Optimising on efficient

production through Trellising

with ‘Maluma’
Z.R. Ernst
 A key to higher production is improved pruning
practices, yet to do this we need a better
understanding of the bearing pattern of the tree
Introduction (Iturrieta, 2019). Trellising provides a crucial first
step in this as the visual identification of branches
are simplified although complexity is increased.
Introduction
• In most other Fruit crops Trellising has shown to improve
production beyond previously known measures
• In Avocados the move from approx. 200 trees to 400 trees
were marked as a move to high density production, yet no
major improvements were seen in production, and
perhaps more negative effects such as alternate bearing.
• South Africa’s warm climate makes high density and ultra
high density production difficult due to growth vigor and
particularly with Hass
High Density orchards enables micro management, as the decision making process is
simplified with a less complex and smaller tree. Yet…”we need limbs to produce fruit”
this however might be one of the major limitations of high density pruning…
Micro management objectives

Increase production Accuracy of tree management Preventing / managing Harnessing the full potential
alternate bearing of a tree/orchard/hectare
through careful branch
selection
 The biggest threat to Avocado trellis is

growth vigor
Trellising requires intensive pruning, which could
potentially cause growth vigor. Growth vigor has a
“Avocados produce crop on
negative effect on production. terminal shoots, which are
The major assumption with avocado is therefor decreased through rigorous
pruning regimes, which
that it cannot be put through rigorous pruning and furthermore increases growth
training regimes as it initiates vegetative growth vigour and reduces production”
(Toerien & Basson, 1979).
with negative effect on production
 • Micro management motivation

Why Trellising
• Pushing Boundaries of production
• Improve Yield per ha
• Highly productive branches of ‘Maluma’ – new generation
cultivars
• Increase efficiency of production
• Improving on Return on Investment
• Improvement on cubic production capacity of tree or ‘efficient
yield’
• Speed up time to full crop potential / production
• Manage Alternate bearing
Why Trellising
Trellising on Avocados 4-6 month old
wood to
produce flower
What makes it different on avocados? – planning
Manage
sunburn &
Light
penetration
Precocious
cultivars often Evergreen
need support
systems
Natural
sylleptic
attachment
angle
Cropping
No dwarfing pattern or
rootstocks habits of fruit
on trees
 Trellising at Allesbeste
2015 2017 2019 2020
Allesbeste Commenced First commercial 2nd Commercial crop 15 ha in production
constructing its first orchard was installed
Trellis systems on with Ultra-high Density
Avocado orchards trellising

First semi-commercial Establishment of 17 ha

crops was harvested First Commercial crop of Commercial Trellis 29 ha in production

2016 2018 2019 2021

Materials and
Methods
 Orchards specifications
Orchard 1 – Control 1
Conventional High density
Cultivar: ‘Maluma’
Rootstock: Bounty and Duke 7
Planting date: December 2013
Density: 800 trees per ha
Tree spacing: 5 x 2,5m
Irrigation: Micro sprinkler
Average production
Orchard 2 – Control 2:
Conventional Ultra-high density
Cultivar: ‘Maluma’
Rootstock: Various Rootstocks
Planting date: December 2015
Density: 1250 trees per ha
Tree spacing: 4 x 2m
Irrigation: Low flow drip
Best Production
Orchard 3 – Trail:
Ultra-high density with Vertical and
Tatura trellis systems.
Cultivar: ‘Maluma’
Rootstock: Bounty
Establishment date: April 2016
Density: 1250 trees per ha
Tree spacing: 4 x 2m
Irrigation: Low flow drip
Trellis
 First full
commercial
Trellis
150mm
150mm
150mm
200mm
200mm
200mm
300mm
300mm
300mm
150mm
150mm
150mm
200mm
200mm
200mm
300mm
300mm
300mm
150mm
150mm
150mm
200mm
200mm
200mm
300mm
300mm
300mm
150mm
150mm
48 Rows - 6 of each

150mm
200mm
200mm
200mm
300mm
300mm
300mm
First full commercial Trellis

150mm
150mm
150mm
200mm
200mm
200mm
300mm
300mm
300mm
150mm
150mm
150mm
Ideal size to start training on trellis is
approx. 1m in height.
Yet much of our trees were already bigger than this…
…this was the average size already,
approx. 1,5m in height
Reacts well to pruning
Results and
discussions
 Production Summary
Cum
Geplant April 2016 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2019 2020 (S) 2020 (S) 2020 (S) 2020 (S) Production C1 Verg D6 Verg
C6 (2016) 2,6 2978,3 0% 11,68 14842 1,9 342% 10,2 12750 1,61904762 60% 30570,3 113% 26%
300mm 2,59 3237,5 8% 13,23 16540 2,1 392% 10,15 12687,5 1,61111111 59% 32465,0 127% 34%
200mm 2,92 3650 13,29 16611 2,1 394% 10,37 12962,5 1,64603175 63% 33223,5 132% 37%
150mm 2,4 3000 9,05 11311 1,4 237% 10,2 12750 1,61904762 60% 27061,0 89% 12%
Tatura 1,5 1875 5,96 7460 0,7 122% 12 15000 1,5 88% 24335,0 70% 0%
Vertical 3x1,5 2,6 5754,98 13,23 29402 775% 10,15 22553,3 183% 57710,3 303% 138%

