Montalto di Castro: Makako Almond cultivar and the Zaragoza system

We are in Montalto di Castro, in the Province of Viterbo, at the Mariotti Farm, where an almond orchard of the Makako cultivar was established in 2021. The footage, recorded in July 2024, shows well developed trees trained according to the Zaragoza System.

The season observed was not particularly favorable for almond production across many parts of Italy. The main causes can be traced back to the previous growing season, when severe infestations of red spider mites, combined with extreme heat and water stress, led to widespread premature defoliation.

Early leaf loss reduces photosynthetic activity and limits the accumulation of carbohydrate reserves required for flower bud differentiation and vigorous vegetative growth in the following season. This situation was further aggravated by an exceptionally warm and prolonged autumn. After a brief drop in temperatures, the subsequent return of warm conditions stimulated late vegetative growth, interfering with shoot maturation and the normal transition of the trees into dormancy.

Despite the overall decline in production, the Mariotti Farm orchard still produced almonds. This outcome reflects the effectiveness of sound agronomic and phytosanitary management practices, as well as the excellent adaptation of the Makako cultivar to the environmental conditions of the Viterbo area. Developed by CEBAS CSIC in Murcia, Makako is a self fertile, vigorous cultivar characterized by extra late flowering, an important trait that helps reduce the risk of damage from spring frosts.

The trees are trained using the Zaragoza System, which is based on a trunk height of approximately 80 to 90 cm, suitable for trunk shaker harvesting, combined with a free, balanced, and well branched canopy. During the training phase, only two or three targeted topping and edging operations are performed. These interventions are sufficient to stimulate branching without forcing the trees into excessively rigid structural forms.

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Once the training phase has been completed, only a few light corrective pruning operations are carried out during the first and second growing seasons. These are limited to trimming the upper 10 to 15 cm of the most upright and vigorous shoots.

Beginning in the third or fourth year, production pruning is performed only once a year, generally between October and November. The operation includes cleaning the so called "palm of the hand" area, removing weak, poorly positioned, or exhausted secondary branches, opening the central light cone, and making only a few renewal cuts to maintain the canopy within its intended shape.

Mechanical pruning should be used exclusively as a preliminary pruning operation. While the machine performs the cutting, the selection of branches to retain or remove must remain the responsibility of properly trained operators. Mechanical pruning is generally carried out every three to four years, alternately on only one side of the tree row, maintaining an inclination of approximately 30 to 33 degrees.

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Equally important are the raised planting bed, which is essential for ensuring effective water drainage, and the double drip irrigation line, which should be progressively moved away from the trunk as the root system expands laterally. Slight burial of the irrigation lines also facilitates grass management through mowing while preventing interference with field equipment.

Particular attention should be given to the three major almond pests: red spider mites, leafhoppers, and lace bugs, particularly Monosteira unicostata. Kaolin, zeolite, gypsum sulfur formulations, potassium soft soap, and other authorized products may be incorporated into a low impact integrated pest management strategy. However, all treatments should be based on regular monitoring, the actual presence of pests, and strict compliance with the technical protocols developed by agronomist Vito Vitelli.

The Zaragoza System is ideally suited to fully mechanized harvesting. The process involves trunk shaking, a short period of field drying on dry ground cover, and subsequent collection using mechanical sweepers. Almonds should remain on the ground for only a few days, with harvesting operations carefully scheduled to avoid rainfall, standing water, and high humidity.

This is the type of almond production we value: well balanced trees, minimal but carefully considered pruning, properly distributed root systems, and efficient mechanical harvesting. A free tree architecture does not mean neglect; it means guiding the tree while respecting its natural physiology.

Editorial Note

Original content prepared by Dr. Agronomist Vito Vitelli, developed and optimized with the support of artificial intelligence tools for educational, informational, and technical dissemination purposes.

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