When: Wednesday 18th March, starting 3 pm.
Where: Quantum Orchard Ltd, 1003 Luggate-Cromwell Road, Mount Pisa
This field walk is an opportunity to view 4 and 5 year old UFO cherry plantings and reflect on the recent harvest. Greg Shepherd will also discuss the block’s production performance and outline key infrastructure including nets, rain covers, and irrigation.
The Plant & Food Research team (within Bioeconomy Science Institute) will also provide an update on the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund programme entitled ‘Future Orchard Planting Systems (FOPS)’.
This programme is investigating the following areas in experimental and commercial planar cordon orchards of apple, pear and summerfruit:
- Potential barriers in adopting new growing systems.
- Tree performance, management techniques and metrics for sustainable yield and fruit quality.
- Orchard water use and nitrate leaching (apple only).
- Economic modelling and evaluation of planar cordon orchard performance versus other emerging and conventional systems.
Refreshments will be provided afterwards to enable informal discussions
All welcome!
For enquiries, please contact Tiff.DaSilva@plantandfood.co.nz.