Geplant Dec 2015 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2019 2020 2020 2020 2020
D6 4,0 5062,1 69% 10,4 10441 211% 7,0112 8764 10% 24267,1

**2020 – Theoretical of crop after bumper 2019 gave us a tremendous 2nd crop. Trees were still
on juvenile nutrition as we weren’t expecting a crop
• Nutrition? of that magnitude. Perhaps we were caught behind
• Pruning Timing? the curve. Furthermore we pruned too slow on th
orchard and were easily 2 months later on pruning
than the year before.
Cumulative Production
60
138% increase
50
22.5533

40
36% increase
30
12.6875 12.9625
12.75
12.75 29.402 8.764
20
15

12.1 12.5 16.54 16.611

8.0 14.842 10.441
10 11.311
7.7
3.4 7.46
3.9 4.5 5.75498
2.0 3.65 5.1
1.376 2.9888 1.6 3.0 3.2375 3 1.875
1.264
0
Vertical Tatura Control C1 Control D1 C6 (2016) 300mm 200mm 150mm Tatura Vertical D6
Trellis Trellis 3x1,5

Jaar 2 - 1e Oes Jaar 3 - 2de Oes Jaar 4 - 3de Oes

2018 Wire Spacing results
2019 Production Estimates (kg/tree)
2020 Wire Spacing estimates
 Fruit size comparison

Trellis 10 year Maluma average

Quality
Export

Local

Conventional orchards quality grading

10 year average on Maluma (with hail)
Quality
Export

Local

Trellis quality grading

2 year Average (with Hail)
 Plant Growth Regulators
Uniconazole Trial
• 2% increase in
Control Uniq Application
production – not
13.5 significant
13
12.5 • Timing of treatments
KG/TREE

12 should be investigated
11.5
11
• All treatments were
done to control flush
10.5
post flower not as tree
10
conditioning pre flower
Uniq Application
initiation
Vertical trellis

Pros
Easy Management
Cheaper to construct Cons
Yield higher than control Lower yield
Shade net suitability Density uncertainties
Low Surface utilisation
 Tatura Trellis
Cons
More complex management Pros
Almost Double the cost Higher Production
Shade net Suitability Spatial optimisation
Uncertainty about angles
Increased Flowering
Yield Potential
Year 1
 Phototropism
No sunburn risk

The orientation of a plant or other organism in

response to light, either towards the source of light
Yield Potential
Year 2
Note how fruit is
produced horizontally
along the lateral
 Note how fruit is
produced horizontally
along the lateral

Pedicel length should

guide wire spacing
Fruit hang in clusters possibly due to higher
percentage of fruit per inflorescence
Production
sustainability
 Sustainable Production
Branch differentiation and the development of spurs
Sustainable Production
Selective pruning
Micro Management
Ultimate rejuvenation!!!
Structure and
spatial utilization
Improved Spacing
• Trees take ‘x’ amount of time to develop and reach full Maturity.
• The closer you go the faster you reach full mature potential of a ha of
production
• Potentially effects longevity of the orchard
 Height
Current trellis is 2,1m high – too low
For every additional wire on 300mm – additional 1,5 tons
3m Height could mean additional 4,5 tons/ha
Optimal Tree (55% increase on control 2)

height and Density

Density 4 x 2 might still be too low density as volumetric space is
not filled by year 2/3
Increasing to 3 x 1,25m – could mean an additional 13
t/ha (calculated)
95% increase on control – monitor ROI
 • We were obsessive about thinly trained trees – too neat
• Tree Height
• Accuracy of tasks – timing
What I believe • Labour training / retention

we got it • Scale optimization

• Could not experiment with enough factors
wrong • Tatura angles
• Density?
• Bigger wire spacing
 • Wind Protection • Which system is better
• Spatial utilisation • Wire Spacing

Our Trellis • Increased flowering

• Increased fruit set
• Inter-row spacing

Tickbox • Higher yield

• Better quality
• Return on investment

• Fruit size improvements

 Tatura
Develop first commercial orchard for dedicated attention
– continue evaluation despite higher cost, and try to
Short term determine angles and spacing and row direction

strategy Vertical
Although lower production than Tatura, still significantly
more than conventional. Focus on refining pruning and
management techniques and maintaining production
 • Plant Growth Regulators
• Establish Full Commercial Tatura Trellis
Allesbeste’s • Determine Pruning timing that stimulates
Flower
way forward • Establish even higher density – 3x1,5
• Commercial Tatura at 2500 trees/ha (tramline)
• Angles of Tatura
• Row direction
• Investigation of labour efficiency
 15 Ha in production by 2020
Allesbeste’s 29 Ha in production by 2021
way forward Approx 50:50 Vertical & Tatura
Need to trial different angles on Tatura
Conclusion
• Trellising New-generation precocious cultivars like ‘Maluma’ is successful
• Even in Warm climates semi-dwarfing cultivars can be trellised
• Enables Micro management and production planning
• Optimal Light penetration
• Tatura is expected to be the preferential system
• Increase in production not yet equal to increase in flowering
• Vegetative regrowth under control – not a threat
• Production is significantly improved through trellising
Conclusion

Trellis is the way of the

future for all new
generation, semi-
dwarfing cultivars.
Conclusion

We are still in the early

years, techniques will
be refined and its
encouraging to already
see promising results so
early on
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