POST HARVEST ACTIVITIES

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POST HARVEST ACTIVITIES
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What are post harvest activities?

• Create an optimal environment for the plant to
  actively build reserves before the dormant period
  starts
• Irrigation
• Fertilizer
• Disease and pest control

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Why is post harvest important?

• Accumulation of reserves before dormant period
• Winter hardiness (increased resistance to low
  winter temperatures)
• Initial plant activity during next season depends
  on reserves
• New roots only active 4 weeks after bud break
• Root activity increase after harvest dramatically
• Apply fertilizer and irrigation during this phase
• Ensure health of leaves (disease and pest
  control) for active nutrient uptake

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ROOT GROWTH CYCLE OF GRAPEVINE
Dormancy
End leaf fall
Berry softening
Early leaf fall
Bud break
ROOT MASS (Grams)
End flowering
Early flowering
Harvest
0
35
45
90
140
180
SEASON (Days)
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Uptake of different elements during the season
Growth stage Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) Potassium (K) Calcium (Ca) Magnesium (Mg)
Bud Break to Fruit set (40-50 days) 24.2 30.8 41.4 33.3 36.4
Fruit set to Berry Softening (30-40 days) 37.5 26.8 30.1 55.5 36.1
Berry Softening to Harvest (30-50 days) 5 2 9 7.4 12.8
After harvest (30-40 days) 33.3 40.4 19.5 3.8 14.7
Total 100 100 100 100 100
Note First 30-40 days after bud break there is
very little root activity Vine
dependent on reserves taken up after harvest
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NUTRIENT UPTAKE BY THE VINE
70-90 days
30-50 days
30-40 days
62 N
5 N
33 N
58 P
2 P
40 P
71 K
7 K
20 K
89 Ca
9 Ca
4 Ca
72 Mg
13 Mg
15 Mg
Flowering
Harvest
Fruit set
Pea size
Leaf fall
Bud break
Berry softening
GROWING SEASON
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Effect of after harvest nitrogen application on
reserve status in roots
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Powdery mildew infections should be controlled
after harvest
Leaf activity is important for active nutrient
uptake
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Irrigation

• Nutrient uptake is only possible if the soil is
  well supplied with moisture
• 2-3 irrigations during the active root growth
  cycle after harvest is ideal
• Apply after harvest fertilizer before irrigation
  cycle commence
• Apply enough water to wet the soil as deep as
  possible in root zone

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Summary

• After harvest practices of irrigation and
  fertilizer applications are extremely important
  for reserve build-up
• Make sure that the leaves are in good health,
  because healthy leaves will ensure good root
  activity for uptake of nutrients