Long spur pruning has shown promise as an alternative to the more commonly used cane pruning for Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough. It has the potential to be more cost-effective, with less labour required to produce a similar yield and quality. There will be a presentation on summarising the three-year BRI trial at Grape Days on Thursday 04 July, and we are following this with an in-field workshop for those interested in the pruning style's potential in Hawke's Bay.
Led by Mark Allen, the focus of this workshop is to learn and discuss with researchers and practitioners how this system's in-season management differs from a conventional 3-4 cane VSP layout. We will discuss the benefits and disadvantages of this system and the experience of growers.
The format will allow for an in-field presentation by Mark Allen, and Q&A sessions to follow. BRI's Project Manager Yuichi Ando will be available to answer questions about the objective data arising from the project.
If you have any questions, get in touch with Braden at braden.crosby@bri.co.nz.