Canopy Mgmt Flashcards
What is canopy mgmt
The organization of the shoots, leaves, and fruit of the vine in order to maximize grape yield and quantity
Aims of canopy mgmt
Maximize effectiveness of light interception
Reduce shade
Ensure uniform microclimate for even ripening
Promote balance between vegetative and reproductive functions of vine
Facilitate ease of mechanical or manual labor
Promote air circulation to reduce disease
Promoting sunlight exposure within canopy
Increases sugar levels in grape through photosynthesis
Increases tannin levels and greater polymerization leading to less bitterness
Enhances anthocyanins (color)
Decreases malic acid
Increases favorable aroma precursors and compounds
Decreases methoxypyrazines
What is under cropping
The yield of fruit is too low for vigor of vine and shoot growth continues through cycle because there isn’t much to ripen. Growing shoots and leaves compete with grapes for nutrients and negatively affect grape formation and ripening. Leads to dense, shady canopy and lower yields that can result in lowered yields next season due to reduced bud fruitfulness. The vine enters a vegetative cycle.
What is over cropping?
Yield of fruit too high for vigor of vine. Vine may access carbs stored in permanent wood to aid in ripening, weakening the vine for future
What pruning season are decisions influencing number of shoots and potential yield in the coming season made it
Winter pruning
What do summer pruning choices do?
Amend vine balance and enhance ripeness as needed
Canopy mgmt techniques include:
Vine training
Winter pruning
Vine trellising
Overall plant vigor mgmt (nitrogen, fertilization, irrigation, cover cropping)
Summer pruning including:
Dis budding
Shoot removal shoot positioning
Pinching
Shoot trimming
Leaf removal
Crop thinning/green harvesting
Head training vines
Relatively little permanent wood
Spur pruned or replacement came pruned
Cordon training vines
Vines typically have trunk and one or more permanent arms of wood called cordons
Usually spur oruned
Spur pruning
Spurs are short sections of one year old wood that have been cut back to two or three buds
Distributed along cordon or around top of trunk (head training)
Can be mechanized
Replacement cane pruning
8-20 buds on one year old wood
Laid horizontal and tied to trellis
Skilled labor force
Number of buds dependent on vigor of vine
Vertical Shoot Positioning
Most common and most simple
Shoots trained vertically held in place on trellis forming single canopy
When used on replacement cane vines it is called Guyot
Best for low to moderate vigor
Complex training systems
Developed to deal with vigor varieties
Split canopy to reduce shade and maximize light
Can be horizontally split like Geneva Double Curtain or vertically split like Scott-Henry
Makes the best possible use of vineyard space and resources to produce large yields of high quality fruit but are difficult to manage and mechanize
Disbudding
Summer pruning
Removal of buds to manage vine balance and yield and to remove poorly positioned buds late spring to avoid spring frost
Removes non fruit bearing shoot as well
