Guidelines for the preparation of table grapes in SA for export 2025/2026_ND

Actions by phenological stage

Dormancy Pruning: Spurs (2 buds) with 8–10 buds per m 2 .

Improving bud break: Apply hydrogen cyanamide before bud break to advance the harvest date or improve bud break. Use according to the product registration. Bud break to flowering 2 cm shoot length: Start with the powdery mildew programme. 10–15 cm shoot length: Top dominant shoots so that shoots with bunches will all be more or less the same length at flowering. Apply nitrogen according to vigour 20 cm shoot length: Thin shoots. Remove shoots without bunches. Retain one bunch per shoot. 80–110 cm shoot length: Optimal shoot length at flowering. Flowering to set Full bloom: Apply 1 ppm gibberellic acid for thinning if necessary (cold weather and poor vigour). Set to véraison 5 mm berry diameter: Remove leaves around bunches. Shorten bunches to 50–60 berries per bunch. Leave one bunch per shoot with a minimum diameter of 10 mm. Leave 54 000 bunches per hectare. Apply nitrogen according to vigour 7 mm berry diameter: Apply 5–7.5 ppm gibberellic acid for berry enlargement. The higher dose is for the Orange River. Start with a magnesium programme to control berry stem necrosis if necessary. Véraison to harvest ± 20% of berries soft: Prune the apex of the trellis to open a gap of approximately 30 cm. Trim bunches if necessary. Late handling of bunches can lead to surface browning. Remove bunches on weak shoots. Bunches that hang too long to achieve optimal sugar levels can develop internal browning. Harvest to packing Sensitive to internal browning: Don’t pack bunches with sugar levels above 20 °Brix. Use paper on the grapes. Use 4–5 mm perforated bags and a MAM sheet. Sensitive to surface browning: Handle bunches carefully. Don’t handle turgid grapes on cold mornings after rain or irrigation. Swollen surface cells can break, leading to browning.

SATI GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF TABLE GRAPES IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR EXPORT 29