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

Actions by phenological stage

Dormancy Pruning: Half-long bearers (8 buds) with 12–15 buds per m 2 . Use strong canes. 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. Excessively vigorous vineyards and warm flowering conditions can worsen shattering. Weak vines under stress also have an increased risk of shatter. 20 cm shoot length: Thin shoots. Remove shoots without bunches. Leave 1.5 times the number of bunches needed for the planned crop load. In the Orange River, double bunches can be left on strong shoots. 80–110 cm shoot length: Optimal shoot length at flowering. Flowering to set Can suffer excessive shatter. Apply the following recommendations to improve the set: • Remove the leaves around the bunches at the start of flowering. • Tip bunches at the start of flowering in the Olifants and Orange Rivers. In the Berg and Hex Rivers, tipping depends on weather conditions. • With warmer weather in the Orange River, 1–1.5 ppm CPPU (cytokinin) can be applied at 40%–80% flowering to improve set. • Top shoots at 80%–100% flowering. Can be repeated 2–3 days later. • Avoid unnecessary CPPU applications during flowering. Multiple late applications can cause marks on berries and rigid berry stems. • Girdling to increase the set is effective, but can worsen flower lesions. If girdling is necessary, it should be done at the start of flowering. Set to véraison 5 mm berry diameter: Remove leaves around bunches. Shorten bunches to 70–80 berries per bunch. Leave one bunch per shoot with a minimum diameter of 10 mm. Leave 55 000 bunches per hectare. If shatter is severe, leave more bunches. Apply nitrogen according to vigour. 6–8 mm berry diameter: Apply 15–20 ppm gibberellic acid plus 0.5–1 ppm CPPU for berry enlargement in the Western Cape. Apply two treatments of 15–20 ppm gibberellic acid plus 0.5–1 ppm CPPU, three days apart, for berry enlargement in the Orange River. Véraison to harvest ± 20% of berries soft: Open a gap of approximately 30 cm at the top of the canopy. Avoid direct sunlight on bunches. Late handling of bunches can cause surface browning. Remove bunches on weak shoots. Bunches that hang too long to achieve optimal sugar levels can develop internal browning. Harvest to packing Ideal sugar levels at harvest are 17–18 °Brix. 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 35