Summerfruit under-canopy planting
This project established understory planting in summerfruit orchards to enhance orchard biodiversity and examine whether associated co-benefits from these plantings can be realised. These benefits include weed management, leading to fewer herbicide applications, and improved botrytis disease control by planting and covering bare ground. Improvement to soil health is also expected, through the rootzone activity of these plantings and the incorporation of additional organic matter back into the soil.
Read an article about the purpose of this project here.
Activity to date
In year one of the project, two Central Otago orchards have sown understory plantings, and have experienced a management season. Insect and plant monitoring has occured throughout the growing season and data is being collated to be shared with growers.
Baseline soil analysis and visual soil asssessments have been gathered from each orchard.
Autumn sowing of understory plantings in two further Central Otago orchards and one Hawkes Bay orchard are planned.
Read articles about learnings from the first year of the project here and here.
Grower resources
A plant species guide has been produced which provides a quick identification guide to the plant species used in the summerfruit understory project.
The resource details the three categories of plants used in the understory mix, the individual species and the benefit they provide.
Download the guide here:
