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 14–17 buds per m 2 (140 000–170 000 buds per hectare). 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 40–60 cm shoot length: Thin shoots. Remove weak shoots and shoots without bunches. Aim for 18–20 shoots per metre. Crop load can be reduced at this stage, but the risk of excessive shatter must be kept in mind, and approximately 50% extra bunches should be retained. Flowering to set Aim for a balanced canopy. Avoid a dense canopy. The following actions can reduce shatter in vigorous vineyards: • Remove leaves around bunches at the start of flowering. • Tip bunches and top shoots at 5% flowering. • Girdle at the start of flowering. Apply 1 ppm cytokinin at 50% flowering. This is for the worst cases of hot weather and vigorous vineyards. Modify according to observations. Set to véraison 6–8 mm berry diameter: Shorten bunches to 50 berries per bunch. Leave one bunch per shoot with a minimum diameter of 9–11 mm. Leave 50 000 bunches per hectare. Maintain a good canopy. Berries are vulnerable to heat damage and sunburn from approximately 14 days before véraison to approximately 10% colour. Véraison to harvest ± 10% colour: Apply 50 ml ethephon per 100 litres of water to promote colour development. Ethephon can be combined with girdling in vineyards that struggle with colour development. Manage irrigation to reduce the risk of berry cracking at harvest. Control downy mildew, powdery mildew, and decay. Harvest to packing Be cautious not to harvest grapes within three days after rainfall or irrigation. Maintain the cold chain to prevent condensation.

SATI GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF TABLE GRAPES IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR EXPORT 91