Discipline 04 · Fruit & Viticulture
Fruit Growing & Viticulture
Tree fruit, soft fruit, nuts and grapes: orchard and vineyard establishment, pruning, training, pollination and harvest.
Scope4 work areas
Measured by4 metrics
Standards3 references
Regions16
Palette97 regional entries
What practitioners deliver
- Rootstock, cultivar and pollination partner selection.
- Training and pruning for light, airflow and yield.
- Pest and disease programmes timed to phenology.
- Harvest maturity, storage and processing.
What is measured
- Yield in tonnes per hectare, or kg per tree.
- Chill hours accumulated in winter.
- Sugar (Brix) and acidity at harvest.
- Pruning labour per tree or per row.
Standards and bodies
OIV · GlobalG.A.P. · ISHS
Across 16 regions
| Region | Climate | Taxa | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Europe Cfb · 7–9 | Temperate oceanic | 4 | Region |
| Continental Europe Dfb / Dfa · 4–7 | Humid continental | 6 | Region |
| Nordic & Boreal Dfc / ET · 1–5 | Subarctic and alpine | 4 | Region |
| Mediterranean Csa / CSb · 8–11 | Mediterranean | 6 | Region |
| US Northeast Dfb / Dfa · 3–7 | Humid continental | 4 | Region |
| Pacific Northwest Csb · 7–9 | Warm-summer Mediterranean | 4 | Region |
| California & Southwest Csa / BWh / BSh · 5–11 | Mediterranean and arid | 4 | Region |
| US Southeast Cfa · 7–11 | Humid subtropical | 4 | Region |
| Tropical Latin America Af / Am / Aw · 11–13 | Tropical | 9 | Region |
| Andes & South America Cfb / Csb / ETH · 6–10 | Temperate and highland | 8 | Region |
| Africa Aw / BSh / Csa · 9–12 | Tropical savanna, highland and Mediterranean Cape | 6 | Region |
| Middle East BWh / BSh / Csa · 7–11 | Arid and semi-arid | 11 | Region |
| South Asia Am / Aw / Cwa · 8–13 | Monsoon tropical and subtropical | 5 | Region |
| Southeast Asia Af / Am · 11–13 | Equatorial | 9 | Region |
| East Asia Cfa / Dwa / Dfb · 4–10 | Temperate monsoon | 6 | Region |
| Australasia Cfb / Cfa / BWh · 7–11 | Temperate and arid | 7 | Region |
FAQ
Why does my tree not fruit?
Usually pollination (no compatible partner), frost at blossom, or too much shade and nitrogen. Check the cultivar's pollination group before pruning harder.
What are chill hours?
Hours below about 7°C in winter that many fruit trees need to break dormancy. Low-chill cultivars exist for mild-winter regions.
When should I prune fruit trees?
Most apples and pears are pruned in winter dormancy; stone fruit is pruned in summer to reduce silver-leaf and canker risk.