What’s the SHD System?

Revolutionary cultivation system
that redefine the industry

GLOBAL EVOLUTION

Ha of hedge fields

Total % of hectares of hedge fields

Source: Study on the total area of ​​hedgerow plantations carried out by Agromillora Group.

Last update: March 2021

ADVANTAGES

Super High Density

High or total mechanisation of cultivation work from the moment of planting, entails a significant cost reduction.

Fully mechanised harvesting:
Increase in speed and efficiency using over-the-row machines.

Early entry into production and faster ROI.

Higher product quality, high quality of harvest (correct state of maturation, minimum damage to the fruit since there is no contact with the ground so contamination and possible oxidation of the fruit is avoided).

Less cultivation work.
Significant savings in labour (increasingly scarce and its cost continues to increase).

Greater efficiency in the application of phytosanitary products.

PRESENT & FUTURE

Super High Density

Currently, at Agromillora we continue working on implementing this system in other crops and in developing a modern, more profitable and sustainable agriculture. As a result of this effort, high-density citrus and holm oak (among others) plantations are being carried out.

Super high density systems are a reality in the agronomic landscape around the world and they hold the key to the future of an increasingly competitive sector, where cost reduction, lower dependence on labour, yield increase and the improved quality of agricultural products are core factors determining the economic profitability of modern farms.

At Agromillora we are leaders in super high density systems and are always at the forefront of innovation, to address the new trends in the international agricultural sector. We therefore work to provide producers, technicians and companies in the industry solutions to address ever-emerging new challenges. We develop new varieties and rootstocks, new systems for creating and managing productive hedges, increasing yield levels, developing new SHD cultivation models, and in short, new opportunities

DEVELOPMENT OF SUPER HIGH DENISTY PLANTATIONS

Super High Density

The first super high density crops appeared in the 70s, led by the M9 apple tree dwarfing rootstock. Later, during the 80s, a dwarf pattern was also developed for pear trees. However, while by the late twentieth century the cultivation of these two species in high density was already fully developed and widespread among growers, the jump to super high density in other woody species crops had not yet occurred.

Agromillora—driven by our desire for innovation in new agronomic models and our contribution to the development of agriculture worldwide—carried out the first super high density olive plantation in the 90s.

The super high density olive grove, also known as high density or SHD (Super High Density), is a cultivation technology that the company has fine-tuned with the collaboration of many of our clients. It allows us to boost profitability remarkably with respect to traditional olive groves.

At the end of the 1990s, a cherry dwarfing pattern also appeared that allowed plantations of between 1,000 and 2,000 trees per hectare. This marks the beginning of the cultivation of stone fruit trees in high density.

Due to the success of these plantations and their high yield, at Agromillora we how to introduce high-density plantations in the cultivation of other fruit species. As a result of this approach and the emergence of the Rootpac®20 and Rootpac®40 patterns, developed by our genetic improvement programme in the R&D department and designed for adapting several species to the high density system, various super high density almond, peach, nectarine, plum and apricot plantations were developed.

SUPER HIGH DENSITY SYSTEM FEATURES

Super High Density

• SHD plantation with Smarttree® plants
• Dwarf varieties and/or patterns (in case of grafting).
• Compatibility with high range of varieties.
• Reduced plantation patterns and high plantation density (>1,500 plants/ha).
• Orientation: N-S orientation makes it possible to reduce the street width without shading.
• Harvesting with over-the-row machine or by hand in the case of fresh fruit.
• Fully mechanised pruning and thinning.

The Smarttree plant format is specifically designed for the super high density system. Smarttree plants translate into important savings in planting and management of the crop. They are the perfect solution for new high-density plantation—olive trees, stone fruit trees and nuts. In these last two cases, Agromillora offers its clients a series of Rootpac 20 dwarfing rootstocks and a wide range of grafting varieties—the best resource to successfully address super high density orchard projects.

Learn more about the Smarttree brand >

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