Chapter: The Vine Flashcards
- Define Vitis Vinifera:
This is the main Eurasian Species. It produces nearly all the grapes used in winemaking and has been used to make wine for several thousand years
- What is a Cutting:
A cutting is a section of a vine shoot that is planted and then grows as a new plant. This method is widely used in commercial nurseries that sell vines to growers
- What is Layering:
- Layering takes place in the vineyard. A cane is bent down and a section of it is buried in the ground.
- The cane tip points upwards out of the ground.
- The buried section takes root and once these roots are established the cane linking the new growth to the original plant is cut
- When considering the anatomy of the vine, what are the” Buds”:
- These form in the join between the leaf and the shoot and can be described as “ Embryonic Shoots”
- Once formed, they mature inside their casing during the growing season, so that by the end of the year, each bud contains in miniature all the structures that will become the shoot, leaves, flowers and tendrils the following year
- What is a “ Crossing”:
A Crossing is when a new variety is produced from two parents of the same species
- What is a “ Hybrid”:
A Hybrid is a vine, whose parents come from two different vine species. Typically hybrids will have at least one American vine as a parent
- What are Nematodes:
Nematodes are microscopic worms that attack the roots of vines interfering with water and nutrient uptake. In certain instances they transit vine viruses
- Why are birds and mammals considered vineyard pests?
They can both consume large volumes of grapes. Additionally half- eaten or crushed grapes can lead to an increased risk of fungal disease
- Why are insects considered pests?
They feed on both grapes and leaves
- How many important species of vines are native to North America?
3 species, which are:
1. Vitis Labrusca
2. Vitis Riparia
3. Vitis Rupestris
- Why are vines native to North America rarely used to produce grapes for winemaking?
They are rarely used to produce grapes for winemaking because the wines they produce are widely considered to have unattractive flavours
- What is the major benefit of North American Rootstocks?
They are resistant to Phylloxera
- What is Clonal Selection:
When vines with positive mutations are selected for further propagation by Cutting or Layering, so that the positive characteristics of these vines can be carried forward in new plantings
- What is a specific example of a mutation that has had such a significant effect that although technically clones of an original plant, the resulting vines are treated as different grape varieties:
The grape varieties are:
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Meunier
Are all mutations of an ancient grape variety called Pinot Noir
- What is Cross- Fertilisation and why is it used?
Cross- Fertilisation is where pollen from the male part of the flower of one vine is transferred to the female part of the flower of another vine and fertilisation occurs. The pollinated flower develops into a grape with seeds, this allows new grape varieties to be created in controlled conditions. Grape varieties can therefore be created that are developed to thrive in certain climates and soil conditions, as well as varieties with improved disease resistance, and those able to deliver a higher quality of quantity of grapes
- What is the function of a vine’s leaves?
The leaves are the plants engine. They are principally responsible for Photosynthesis, which is the process by which plants use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen
- What is glucose and how does it impact the vine?
Glucose is a sugar that is used to support vine growth and makes ripe grapes taste sweet
- What is the function of a vine’s tendrils?
Vines are not able to support themselves, so they use tendrils to grip a supporting structure in order to stay upright. Once a tendril senses that it has touched a structure, such as a trellis wire, it will wind itself around the wire in order to keep the shoot upright
- What is the function of a vine’s flowers:
Flowers are the vine’s reproductive organs. A vine’s flowers have both male and female parts, and are grouped in bunches called Inflorescences
Each flower that is successfully pollinated will become a berry and so the inflorescence will become the bunch of grapes that will be harvested at the end of the growing season
- Why is one year old wood is vital for a grape grower?
Managing one year old wood is vital for a grape grower because vines will normally only produce fruit on shoots that grow from buds that developed the previous year
- What is the difference between a Cane and a Spur:
Every winter the vine is pruned and the one year old wood, will either be called a “ Cane” or a “ Spur” depending on how many buds it is left with.
A “ Cane” is long with 8 to 20 buds
A “ Spur is short and has only 2 to 3 buds
- What is Permanent Wood:
Permanent wood is wood that is more than one year old. In the vineyard the amount of permanent wood is restricted by pruning. The permanent wood is made up of the trunk and where present, the arms of the vine
- What is the function of a vine’s roots?
The roots function is to absorb water and nutrients from the soil anchor the vine and store carbohydrates to allow the vine to survive the winter
- What is the main reason that new varieties rarely come to market?
New varieties rarely come to market, with the main reason being the resistance of consumers to unknown grape varieties
