WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 1 Growing Avocados under shadenet – a few observations W. Stones , N.J. Taylor , Z. van Rooyen and J.S. Köhne
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 1
Growing Avocados under shadenet –a few observations
W. Stones, N.J. Taylor, Z. van Rooyen and J.S. Köhne
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 2
Overview
1. Introduction• Why cultivation of avocado under shadenet?
2. Observations• Yield, Fruit quality and fruit size• Net structure
3. Conclusions
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 3
Introduction
SA Avocado Growers Loss Factors Benchmark Study 2015 / 2016
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 4
Wind and sun damage for Westfalia SA
Wind Sun Wind SunWestfalia SA 13% 22% 19% 12%
External growers 15% 16% 20% 11%
Agrivet, Soekmekaar 27% 25% 38% 16%
Goedgelegen, Mooketsi 37% 14% 31% 6%
2016 2017Farms
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 5
Wind and sun damage for Westfalia SA
Wind Sun Wind SunWestfalia SA 13% 22% 19% 12%
External growers 15% 16% 20% 11%
Agrivet, Soekmekaar 27% 25% 38% 16%
Goedgelegen, Mooketsi 37% 14% 31% 6%
2016 2017Farms
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 6
Wind and sun damage for Westfalia SA
Wind Sun Wind SunWestfalia SA 13% 22% 19% 12%
External growers 15% 16% 20% 11%
Agrivet, Soekmekaar 27% 25% 38% 16%
Goedgelegen, Mooketsi 37% 14% 31% 6%
2016 2017Farms
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 7
Shadenet at Agrivet,Soekmekaar
Planting date: Dec. 2015
Colour net: 20% Black
Cultivar: Gem
Spacing: 6 m x 2 m
Different hail purge methods
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 6
BUTTON OVERLAP FUNNEL
Observations: Wind damage?
Observations: Wind damage?
PAGE 11
35
80
25
53
24 30
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Net Open field Net Open field Net Open field
2017 2017 2018 2018 2019 2019
Win
d d
amag
e o
n f
ruit
(%
)
45% reduction
28% reduction6% reduction
Observations: Wind damage?
Wind damage: shadenet vs. open field
Shadenet fruit Open field fruit
Wind damage: inside net fruit after ripening
Shadenet fruit upon ripening
Other observations: Tree growth
0
50
100
150
200
May '16 Oct '16 Jan '17
Tree
hei
ght
(cm
)
Tree height: Net vs Open field
Shadenet Open fieldNo statistical difference in stem circumference - net vs open field
PAGE 15
0.7
10.8
1.2
12.5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
2017 2018
Yiel
d p
roje
cted
(to
n/h
a)
Shadenet Open field
Yield @ Agrivet
PAGE 16
0.7
10.8
1.2
12.5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
2017 2018
Yiel
d p
roje
cted
(to
n/h
a)
Shadenet Open field
Yield @ Agrivet
PAGE 17
Yield @ Agrivet
0.7
10.8
13.5
1.2
12.5
11
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
2017 2018 2019
Yiel
d p
roje
cted
(to
n/h
a)
Shadenet Open field
Cumulative yield:Net – 25.0 ton Open field: 24.7 ton1.2% more yield shadenet
37
27
78
61
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Net Open field Net Open field
2017 2017 2018 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Class 1 Class 2 Factory grade
Fruit quality @ Agrivet
10% more Class 1 fruit
37
27
78
61
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Net Open field Net Open field
2017 2017 2018 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Class 1 Class 2 Factory grade
Fruit quality @ Agrivet
10% more Class 1 fruit 17% more Class 1 fruit
PAGE 20
37
27
78
6165
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Net Open field Net Open field Net Open field
2017 2017 2018 2018 2019 2019
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Class 1 Class 2 Factory grade
8116% more Class 1 fruit
Fruit quality @ Agrivet
700kg – 3.7 tons
PAGE 21
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
Net Open field Net Open field
2017 2017 2018 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Count 12 Count 14 Count 16
Fruit size @ Agrivet (black)
16.3% more count 12
PAGE 22
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
Net Open field Net Open field
2017 2017 2018 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Count 12 Count 14 Count 16
Fruit size @ Agrivet (black)
16.3% more count 12 7.4% more count 12
PAGE 23
