Technical Yearbook 2024

the split, and dead areas develop on the arms with no bearers. The result is a poor vine form and a drastic decline in yield, as can be observed in Photo 5. Correcting this situation is not always easy, but without intervention the degradation due to apical dominance later becomes impossible to reverse. Photo 6 shows a vineyard where drastic cutting back has been initiated. The potential loss of yield is a concern that is addressed by braiding shoots onto the bare arms. In cases where this practice was followed, a drastic decline in yield was not observed. The method can thus be recommended to obtain the desired vine form within a few pruning seasons.

PHOTO 5. The result of trying to prune ‘mechanically’ by hand.

PHOTO 6. Braided-in shoots were used to close gaps on the cordon so that the high build-up of bearers could be pruned back. Henceforward the ‘box’ should be kept at the same size.

Conclusion Due to rapid cost increases, producers in the Orange River region are under severe financial pressure. Wine grape cultivation has traditionally relied on a significant amount of manual labour which is required for long-bearer pruning methods and manual harvesting. With the arrival of mechanical harvesting, the opportunity to apply mechanical pruning has also emerged, with its benefits of limiting frost damage and trunk diseases. There are large parts in the Orange River where it can work very well, as already proved in some cases. The application of the system in its current form does, however, need improvement as discussed. 

For more information, contact Hanno van Schalkwyk at hanno@vinpro.co.za. Reference https://www.wineland.co.za/mechanical-pruning-in-the-orange-river-a-viable-alternative/

128

TECHNICAL YEARBOOK 2024