 tonnes, you
Stuart said it had become accepted
water it right, you fertilise right, you
that soil moisture monitoring was now
manage canopy right and you keep
a basic need in vineyard management
disease out.
tools.
“What I’m suggesting now is that any
“It’s quite obvious that all of these
new harvester built should have yield
people that are in the high production
monitoring on it to keep track of how
areas are watering their vines well –
each patch is performing.”
“While not everybody is achieving it at
they’re on top of this stuff and they
the minute, it is achievable.
know exactly what’s going on,” he said.
Measuring up
“Before this, it could happen every now
The final piece of the puzzle
and then, but people weren’t convinced that you could do it consistently.
The fourth and final year of the 10 Tonne Project will continue the work
Red Cliffs grower John Hunt has been involved with the 10 Tonne Project from the beginning and said it’s proved that consistent high yields are
“So if people believe that it can be
already established, but will also
achievable.
done, that’s a really big shift for the
include yield monitoring for the
John grows Sunglo, Sunmuscat
industry.”
coming season.
and currants and said while it was
Pillars to success
Stuart said monitoring yields would
The 10 Tonne Project has focussed on four key areas to help growers lift their yield consistently: soil moisture monitoring, aerial imaging, fertiliser inputs and disease monitoring. “What we can see now through aerial imaging is that patch management has to be spot on,” Stuart said. “You need it all producing for it to be able to work. You need to work out what’s happening in those weak spots.”
provide the final piece of evidence that aerial imagery, moisture monitoring, fertiliser programs and disease monitoring were highly valuable. He said the data from aerial imaging and yield monitoring could be overlaid to give a clear indication of yields compared to plant health. “If we can now accurately measure what tonnage of grapes is coming off, we can then overlay that with
important to select varieties that provided a good yield, managing the vineyard thoroughly and implementing a fertiliser program made a big difference to his bottom line. He said being a part of the 10 Tonne Project, in particular seeing the aerial imaging and moisture monitoring data, put a spotlight on the weakest spots of his vineyard. “I probably knew already, but it does confirm it and help me to see where they are,” he said.
Stuart said identifying the poorest
our aerial imagery to see if that’s
“I’ve got dead vines through some
producing spots was where the aerial
matching what the plants are doing,”
patches and it’s showing exactly
imaging had proved particularly useful.
he said.
where those patches are.
4 VINE MAGAZINE
