A conference on the cherry tree within the Interpoma apple fair might have seemed a gamble; instead, it was a great success for the organizers and, as the room was full with people, many technicians and farmers could not attend the conference due to lack of space. This proves that the theme of intensive cherry orchard is considered very important and seen as an opportunity. Salvi Vivai organized the event to take stock of the situation, after showing what they had already achieved last June.
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Flavio Lupato, sales manager of Salvi Vivai: "After 18 years of experimentation, we wanted to present the technical and, in particular, the economic achievements of the high-density cherry orchard system. Thanks to the studies carried out in different locations of Italy by Professor Rino Ghelfi, from the University of Bologna, and by Peter Hilsendegen, consultant at the Rheinpfalz service center (in Germany), we can state that the high-density cherry system represents a project that in a few years can give interesting results to producers ".
The speakers at the conference of 16 November 2018 at the Interpoma fair
Silvia Salvi, director of Salvi Vivai: "In 2016, all over the world there was a production of 2.3 million tons of cherries, and the 70% of this production is made in 10 countries. Italy is the second producing country in Europe. Because of these data, Salvi Vivai considered cherry production to be a strategic sector and invested in research and innovation, reaching the very high-density system. The attention to the demands of the final consumer has provided precise indications also to develop new varieties that are even sweeter, with an even larger size and an increasingly dark colour".
Interpoma, 16 November 2018, the packed hall for the Salvi Vivai conference on the super intensive cherry orchard
The manager: "The real turning point came in the winter of 1999/2000 with the introduction of the Gisela 5 rootstock, increasing from 1,900 plants/hectare with a height of 3.5-4 meters, to 5,000-6,000 plants/hectare with a height of 2-2.5 meters, thanks to the new "no-ladders cherry orchard" system developed by Salvi Vivai for over 10 years".
Photo taken during the technical day of 07/06/2018
The advantage of this system lies in being able to carry out all the agricultural operations at ground level without using ladders, producing a reduction in costs and greater safety at work. Another element is the productivity of plants. Indeed, starting from the second year of planting, they can produce up to 500 grams of fruits, to reach 2/2.5 kg per plant in the fourth year.
Fruit production starts already from the second year
The size of the product is another determining factor of this system: through experimentation with Universities and important research centers, varieties have been developed that produce cherries with calibres above 28 mm, an increasingly requested product.
Finally, to ensure all these results, we use the new multifunctional "keep in touch" netting system that preserves the fruits from insects such as Drosophila and bedbugs. At the same time, the double layer of cover of this netting system also prevents potential damages caused by rain, frost and hail. Besides, these nets also ensure a better efficiency of chemical treatments, thus reducing the environmental impact.
The investment returns after 6 years for super-intensive cherry orchards, after 8 years for medium-density ones and after 11 years in traditional ones
In the case of considerable plant costs, it is already possible to generate revenue already from the second year on. As professor Ghelfi said, comparing the analysis of the three systems, the traditional ones, the high-density ones and the very high-density ones among themselves, it is clear that with the traditional system the return on investment is after eleven years, with the medium-density one after eight years, while with the very high-density one, if all the technical-agronomic requirements are respected, after only six years. This aspect is extremely interesting, considering all the changes that are rapidly and constantly taking place globally ".
Contact details:
Società Agricola Salvi Vivai
Via Bologna, 714
44124 Ferrara
Phone number: +39 (0) 532 785511
Fax: +39 (0) 532 785531
Email: info@salvivivai.it
Web: www.salvivivai.it