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
Net Open field Net Open field Net Open field
2017 2017 2018 2018 2019 2019
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Count 12 Count 14 Count 16
Fruit size @ Agrivet (black)
16.3% more count 12
7.4% more count 12
4% more count 12
PAGE 24
Hail @ Agrivet - 26 February 2019
54% Hail damage on fruit in open field0% Hail damage on fruit under shadenet
PAGE 25
Hail at Agrivet, Soekmekaar (black)
Button Overlap Funnel
PAGE 26
Maintenance after the storm
ButtonFunnel
Shadenet at Everdon, Howick
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 7
Covering date: 2013/2014
Colour net: 30% Clear
Cultivar: Gem
Spacing: 7 m x 4 m
Yield@ Everdon
16.514.2 14.7
9.2
35.031.0
5.41.0
34.0
45.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Yiel
d P
roje
cted
(to
n/h
a)
Yield@ Everdon
16.514.2 14.7
9.2
35.031.0
5.41.0
34.0
45.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Yiel
d P
roje
cted
(to
n/h
a)
Yield@ Everdon
16.514.2 14.7
9.2
35.031.0
5.41.0
34.0
45.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Yiel
d P
roje
cted
(to
n/h
a)
Yield@ Everdon
16.514.2 14.7
9.2
35.031.0
5.41.0
34.0
45.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Yiel
d P
roje
cted
(to
n/h
a)
Yield@ Everdon (white shadenet)
16.514.2 14.7
9.2
35.031.0
5.41.0
34.0
45.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Yiel
d P
roje
cted
(to
n/h
a) Cumulative yield: Net – 105.6 ton/ha Open field – 101 ton/ha4.4% more yield under net (4.6 tons more)
0.010.020.030.040.050.060.070.080.090.0
100.0
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Class 1 Class 2 Class 3
7.8% more
Fruit quality@ Everdon (white)
15.5% more (5.9 tons)
6% more (5.3 tons)
14.6% more (3.2 tons)
10.3 tons
0.010.020.030.040.050.060.070.080.090.0
100.0
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Class 1 Class 2 Class 3
Fruit quality@ Everdon (white)15.5% more
14.6% more (3.2 tons)
10.3 tons
0.010.020.030.040.050.060.070.080.090.0
100.0
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Class 1 Class 2 Class 3
Fruit quality@ Everdon (white)6% more
14.6% more (3.2 tons)
10.3 tons
0.010.020.030.040.050.060.070.080.090.0
100.0
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Class 1 Class 2 Class 3
Fruit quality@ Everdon (white)
14.6% more 10.3 tons
0.010.020.030.040.050.060.070.080.090.0
100.0
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
Class 1 Class 2 Class 3
Fruit quality@ Everdon (white)
1% more 3 – 5 tons
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
10 12 14 16 18
Fruit size @ Everdon (white)
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
10 12 14
Fruit size @ Everdon (white)
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
10 12 14
Fruit size @ Everdon (white)
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
Shad
enet
Op
en f
ield
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Perc
enta
ge (
%)
10 12 14
Fruit size @ Everdon (white)
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 42PAGE 42
Conclusions
➢ Average of 26% reduction of wind damage on fruit grown under shadenet in 3 year period at Agrivet farm (black shadenet)
➢ Tree growth under shadenet more vigorous vs open field
➢ Cummulative yield under the white shadenet @ Everdon was 4.4% (4.6 tons) more vs open field
➢ Shadenet orchard produced 10%+ more Class 1 fruit vs open field orchard
➢ Shadenet tends to produce larger fruit
➢ Pruning management more important under shadenet (bee movement, light into tree canopy for flowering and fruit set)
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 43PAGE 43
General Conclusions
➢ Costs of shadenets are expensive
➢ Benefits are better fruit quality (more Class 1 fruit), potential higher yield and hail protection
➢ Marketing window of your farm and cultivar selection very important factors to justify financial output
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 44PAGE 44
Acknowledgements
➢ The Soekmekaar (Manie Eloff) and the Everdon Fruit Estate teams (Cecil Hackney & Bongkeka Ndlovo).
➢ Research assistants Patric Malatji, Aubery Rasakanji and Tumelo Lehlaleroa.
➢ Theo Bekker
➢ Westfalia Technological Services
WESTFALIA FRUIT PAGE 45
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