7. Canopy Management Flashcards
What are the differences of a Vegetative vs Balanced Cycle in terms of
SHADE
FRUIT WEIGHT
SHOOT GROWTH
BALANCE
CANOPY DENSITY
What is vertical shoot positioning (2)?
Best suited for:
- most common type of trellising + very simple
- Vine’s shoots are trained vertically + held in place by trellising wires.
- best suited to vines with low-moderate vigour
In what ways does between-row spacing need to be considered in terms of canopy management (3)?
- Vine rows need to be far enough apart to avoid shading each other. Therefore, vigorous vines that are high-trained = greater space between rows.
- Width of machinery also needs to be considered.
- More spacing needed to reduce competition between rows for water/resources.
What is meant by OVERCROPPING?
How can this negatively affect grape growth/development (2)?
OVERCROPPING: Yield is too high comapred to vine vigor.
- Abundance of grapes will gain sugars from carbs stored in trunk/cordons/roots.
- These carbs are needed for vine during dormancy = weakened vine for future years.
The pictures below are examples of:
1 = Replacement Cane-pruned vine.
Vertical Shoot Positioning
Briefly explain Shoot Positioning and its purpose (2):
Tucking shoots into trellis wires to better organize canopy + facilitate mechanization.
The picture below is an example of:
What are 4 other terms for this type of vine?
Give an example of a region where this is commonly found:
Head-trained, spur-pruned vine.
AKA Bush vine / “Gobelet” (France) / “Alberello” (Italy) / “En Vaso” (Spain)
Commonly found in La Mancha, Spain.
Some varietals are more vigorous than others.
Give an examples of a MORE and LESS vigorous grape variety:
MORE VIGOROUS: Cabernet Sauvignon
LESS VIGOROUS: Merlot
What is the link between the yield of a vine and the quality of its fruit?
What factors affect vine balance (5)?
Therefore:
- if the vine is out of balance (under or over cropping), it is likely to produce fruit of lesser quality than that of a balanced vine.
- the yield at which the vine is in balance will differ depending on natural resources, planting material, vine age, presence of disease, and wine style desired by the grape grower.
- Therefore, some vines will be balanced at higher yields than others.
What is the definition of cordon training?
How are they usually pruned?
How does this method compare to head training?
Vine training done on vines with 1 or more horizontal arms or “cordons” (usually spur pruned)
This method takes longer to establish than head training because of the amount of permanent wood needed.
What is meant by Vine Balance?
Why is this important?
What is considered to be the “optimal” crop load?
Vine Balance: Balance btw/vine’s vigor + crop load.
Essential for successful ripening + sustained production in future growing seasons.
Optimal Crop Load: Max. yield of grapes that have the required composition for the desired wine style/quality.
What are the 2 types of Vine Training?
What are the 2 types of Vine Pruning?
Cordon Training / Head Training
Spur-Pruned / Replacement Cane-Pruned
6 ways in which increasing exposure of leaves and grapes to sunlight has a positive effect on grape quality:
1) Increased sugar levels
2) Increased tannin levels + polymerisation of tannins (less bitterness)
3) Enhanced anthocyanin development
4) Decreased malic acid (broken down during cellular respiration, Tartaric remains)
5) Increased aroma precursors + compounds (e.g. terpenes)
6) Decreased methoxypyrazines (herbal/green bell pepper notes in Cab. Sauv.)
What is spur pruning?
How does spur pruning compare to replacement cane pruning?
- spurs are short sections of 1 year old wood that have been cut back to 2-3 buds
Spur pruning is easier to carry out/can be mechanized.
What is the definition of head training?
How are they usually pruned?
Vine training done on vines with little permanent wood (can be either spur pruned or replacement cane pruned)
Briefly explain Crop Thinning / Green Harvesting and its purpose (3):
When is it usually carried out?
Removal of excess / imperfectly ripe grape bunches to increase ripeness of grapes left on the vine via redirection of resources.
Improves uniformity of ripening, enhancing quality.
Usually carried out near véraison.
What is the definition of vine density?
What would be examples of low and high densities?
What determines optimum density (3)?
- the number of vines that are planted per hectare in the vineyard
LOW: 2,000 - 2,500 vines / ha
HIGH: 10,000 vines / ha
The optimum density is determined by :
- the availability of water and nutrients
- the vigour of the vine
- the type of trellising
- what access is needed between rows
What is the definition of yield?
A measure of amount of fruit being produced (can be measured in kg/vine or kg/hectare / tons/acre)
Vineyards on slopes at an angle of greater than ___% might need to be planted how?
Why?
- 10%
- up and down the slope (vs across)
- Machinery may slip (unless terraced)