Optimizing Kiwi Cultivation with Haifa 360 Strategy

San Pellegrino s.s.a., a specialized kiwi producer based in Aviano (PN, Italy) and a member of the Frutta Friuli sca cooperative, sought to optimize the nutritional management of their "Hayward" variety kiwi plantation established in 2020. Working closely with the cooperative’s agronomist, the farm aimed to increase fruit yield and quality while ensuring a rational use of fertilizers – an essential objective for an environmentally conscious production system.

Specific objectives included:

• Improving nutritional intake and fruit quality
• Ensuring optimal plant development, with a focus on strong root systems and main branch growth, while avoiding excessive vegetative growth

Trial Setup

During the 2024 season, a comparative trial was conducted to evaluate a specialized Haifa nutrition program against the grower’s standard practice.

The trial compared a conventional fertilization plot with a Haifa-managed plot, focusing on precise nutrient delivery through fertigation and the integration of biostimulants.

The Solution: A Tailored Haifa Nutritional Program

Haifa implemented a comprehensive nutrition program aligned with the plant’s physiological growth stages.

Nutritional Strategy Highlights:

• Controlled-release nutrition: A steady baseline supply using controlled-release fertilizers 
• Balanced fertigation: Continuous delivery of water-soluble fertilizers, tailored to each growth stage 
• Early-season support: Targeted phosphorus (P) and boron (B) applications to promote bud break and flowering 
• Fruit development optimization: Enhanced potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) supply to improve fruit size and sugar accumulation 
• Biostimulant integration: Use of selected HaifaStim™ products to enhance plant resilience and fruit uniformity

Program details 

Soil fertilization

Fertigation (Haifa plot)

Foliar treatments

The Results: Higher Efficiency, Better Uniformity

At the end of the trial, the grower confirmed the clear advantages of the Haifa approach.

Although both treatments achieved similar yields (approximately 9 t/ha in three-year-old plants), the Haifa program delivered these results with significantly greater efficiency.

The growers confirm that with Haifa's products, they can produce kiwi of excellent quality while significantly reducing fertilizer input and therefore costs.  The 4-year-old plants are producing approximately 14 tons/ha, and considering the amount of flowering, a total yield of 16-18 tons is expected.

Key Outcomes:

• Reduced inputs: 400 kg/ha less granular fertilizer compared to the standard practice 
• Improved plant vigor: Larger shoot diameters and extended foliage longevity (approximately one additional week) 
• Enhanced fruit quality: More uniform fruit size at harvest

Conclusion

The success of this trial positioned Haifa Group as a preferred provider of nutritional solutions for kiwi cultivation within the Frutta Friuli sca cooperative.

By reducing fertilizer inputs while maintaining yield and improving fruit uniformity, the Haifa 360° strategy demonstrates how precision plant nutrition supports more efficient, sustainable, and profitable production systems.

_{Report by Enrico Mantovani}