ZARAGOZA ALMOND ORCHARD: MECHANIZED PRUNING INTERVENTIONS AND SEMI-MECHANIZED CANOPY MANAGEMENT

The video “ZARAGOZA ALMOND ORCHARD: MECHANIZED PRUNING INTERVENTIONS” by agronomist Vito Vitelli documents a working day in an almond orchard trained under the Zaragoza system, located in Montalto di Castro (Viterbo, Italy), on the farm of Fabio Mariotti. This orchard has been followed over time through several technical contributions focused on both canopy management and mechanized harvesting operations.

VIDEO

The field visit takes place between late October and early November 2025, during the pruning period. In this orchard, during autumn 2024, mechanized pruning was carried out using a cutting bar inclined at 33°, an operation that allowed precise definition of the external profile of the rows. Thanks to this intervention, no external pruning is required in the following season, as the trees are fully benefiting from the vegetative response induced by mechanized cutting.

By 3 November 2025, it is clearly possible to observe that the current shoots are the direct result of the mechanized pruning performed the previous year. The Zaragoza system allows the canopy to be shaped into a “pyramidal trunk” form, with an inclination of approximately 33° on both sides of the row, promoting the development of well-lit, young and highly productive shoots. These branches, formed in the season following pruning, are expected to ensure high yields for several years (2–4 years).

This represents one of the main advantages of mechanized pruning: the ability to quickly and effectively define the external canopy profile, particularly in orchards with row spacing of 5.5–6 meters, significantly reducing the need for repeated and costly interventions. In the current season, the external structure is already perfectly set, and the trees have produced lateral branches ready for production.

Management therefore focuses exclusively on the internal part of the canopy, where a targeted manual intervention is carried out to open the light cone and clean the so-called “palm of the hand.” Where partial internal shading occurs, selective removal of certain branches is performed using spur pruning. Spur pruning is a key element of the Zaragoza system: every correctly executed cut stimulates vegetative regrowth, ensuring continuous renewal without loss of vigor.

Even when mechanized cuts appear visually rough, the tree’s response is extremely positive. Both mechanized and manual return cuts stimulate new vegetative activity, significantly reduce labor requirements, and maintain the tree in a balanced vegetative-productive condition. The result is a semi-mechanized management system that is efficient and sustainable.

Once the characteristic “bush” structure of the Zaragoza system is established, the tree is free to express a very strong productive potential, clearly visible in the abundance of fruiting spurs, as well as a marked capacity for renewal. Branches that initially appeared inclined or problematic, thanks to interruption and pruning, become weak, productive and upright shoots, ideal for fruiting.

It is important to remember that in almond trees, vertical shoots are the most productive, capable of carrying a high fruit load and, at the same time, easy to manage during harvesting. Not surprisingly, this orchard has been mechanically harvested using a combined machine with a double inclined plane, as documented in previous video contributions.

Observing the canopy in November 2025, the regrowth resulting from cuts made in autumn 2024 is evident: the cut of the previous year corresponds to the productive branch of the following season. External pruning is no longer necessary; intervention is reduced to just a few minutes per tree, dedicated exclusively to internal management. This, in essence, is the core of the Zaragoza system applied to almond orchards: lower costs, greater efficiency, and stable, renewable production over time.

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Keywords
#ZaragozaAlmond #MechanizedPruning #AlmondPruning #CanopyManagement #LightCone #SpurPruning #VegetativeRenewal #ModernOrcharding #AgronomoVitoVitelli

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