In the area of Montalto di Castro (Viterbo), at the Mariotti farm, agronomist Vito Vitelli analyzes a young almond orchard trained under the Zaragoza system, focusing on the comparison between the Makako and Penta varieties in a season marked by strong spring temperature fluctuations.
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Makako trees, now in their third leaf (three vegetative cycles), show very
interesting vegetative and productive behavior. Despite lower temperatures,
having escaped the April frost allowed good fruit set and a clearly visible
crop load. The orchard is established on a “double inclined plane” raised bed,
with double drip lines intended for burial, improving water management and root
efficiency.
A key aspect highlighted during the field visit is the importance of varietal
diversification. The productive difference between Makako and Penta is not
related to genetic quality, but to flowering time. In this season, Penta
flowered 3–5 days earlier and was fully hit by the frost event, resulting in
reduced yield and predominant vegetative growth. Makako, with slightly later
flowering, successfully overcame the critical period.
From a structural standpoint, trees show good canopy architecture, with a
well-formed trunk and balanced branching. Inside the canopy, the light cone has
been correctly created, a central element of the Zaragoza system, essential
both for aeration and phytosanitary management.
The comparison highlights that there are no “miracle” varieties, but agronomic
choices that must be calibrated to the area, seasonal trends, and climatic
risk. In different years, other varieties such as Lauranne may behave in the
opposite way. For this reason, the winning strategy remains diversification,
not a single-variety choice.
The orchard follows a rigorous technical protocol: double drip lines, canopy
management according to the Zaragoza system, and careful attention to
phytosanitary aspects. A concrete example of modern almond growing, capable of
reading climate signals and turning critical issues into useful information for
future decisions.
Keywords:
#ZaragozaAlmond #Makako #Penta #SpringFrost #AgronomoVitoVitelli
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