D1 The Vine

Question 1

Anatomy of the vine

Answer 1

Vine structure:
- Roots: absorb water, nutrient and stores carbo. Reach over six meters down the soil.
- Permanent wood (cordon): horizontal wood older than one year.
- Cane (1year old shoot from the previous season).
- Shoots; transport water, sugar and minerals.

The Canopy
- Two types of buds:
Compound buds, next growing season buds.
Prompt buds, same growing season buds, produce shoots.
- Tendrils: provide support to vines around trellis wires.
- leaves are important for:
1. Transpiration. Water from the roots reached the leaves that, opening the Stomata (pores) let steam out and carbon dioxide (CO2) in.
2. Photosynthesis. carbon dioxide (CO2) transformed in sugar (glucose) and oxygen.
The stomata may close if the vine is water stressed and needs to retain water.
- Inflorescence: flowers on a stem.
- Fruit: grapes are fertilised florescence.

Grapes:
- Pulp: contains water, sugar, acids and flavour compounds.
- Skin: contains aroma compounds, tannins and colour.
- Seeds: contains oils and tannins

Question 2

Cutting and layering

Answer 2

These two methods of propagate vines that are genetically identical:

• Cutting consist of cutting the vine shoot that can be planted and will then grow as a new plant.
• Layering. A cane is buried in the ground and takes root. Once the roots are established, the linking cane is cut.

Question 3

Clones

Answer 3

Cutting and Layering can change the genetic code of the vine, creating a clone.
A clone can have different characteristics (yields capacity, grape sizes, skin thickness).

The genetic code may change to the point that a new vine can be classified as a new.
Es. Pinot has mutated in many varieties like pinot noir, meunier, blanc, gris.

Question 4

Mass selection

Answer 4

Is a technique that takes cutting from the best performing vines of the vineyard.

ADV:
The use of the same vines can enhance yield and quality.

DIS:
- The monitoring of the best vines in order to choose the best shoots is costly in term of time and labour.
- Further, if the parent vine is infected by a disease, this is likely to be passed onto the new vines.

Question 5

New grape varieties

Answer 5

New grape varieties are produced from seeds of grapes grown through cross fertilisation from a vine to another.
The pollen from the stamen of one vine is transferred to the stigma of another vine and fertilisation occurs. Grapes develop and the seeds from these vines are planted and grown.

Crossing; two parent vines are from the same species
Es. Pinotage - Pinot noir and Cinsault.

Hybrid; two parent vines are from different species.
Es. Vidal blanc - Vidal and Ugni blanc.

Other es.
Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc.
Muller Thurgau - Riesling and Madeleine Royale.

Question 6

Vitis types

Answer 6

Native to Eurasia:
- Vitis Vinifera

Native to North America:
- Vitis labrusca
- Vitis riparia
- Vitis barlandieri
- Vitis rupestris