Level 4 D1 Chap 4 - Approaches to Grape Growing

Question 1

Question

Answer 1

Answer

Question 2

List key advantages and disadvantages of monoculture crops

Answer 2

Advantages:

• increased mechanisation
• reduced competition for resources from other plants
• ability to tend to specific needs of the grape variety planted

Disadvantages:

• crop is more prone to disease
• depletion of nutrients (no system to replenish), so more application of fertilizers required
• reliance on chemicals can increase environmental damage

Question 3

List key advantages and disadvantages of sustainable agriculture

Answer 3

Advantages:

• more thoughtful approach leads to potentially better outcomes through a wider consideration of economic, social, and environmental impact
• minimise interventions (spraying, poisons)
• cost savings

Disadvantages:

• the term is not protected so no clear set standards
• standards can be set too low nationally

Question 4

List key advantages and disadvantages of organic viticulture

Answer 4

Advantages:

• healthy & disease-resistant vines
• healthier soil
• elimination of synthetic chemical treatments
• saving cost of synthetic chemicals

Disadvantages:

• potential yield reduction
• more volatile yields, especially in bad years
• reliance on copper sprays / build-up of heavy metals
• increase in cost and time of certification

Question 5

What are the key features of organic viticulture?

Answer 5

• compost provides nutrients
• uses natural fertilisers
• cover crops reduce erosion and provide green manure
• reduced monoculture - plant hedges, cover crops, etc

Question 6

What are the key features of biodynamic viticulture?

Answer 6

• includes organic practices
• align activities with philosophical and cosmological concepts. e.g. take grafts when the moon in ascending
• use of homeopathic remedies and certain preparations to fertilise soil and treat pests, e.g. preparation 500 is manure based, 501 is silica based

Question 7

Who developed the concept of biodynamic viticulture?

Answer 7

Rudolf Steiner and Maria Thun

Question 8

What are the key features of precision viticulture?

Answer 8

• use detailed data to vary interventions/husbandry by plot and row
• data may include soil composition or growth rates
• interventions that can be tailored include: choice of rootstock/grape, canopy management, irrigation, harvest timing

Question 9

List key advantages and disadvantages of precision viticulture

Answer 9

advantages:-
maximise understanding of yields and/or grape quality

Disadvantage:- cost of data collection, training and analysis