The Growing Environment Flashcards
Describe the process of photosynthesis:
the vine uses sunlight to combine carbon dioxide (co2) and water to produce glucose and oxygen
What is the minimum temperature for a vine to grow/survive?
10 degrees
Name six factors affecting the heat of a vine:
- latitude
- altitude
- ocean currents
- fog
- soil
- aspect
Most vineyards lie between the latitudes of:
30 and 50 degrees north and south of the equator
As altitude increases, temperatures..
- drop
How can ocean currents affect heat?
the major ocean currents transport large volumes of warm or cold water across the surface of the ocean, for either warming or cooling certain wine regions (currents can cool or warm regions that might otherwise be too hot/too cold for grape growing)
What is the advantage of fog?
fog can help cool an area that may otherwise struggle to produce high-quality grapes
What is the advantage of dark coloured soils, or soils with a high stone and rock content?
they absorb and reradiate more of the sun’s heat, this can be critical for ripening fruit in cool climates
What is continentality?
the temperature difference between the coldest and hottest months
Areas close to large bodies of water generally have low continentality, wine regions that are far inland usually see more temperature extremes and have high continentality Why is that?
because large bodies of water, such as seas or lakes, heat up and cool down more slowly than landmasses. So in winter, they have a warming effect on the surrounding air and in summer they have a cooling effect.
What is diurnal range?
the temperature difference between day and night
Which two things can influence diurnal range?
- a vineyards proximity to seas and lakes
- the level of cloud cover
Name four main forms of protection against spring frost and explain how they work:
- heaters (the heat creates movement in the air, preventing the cold air from settling)
- wind machines (draws warm air from above to keep the temperature at ground level above freezing)
- sprinklers (as the water freezes, it releases some heat into the plant tissue protecting the buds and shoots)
- thoughtful vineyard design (cold air sinks to the lowest point, so vineyard on slopes or vines trained high)
Name three factors affecting the amount of sunlight in a vineyard:
- latitude (day length during the summer growing season is longer the further the vineyard is from the equator)
- seas and lakes (vineyards near large bodies of water tend to experience more cloud cover and sunlight can reflect from the water)
- aspect (steeper slopes benefit most from the right aspect)
What are the three main irrigation techniques and what are the characteristics?
- drip irrigation (most advanced and expensive, each vine has its own dripper)
- sprinklers (cheaper than drip irrigation, but they waste a lot of water and they create damp conditions, increasing the risk of disease)
- flood irrigation (cheap, only possible in vineyards that are flat and where there’s acces to large quantities of water)
