Yield Predictor
Easily add flower or bunch counts as you go in the vineyard, then within minutes you can have your yield prediction for each block ready to use to make the best management decisions going forward.
Regularly update and see how your yield prediction is progressing as the season develops.
World-class viticulturalist, Tony Purdie, tells us how Sectormentor helped him ensure accurate yield predictions and improve his offering as a contract grower on the 70 acre site he manages:
“We sell most of our grapes, so it’s vitally important to have a good understanding of what yield we expect from each block – to stay within the parameters of our contract and assure we are maximising our return while maintaining a realistic crop load for vine health and wine quality.
In the past this was always a time consuming process, bringing together many pieces of paper and spreadsheets and a lot of work to get it right.
Last year we got our predictions really good, thanks to us using Sectormentor. In terms of collecting data it’s the Rolls Royce of vineyard apps – it makes the bunch counts very easy. It is obvious that if you have a tool that is easy to use, people pay more attention to detail and you get a better prediction.
With the Yield Predictor everything is in one place and it makes the predictions immediately visible so we can easily make decisions and plan for the season ahead. Sectormentor saves us time and helps us run our business more efficiently.”
Tony Purdie, Yotes Court Vineyard, UK
1st Yield Prediction: Inflorescence Counts
Your first yield estimate of the season can be done using inflorescence counts, combined with the average weight for each block from previous years. Using the app, easily record inflorescence counts at a number of sample vines out in the vineyard. The Yield Predictor Tool will automatically show you the average inflorescences for each block and the total predicted yield for each block. At this stage you’re working with a fairly crude estimate, but it’s an important start.
2nd Yield Prediction: Bunch Counts at Fruit Set
Once fruit set is complete you can go out and count your bunches, and update your yield prediction based on bunch counts helping you to decide if any grape thinning (or green harvest) is necessary.
If you do decide to thin the fruit at this point, many people do another bunch count afterwards so you know how many bunches you still have. The tool automatically updates your averages, and remembers your bunch weights, so it’s easy to update your predictions.
3rd Yield Prediction: Weigh bunches at Veraison
At lag phase, or veraison, you can add actual average bunch weights with a multiplier into Sectormentor, and the Yield Predictor Tool will automatically scale up the weights to give you your yield prediction. You can then compare this prediction to previous years, see your total predicted harvest weight, and compare the predictions across your blocks.