We have asked Mr Natale Brentegani, teacher at a local agricultural school, for his opinion on this issue. Currently, various training systems are used, but the Turri family has always used the Bargioni method , which takes its name from the person who devised it (prof. Giorgio Bargioni).
Mr Brentegani says that traditionally, the pruning techniques, particularly those regarding olive trees, were often passed down from one generation to the next without specifying the principles involved or the criteria followed. However, it is essential to always bear these in mind, so as to understand the logic behind a certain training system.
The aim of pruning is to protect and reinforce the plant, allowing an even distribution of light inside the canopy so as to increase yield quality. The best method in our region is the so-called polyconic vase, symbolized by a hand with its thumb, first and second finger pointing up, like three arrows directed west-, north- and eastwards, respectively. The branches are trained so as to grow sparsely, upwards and sidewards. Other training systems have also been attempted, such as the monocone vase or single leader method and more recently, the weeping willow one. These systems however do not ensure higher product quality and can make harvest procedures more hazardous. Things have certainly changed: when we look at old pictures of our countryside, we can see the olive tree tops standing high against the fields of mulberry trees and the vineyards, often supporting the branches of the vines.
