Chapter 7 - Canopy Management

Question 1

The aims of canopy management:

Answer 1

Maximize light interception
Reduce shading
Reduce moisture - increase air circulation in the canopy
Ensure microclimate for the grapes is uniform so the grapes ripen evenly
Promote balance of vegetative and reproductive functions
Ease mechanization and/or manual labor

Question 2

Budfruitfulness

Answer 2

The number of inflorescences that will develop from.a bud

Question 3

Shady conditons is associated with reduced bud fruitfulness and therefore the bud producing more vegetative structures than inflorescences

Question 4

What is vine balance (bt vegetative and reproductive functions) based on?

Answer 4

Growing environment
Varietal 
Rootstock
Presence of disease
Age of vine
Style of wine being produced (quality, rose?)

Question 5

Balanced Cycle

Answer 5

1. Light - stimulates bud break, bunch initiation, fruit set berry growth, increase bud fruitfulness
2. Fruit Weight - per shoot is increased
3. Shoot Growth - depressed because there’s more fruit growth
4. Canopy Density - decreased because there is less leaf area
   Back to 1.

Question 6

Vegetative Cycle (under-cropping)

Answer 6

1. Shade - depresses bud break, bunch initiation, fruit set, berry growth, bud fruitfulness
2. Fruit Weight - decreases per shoot
3. Shoot Growth - increases because less fruit growth (less competition for sugars)
4. Canopy Density - increases bc more leaf area
   Back to 1.

Question 7

Over-cropping

Answer 7

When fruit yield is too high

Can take away sugars meant for carbohydrage storage for teh winter. Can weaken the vine in the following year

Question 8

Winter pruning is vital for vine balance. Why?

Answer 8

These decisions will influence the number of shoots and potential yield in the upcoming growing season

Question 9

What is yield dependent on?

Answer 9

The yield per vine and the planting density

Question 10

What are the canopy management techniques?

Answer 10

Vine training
Winter pruning
Vine trellising
Overall plant vigor management
Summer pruning

Question 11

What is optimal vine density influenced by?

Answer 11

Vigor of the vine
Type of trellising system
Waht access is needed between the vines (machinery?)

Question 12

You generally want to plant your vineyards north to south so there’s even sunlight exposure (but with more shading on the west side of the canopy)

Question 13

What factors determine the training and trellising method used?

Answer 13

vigor of the vine
Topography of the land - steep slopes? Windy site?
Need for mechanization

Question 14

Vine Training

Answer 14

Head trained - no permanent arm

Cordon trained

Question 15

Vine pruning - 2 methods

Answer 15

Spur pruned - one year old wood is cut back to 2-3 buds

Replacement cane pruned - one year old wood with 8-20 buds
Generally would not do cordon trained, replacement cane pruned

Question 16

Untrellised vineyards

What are the pros/cons

Answer 16

Head trained, spur pruned vines - Bush vines

Pros:
Good for dry, hot climates bc it provides extra shading and prevents grapes from becoming sunburned
Easy/inexpensive to develop

Cons:
Cannot be mechanized
Only suitable for low vigor vines - canopy would become too dense
Not suitable for wet conditions - too much humidity, not enough air circulation

Question 17

Trellisted vineyards

What are the pros/cons

Answer 17

VSP
Complex training systems

Pro:
Good for high vigor vines
Allows for mechanization
Increases air flow
Maximizes light inerception

Con:
Expensive
Needs maintaining

Question 18

What is VSP

Answer 18

Shoots are trained vertically in a single narrow canopy

Good for low to moderate vigor vines

Question 19

What is Guyot training

Answer 19

Head trained/ replacement cane pruned VSP

Question 20

Complex Training Systems

Answer 20

Splits the canopy to reduce shade and maximize sunlight

Used for high vigor vines
More difficult to manage and mechanize than VSP

Question 21

Complex training systems split horizontally

Answer 21

Geneval Double Curtain

Lyre

Question 22

Complex training system split vertically

Answer 22

Smart-Dyson

Scott-Henry

Question 23

What are the 2 summer pruning techniques that can’t be mechanized?

Answer 23

Pinching

Disbudding

Question 24

Summer pruning techniques

Answer 24

Disbudding
Shoot removal
Shoot positioning
Pinching
Shoot trimming
Leaf Removal
Greem harvesting

Question 25

Describe disbudding

Answer 25

Removal of buds the manage vine balance and remove buds that are poorly positioned

Growers will often leave extra buds on during winter pruning in case buds get damaged like by spring frost
Debudding in spring will help bring the vine into balance and remove ones that are poorly positioned (ie ones that are too close together)

Question 26

Why remove shoots?

Answer 26

Often laterals
Generally remove the ones that are infertile or poorly positioned (too close togehter)
Want an open canopy

Question 27

Pinching defn

Answer 27

Removes the shoot tips at flowering to improve fruit set

Question 28

Green harvesting

Answer 28

Unripe grapes are removed so the rest can ripen

If done near veraison, will enhance ripening of the remaining grapes