Articles
MECHANIZATION IN AUSTRALIAN VINEYARDS
Article number
978_17
Pages
169 – 177
Language
English
Abstract
The adoption of low-input management systems, based on mechanization of harvest and pruning, has been a key factor leading to the development of efficient, internationally competitive wine and raisin industries in Australia.
This has been achieved with substantial savings in the cost of production without compromising quality.
For table grapes, which are hand harvested, pruning inputs are reduced by mechanized pre-pruning of spur pruned cultivars and removal of spent fruiting canes from cane pruned cultivars.
For wine grape production, the introduction and rapid adoption of mechanical harvesting in the 1970s provided a catalyst for the adoption of low-input mechanical pruning systems ranging from tight mechanical hedging, aiming to retain similar bud numbers to hand pruning, lighter forms of mechanical hedging and minimal pruning.
Post-set mechanical thinning is also routinely used for crop control.
For dried grapes, highly productive mechanized systems have been developed for in-situ, trellis drying first introduced in the 1960s.
These systems use bi-lateral cordons established on tall trellises and hanging, fruit bearing canes.
They provide a large canopy surface to optimize photosynthetic capacity of high vigour, grafted vines with separation of fruiting and renewal zones to optimize fruitfulness and facilitate mechanization of the drying and pruning processes.
It is now estimated that more than 80% of the Australian dried grape crop is mechanically harvested based on the concept of trellis drying.
This overview will provide an update on the adoption of mechanization in Australian vineyards, the development of improved trellis systems to facilitate these processes and the role of mechanization in the future total integrated systems approaches to vineyard management.
This has been achieved with substantial savings in the cost of production without compromising quality.
For table grapes, which are hand harvested, pruning inputs are reduced by mechanized pre-pruning of spur pruned cultivars and removal of spent fruiting canes from cane pruned cultivars.
For wine grape production, the introduction and rapid adoption of mechanical harvesting in the 1970s provided a catalyst for the adoption of low-input mechanical pruning systems ranging from tight mechanical hedging, aiming to retain similar bud numbers to hand pruning, lighter forms of mechanical hedging and minimal pruning.
Post-set mechanical thinning is also routinely used for crop control.
For dried grapes, highly productive mechanized systems have been developed for in-situ, trellis drying first introduced in the 1960s.
These systems use bi-lateral cordons established on tall trellises and hanging, fruit bearing canes.
They provide a large canopy surface to optimize photosynthetic capacity of high vigour, grafted vines with separation of fruiting and renewal zones to optimize fruitfulness and facilitate mechanization of the drying and pruning processes.
It is now estimated that more than 80% of the Australian dried grape crop is mechanically harvested based on the concept of trellis drying.
This overview will provide an update on the adoption of mechanization in Australian vineyards, the development of improved trellis systems to facilitate these processes and the role of mechanization in the future total integrated systems approaches to vineyard management.
Authors
P.R. Clingeleffer
Keywords
mechanization, wine grape, table grape, dried grape, pruning, harvest, crop control, mechanical thinning
Online Articles (46)