Agri-Technovation has been completing soil maps for kiwifruit, avocado, citrus, and viticulture orchards in New Zealand for the past two and a half years, with this representing a further extension of their services worldwide.

This mapping provides growers with insights into the underlying soil composition, plant available water capacity, soil restricting layers, depths for potential root development and risk areas for anaerobic root diseases for different orchard areas.

Visualisation of these features via informative map layers has allowed growers to improve their management strategies for optimising orchard performance and vine health.

Extensive sampling in the Poverty Bay region has shown that poor vine and tree health often links back to water management challenges which are resultant of the orchard soil profile and drainage capacity. In some cases, less suitable irrigation scheduling has also caused problems through under or over-watering of vines.

Gisborne region growers are now often additionally facing new issues due to soil impacts from Cyclone Gabrielle. This includes deposition of sand and silt, which can create significant changes in soil pH and soil drainage characteristics, and which will require different management practices going forward.

The Agri-Technovation team is inviting growers from all sectors to a field day at 401 Kirkpatrick Road, Patutahi, Thursday 27 March (12.30 pm start) where they will demonstrate through profile pits how the soil conditions are impacting orchard performance.

This is a great chance for kiwifruit growers to learn from the mapping work and ask questions about how together the region can build back their vine health and productivity. Lessons learnt will also help inform good practice advice for orchard recovery following emergency weather events.

Read more, including how to RSVP, here.