REBIRTH OF OLIVE GROWING IN GEORGIA: THE HEDGEROW MODEL BETWEEN CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND MECHANIZATION

Georgia is currently undergoing a concrete process of recovery and modernization of olive growing, based on innovative agronomic models adapted to unconventional climatic conditions. Olive cultivation, historically present in the Caucasus region, experienced a severe decline during the communist period, to the point that olive oil almost disappeared from the local diet. Today, driven by growing domestic and international demand, olive growing is once again becoming a strategic crop.

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The experience observed and shared by Agronomist Vito Vitelli fits fully within this path of renewal, proposing a modern, rational, and replicable production system capable of combining climate resilience with operational efficiency.

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The adopted model is not a super intensive system harvested with over the row machines, but a productive hedgerow orchard designed to balance productivity, vegetative development, and mechanical accessibility. The planting layout provides a distance of 6.5 meters between rows, with an operational range between 6 and 7 meters, and a current in row spacing of 2 meters. The future objective is further in row intensification, reaching 1.60 to 1.80 meters.

The wide inter row spacing is a precise agronomic choice. It allows optimal light penetration down to the base of the vegetative wall, where the most important productive zone is concentrated. This approach prioritizes the actual photosynthetic efficiency of the entire system rather than plant density alone.

Canopy management does not impose rigid height limits. Trees are allowed to grow vertically, reaching up to 3 meters, supported by a trellis system with two wires. The hedgerow appears orderly and continuous, while maintaining sufficient vegetative volume to ensure vigor, production continuity, and recovery capacity after severe thermal stress.

One of the most innovative aspects, strongly emphasized by Agronomist Vito Vitelli, is semi mechanized harvesting. This system is designed to drastically reduce labor costs without resorting to the over the row harvesters typical of super intensive systems. Harvesting is carried out using an oscillating trunk shaker mounted on a mechanical arm attached to an excavator, allowing work on tall hedgerows without ladders or platforms. Harvesting nets are deployed and retrieved using net winding machines, significantly reducing the required workforce. The result is an efficient, safe, and flexible system, suitable even for large scale orchards.

From an agronomic perspective, the orchard, in its second year at the time of observation, was established on raised beds to promote drainage and soil aeration. It is equipped with an irrigation system and managed without tillage, likely with controlled ground cover. This choice is consistent with environments characterized by high humidity and a risk of waterlogging, where soil management is crucial for plant survival.

Varietal experimentation represents the true core of the project. Six to seven Italian cultivars were introduced, sourced from national nurseries and grown on their own roots. A late frost in March 2025, with temperatures dropping to minus 10 degrees Celsius, severely tested the system. Observed damage was limited, mainly at the base of the trunk, and about 90 percent of the plants survived the event and are now in recovery.

As highlighted by Agronomist Vito Vitelli, the project now faces a true varietal bottleneck, selecting for the future only those cultivars that demonstrate real resilience to low temperatures and high humidity.

This model represents a third path in modern olive growing. It maintains the structural order of intensive systems while allowing the plant the space and volume needed to cope with severe climatic stress. The orchard can be compared to a series of vertical solar panels. By properly spacing the hedgerows, mutual shading is avoided and light reaches the base, maximizing the efficiency of the entire system.

This is not a compromise, but olive growing designed and adapted to specific territories, according to the vision and methodology of Agronomist Vito Vitelli.

Keywords:
#ModernOliveGrowing #HedgerowOliveOrchard #IntensiveOliveGrowing #SemiMechanizedHarvesting #ClimateResilience #AgriculturalInnovation #InternationalOliveGrowing #AgronomistVitoVitelli

Editorial note:
Original content by Agronomist Vito Vitelli, developed and optimized with the support of artificial intelligence tools for educational, informational, and technical enhancement purposes.

Outreach activity carried out in collaboration with: