Ch1 The Vine Flashcards
What are the main parts of the vine?
- shoots
- one year old wood
- permanent wood
- roots
- What are the most important North American vine species?
2. What are they used for?
- Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis berlandieri, Vitis rupestris
- Mainly as rootstocks for Vitis vinifera; some used in wine production in NY State
What are the main parts of the shoot?
- buds
- leaves
- tendrils
- lateral shoots
- inflorescences (grape bunches)
Describe a vine’s cane
Green shoots that lignify (harden, brown) during late summer
Explain the similarities and difference between the two main types of buds.
All buds contain the structures in miniature that will become green parts of the vine.
- Compound (latent) buds form in one season and break open in the next, if they are retained during winter pruning
- There are primary, secondary and tertiary buds within a compound bud, which are useful back up in case of damage during spring frosts - Prompt buds from and break open during the same growing season from the primary bud (shoot)
What is the role of a lateral shoot?
Lateral shoots are smaller and thinner than primary shoots and their main role is to allow the plant to continue growing if the main shoot is damaged
Leaves on lateral shoots provide more opportunity for photosynthesis
** Grow from prompt buds - current year!
What must a wine grower look out for in lateral shoots and how can these risks be mitigated?
- Positioning - growth of laterals near base of primary shoot can impede air flow and sunlight
- Correct during summer pruning - Inflorescences - some grape varieties produce them on lateral shoots (like Pinot Noir). They ripen later than bunches on main shoot, so harvest needs to be selective otherwise second crop will add unripe tannins/flavors, high acidity
- Correct during green harvesting; keep second crop but do hand harvesting rather than machine
What is transpiration?
Stomata (pores) on leaves open up to let water out and CO2 (for photosynthesis) in. When this happens, transpiration draws water and nutrients from soil back up to leaves.
OJO: water stress interrupts this process and closes up stomata (so water is conserved, but CO2 is blocked, slowing down photosynthesis)
How many inflorescences per shoot (normally)?
Between 1-3 (but depends on grape variety)
What is difference between inflorescence and grape bunch?
Inflorescence is a cluster of flowers; when those flowers are fertilized they become a grape bunch.
Not all flowers in inflorescence will become grapes
Characteristics of grape bunch (e.g. tightness of bunches) depends on grape variety (Pinot Noir = very tight bunches, lack of air flow, higher risk of skin-splitting and therefore fungal disease)
What are the main components of a grape?
- pulp - majority of grape volume, water, sugars, acids, aromas
- skin - aroma, tannins, color
- seeds - oils, tannins, embryo
PLUS - bloom - powdery, waxy coating that covers grape
- stem - attaches grape to vine, contains tannins, can play role in winemaking
What is one-year-old wood?
Shoots from previous growing season that were not removed during pruning.
Supports compound buds that will release shoots in following growing season **
Cane or spur-pruned
What is permanent wood?
Woody parts of the vine that are older than one year (e.g. trunk) which support other parts of vine, transport water and solutes and store carbs and nutrients.
Cordons are horizontal arms of permanent wood.
What is the role of roots?
Roots anchor the vine, intake water and nutrients which are absorbed at root tips, store carbs and produce hormones important to vine growth.
Influences by soil properties, irrigation, cultivation and type of rootstock.
Compare the two main ways vines are propagated and describe the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Cutting is the most common technique. A cutting is a section of the vine shoot that can be planted and will grow as new plant
- A: allows use of rootstocks, which prevents diseases; nurseries can treat cuttings to prevent disease spread; many small cuttings can be taken from a vine and propagated at same time
Layering uses shoots from a nearby vine to produce a new one. Cane is bent down, part is buried in ground with tip pointing up. Buried part grows roots, then connection to nearby vine is cut so new growth uses own roots. Used mostly to fill gaps in vineyard.
- D: not using rootstock, so no protection against phylloxera or characteristics of chosen rootstock
SIMILAR: both create new plants that are genetically identical to parent plant, have same characteristics (which doesn’t happen w seeds)
