Chapter 7 Canopy Management

Question 1

Define Canopy Management

Answer 1

The organization of the shoots, leaves and fruit on the vine in order to maximize grape yield and quality. Shade in warmer climates and more sun exposure in cooler climates.

Question 2

What are the objectives of canopy management?

Answer 2

• Maximize exposure to sunlight and reduce the shade within the canopy.
• Allow the grapes to ripen evenly.
• Arrange the vine canopy to ease mechanization or manual labor.
• Promote air circulation to reduce diseases

Question 3

How does canopy management affect the quality of the grapes?

Answer 3

• More photosynthesis and higher sugar levels in the grapes.
• Higher tannins levels and less bitterness thanks to greater polymerization of the tannins.
• More color development in black grapes (anthocyanin).
• Decreased malic acid.
• Increase levels of aroma precursors and aroma compounds.
• Decreased methoxypyrazines.

Question 4

How canopy management affect inflorescences?

Answer 4

Better exposed inflorescences promote the growth of fruit because of the way the plant works in the wild.

Question 5

Define Vine Balance

Answer 5

Producing the biggest yield in weight of grapes but with the desired style and quality.

slow down shoot growth = less shading = better bud fruitfulness = optimal yield on the next growing season.

Question 6

Define Vegetative cycle

Answer 6

A situation where too much shade on the vine produces less fruit. This stimulates shoot growth which increases the canopy density and produces more shade.

= Imbalance between shoot and fruit growth

Question 7

Define yields

Answer 7

The amount of fruit produced measured per vine or over a set area. i.e. kilograms per vine or kilograms per hectare.

Question 8

How does yields affect grape quality and style?

Answer 8

When the vine is balanced, the quality of the grape is higher.

Light stimulates bud break, fruit set and berry growth = fruit per shoot is increased = shot growth is depressed = canopy density decreases = less light

Question 9

What does define yields?

Answer 9

• Regulations.
• Natural resources of the vineyard
• planting material, variety, age of the vine and presence of any disease.
• Style of wine to be made.

Question 10

Define Vine density

Answer 10

The number of vines that are planted per hectare of vineyard. It can go from a few hundred vines to over 10,000 per hectare.

Question 11

How does vine density affect the cost of establishement and maintenance of a vineyard?

Answer 11

• Low density: less planting material. Allows for mechanization.
• Less labor in the vineyard making sure canopies don’t overlap.

Question 12

What defines vine density?

Answer 12

• Planting material.
• Natural resources.
• Type of trellising system.
• Space between rows for possible mechanization.

Question 13

What defines row orientation?

Answer 13

• Climatic and logistical factors.
• Sun exposure.
• Prevailing winds.
• Size and shape of the vineyard.
• Slopes of the terrain : Vineyards on slopes at an angle of greater than 10% need to be planted up and down the slope rather than across or machinery may

Question 14

Define vine training

Answer 14

The shape of the permanent wood of the vine. There are two main types, head training and cordon training. Both can be high or low trained.

Question 15

What defines the best vine training?

Answer 15

• The vigour of the vine.
• The topography of the site.
• The need for mechanization.

Question 16

Define head training

Answer 16

A training system with little permanent wood: A trunk and sometimes a few short stubs. These vines can be either spur pruned or replacement cane-spruned.

Question 17

Define cordon training

Answer 17

System with a trunk and one or more permanent horizontal arms of permanent wood typically called cordons. Usually spur pruned.

Question 18

Define vine pruning

Answer 18

Removal of unwanted parts of the vine. It takes place in the winter and summer.

Question 19

Define spurs

Answer 19

Short sections of one year old wood that have been cut back. Spurs can be distributed along a cordon or around the top of the trunk.

Question 20

Define spur pruning

Answer 20

The action of cutting back unwanted parts of the vine and leaving two or three buds.

Question 21

Advantages and disadvantages of spur pruning

Answer 21

Easier than replacement cane pruning. Can be mechanized.

Question 22

Define replacement cane pruning

Answer 22

The action of cutting back unwanted part of the vine and leaving one cane (1 year old wood) That can have between 8 and 20 buds. The cane is tied down.

Question 23

Disadvantages of replacement cane pruning

Answer 23

More complex than spur pruning and requires skilled labor.

Question 24

Define trelises

Answer 24

The permanent structures of post and wires that helped to support and position vines shoots.

Question 25

Advantages of trellised vineyards

Answer 25

The shoots can be spread out to maximize light interception, increase airflow, and allow mechanization.

Question 26

Disadvantages of trellised vineyards

Answer 26

Expensive to establish and maintain

Question 27

Define bush vines

Answer 27

Untrellised vineyards that are head trained and spur pruned.

Question 28

Advantages and disadvantages of bush vines

Answer 28

A
- Simple and inexpensive to develop.
- The leaves provide shade.

D
- Not suitable for mechanization.
- In wet condition can promote the development of diseases.

Question 29

Define vertical shoot positioning (VSP)

Answer 29

The most common type of trellising system and one of the most simple.Can be used in both head trained and replacement cane pruned vines.

VSP + replacement cane pruned vines = Guyot training. (Single or double) Suited for vines with low to moderate vigour.

Question 30

Define Complex training systems

Answer 30

Trellising systems more adpated to vines with high vigour with the objective of reducing shade and maximize light interception.

Question 31

Define Disbudding (Debudding)

Answer 31

The removal of buds and is conducted both to manage vine balance and yields and remove buds that are poorly positioned.

Question 32

Why is disbuding done?

Answer 32

Used to remove buds of non-fruit bearing shoots which may compete with the grapes for sugar and other resources. Disbudding late spring can be used to adjust the number of buds to bring the vine into balance and comply with grape growing regulations.

Question 33

Define Shoot removal

Answer 33

Removing the shoots that are infertile or poor positioned. This helps to maintain a well organized open canopy.

Question 34

Define shoot positioning

Answer 34

Stucking the shoots into the trellis wires to better organize the canopy and facilitates mechanization

Question 35

Define Pinching

Answer 35

Removing the shoot tip at flowering to improve fruits set.

Question 36

Define Shoot trimming

Answer 36

Cutting shoot to limit growth and reduce canopy thickness, enhancing fruit ripening by reducing competition and lowering disease pressure by allowing better air circulation, and improving spray penetration.

Question 37

Define leaf removal

Answer 37

Removing leaves to reduce shading of fruit and enhancing ripening, lowering disease pressure through improving spray penetration, and better air circulation. In warm to hot climates, this can lead to sunburn of the grapes.

Question 38

Define green harvesting (crop trimming)

Answer 38

The removal of bunches of grapes to increase ripeness of those grapes left on the vine.