Citrus tree crop intensification

Dr Mahmud Kare, October 2022

Growing small 3-dimensional trees and/or narrow 2-dimensional trellis systems are becoming popular and may have economic benefits for growers.

The outputs generated from new field and laboratory research, case studies, economic forecasting, and demonstration plots will make new information and tools available to growers to make improved production decisions. Our outputs will form part of an adoptable advanced production system that can be deployed by growers within the life of the project.

In the last year, we successfully presented work at the International Horticulture Congress on different training and planting systems and the effect they had on light interception. This allowed us to discuss our work with international experts and bring information back with us to apply to our project, improving what we deliver to our industry.

Two experiments contrasting different trellis systems have begun in established ‘Atwood’ and ‘Hockney’ navel oranges in Dareton, NSW (more details are available here Trellis citrus production trial and video). The trellis systems include cordon, espalier and palmate (Figure 1). The time and cost of training each trellis system have been recorded for economic analysis. LiDAR 3D point could data have been collected to calculate canopy volume and light interception. The yield parameters will be assessed from 2023, when we expect the trees to bear their first fruit.

This project sits within the Tree Intensification in Horticulture program. It will contribute towards the Advanced Production Systems Hort Frontiers Fund (APS) goal to increase productivity and profitability of Australian horticulture through cropping system intensification and innovation programs targeting the whole of horticulture.