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 9–11 buds per m 2 (90 000–110 000 buds per hectare). More than 130 000 buds per hectare can lead to uneven bud break. Improving bud break: Prune so that bearers all have more or less the same diameter (9–11 mm). Canes that are too thin or too thick have uneven bud break. Bud break to flowering 20 cm shoot length: Thin shoots. Remove weak shoots. Aim for 18–20 shoots per metre. Keep one bunch per shoot if there are enough bunches per vine. Weak shoots can be prone to excessive shatter. Crop load can be reduced at this stage in the Orange River, but the risk of excessive shatter must be kept in mind. Keep approximately 50% extra bunches. Flowering to set Full bloom: Thin with 1 ppm gibberellic acid. In the Orange River, set must be promoted by removing basal leaves, topping shoots, and tipping and shouldering bunches. Set to véraison 5 mm berry diameter: Girdling after setting can improve berry size, but be cautious of berries that become too large. 6–8 mm berry diameter: Remove leaves around bunches. Maintain good leaf cover until véraison. Shorten bunches to 100–120 berries per bunch. The majority of shoots with bunches must have a minimum diameter of 10–12 mm at the third internode. Leave 63 000 bunches per hectare. Apply 6–8 ppm gibberellic acid for berry enlargement in the Western Cape. Apply 10–15 ppm gibberellic acid for berry enlargement in the Orange River. Cytokinin is not recommended as it can delay sugar development and negatively affect colour and taste. Véraison to harvest ± 10% colour: Apply 25–40 ml ethephon per 100 litres of water to promote colour development. Diffuse light under the canopy is important, but berries mustn’t receive direct sun. Prune the apex of the trellis to open a gap of approximately 30 cm.

Manage irrigation to reduce the risk of berry cracking. ± 75% colour: Remove damaged berries and bunches. Harvest to packing None.

SATI GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF TABLE GRAPES IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR EXPORT 87