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 are a number of interesting themes appearing out of the data. 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.

These results have been achieved with a range of varieties, including Sunmuscat, Sunglo, Selma Pete and Carina currants.

The graph demonstrates the yields in each of the three years in tonnes per 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 widths, there is 4.8 kilometres of cordon per hectare and for 3.6-metre row widths there is 2.8 kilometres of cordon per hectare,” he said.

“It’s just a matter of comparing apples with apples because the cost of setting these two systems up is obviously different.”

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.

“Obviously if the crop is bigger it takes more nutrients out of the ground and 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 building towards an average of above 10 tonnes per hectare.

Nearly all of the participants producing more than 10 tonnes per hectare get nutritional advice to guide their fertiliser program.

“The project didn’t identify any significant implication from differences in pest and disease control programs,” Stuart said.

“Essentially, they all seemed to achieve the same level of control.”

Irrigation

Irrigation will be investigated in later articles.

However, it is notable that all of the properties producing more than 10 tonnes per hectare use some sort of soil moisture monitoring program.

Additionally, given they are all within the pumped irrigation district, water supply reliability is relatively good as the irrigation system maintenance 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.

“If you are looking to plant a new block or replant a block this information should be useful,” he said.

“For people looking at their current planting it will perhaps give an indication of potential changes you may want to look at in your production system or how to manage a replanting program.” v

For more information about the benchmarking project, contact DFA field officer Stuart Putland on 03 5023 5174 or by email at projects@driedfruitsaustralia.org.au

BENCHMARKING YIELDS 2019 — 2021

16

14

12

TO NN E S

10

8

6

4

2

0 SUNMUSCAT SUNMUSCAT SUNMUSCAT SUNMUSCAT SUNGLO

SUNGLO CARINA CARINA SUNGLOSALMA PETE SULTANASUNMUSCAT

VARIETIES AT EACH SITE

T/Ha 2021 T/Km Cordon 2021 T/Ha 2020 T/Km Cordon 2020 T/Ha 2019 T/Km Cordon 2019 3 year average T/Ha

KG NUTRIENTS REMOVED PER HA PER SEASON

CROP SIZE N P K Ca Mg S

Low (<5t/ha) 11 2 17 1 1 1

Average 25 3 35 2 2 2

High (>10/ha) 70 9 97 5 4 5