DRIED GRAPE NEWS
Project sets industry benchmark Dried Fruits Australia’s benchmarking project is capturing data from a range of sites in the hope that producers can make informed decisions about existing and future dried grape plantings to gain maximum returns. The third year of DFA’s Hort Innovation-funded benchmarking program is completed and there
cordon per hectare,” he said.
soil moisture monitoring program.
“It’s just a matter of comparing apples
Additionally, given they are all within
with apples because the cost of setting
the pumped irrigation district, water
these two systems up is obviously
supply reliability is relatively good as
different.”
the irrigation system maintenance
Fertiliser application The other piece of information that seems to be consistent is the application of fertiliser. The table indicates the amount of fertiliser that is taken out by your crop each year.
are a number of interesting themes
“Obviously if the crop is bigger it takes
appearing out of the data.
more nutrients out of the ground and
Yield results DFA field officer Stuart Putland said the first, and most obvious, is that for over half of the sites in the program, consistently producing 10 tonnes per hectare is a reality. “While there is a significant variation in yields each year, six sites have been able to maintain an average of over 10 tonnes per hectare,” Stuart said.
off your property when you wave it goodbye on the truck heading for the processor,” Stuart said. All six of the sites with averages of 10 tonnes per hectare or more were replacing nutrients to this level and beyond. A seventh site, the relatively young Sunglo with an average of 9.7 tonnes per hectare, also consistently received this level of fertiliser and it looks to be
beyond the farm gate is carried out by the water authority. Decision time After reviewing the data from the third benchmarking year, property managers were able to assess and make informed decisions about their operations. At the end of the most recent benchmarking year, two of the lowest yielding Sunmuscat patches were pulled out. “It was clear they were not at a profitable production level and were likely too old to expect improved performance,” Stuart said. The benchmarking program generated some solid information on the yield potential of a range of varieties, along with experience on meeting nutrition requirements.
These results have been achieved
building towards an average of above
“If you are looking to plant a new block
with a range of varieties, including
10 tonnes per hectare.
or replant a block this information
Sunmuscat, Sunglo, Selma Pete and Carina currants.
Nearly all of the participants producing
should be useful,” he said.
more than 10 tonnes per hectare
“For people looking at their current
The graph demonstrates the yields in
get nutritional advice to guide their
planting it will perhaps give an
each of the three years in tonnes per
fertiliser program.
indication of potential changes you
hectare, the average yield for each site and, importantly, the yield in each year in tonnes per kilometre of cordon. Stuart said the final data points – yield per kilometre of cordon – was to account for the fact that the row widths on each of the project sites varied from 3.6 metres down to 2.2 metres. “The result is that for 2.2-metre row
“The project didn’t identify any significant implication from differences in pest and disease control programs,” Stuart said.
system or how to manage a replanting program.” v For more information about the
“Essentially, they all seemed to achieve
benchmarking project, contact DFA
the same level of control.”
field officer Stuart Putland
Irrigation Irrigation will be investigated in later articles.
widths, there is 4.8 kilometres of
However, it is notable that all of the
cordon per hectare and for 3.6-metre
properties producing more than 10
row widths there is 2.8 kilometres of
tonnes per hectare use some sort of
12 VINE MAGAZINE
may want to look at in your production
on 03 5023 5174 or by email at projects@driedfruitsaustralia.org.au
