Canopy and cropload management in hybrid
winegrapes
Justine Vanden HeuvelChing Sun, Gavin Sacks
What’s wrong with this picture?
Smart and Robinson, 1991
Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia
What’s wrong with this picture?
Riesling in NYS
Cluster exposure impacts flavor and aroma composition
Meyers, 2010
Oo
Chardonnay in NYS
Open canopies result in better spray coverage
Austin, 2010
Wilcox and Austin, 2009
Open canopies have lower incidence of disease
How do we achieve an open, balanced hybrid canopy?
Hybrid canopy management studies
• Foch– Shoot thinning and harvest date
• Seyval blanc– Shoot thinning and cluster thinning
• Corot Noir– Shoot thinning and cluster thinning
• Noiret– Shoot thinning and leaf removal
Shoot thinning, harvest date Marechal Foch 2007
Control Shoot-thinned
Early harvest: Sept. 11Late harvest: Sept. 18
Foch
CE = control, early harvest, CL = control, late harvestSTE = shoot thinned, early harvest, STL = shoot thinned, late harvest
a a
bb
Foch
aa
bb
CE = control, early harvest, CL = control, late harvestSTE = shoot thinned, early harvest, STL = shoot thinned, late harvest
Foch
• Brix: 22.7 - 24.3 (harvest date only)
• pH: 3.62 - 3.70 (harvest date only)
• TA: 8.67 – 9.50 g/L (ST and harvest date)
Foch
b
aa
b
aa
bb
CE = control, early harvest, CL = control, late harvestSTE = shoot thinned, early harvest, STL = shoot thinned, late harvest
Ratio of compound peak to IS peak area
CE = control, early harvest, CL = control, late harvestSTE = shoot thinned, early harvest, STL = shoot thinned, late harvest
Foch
sweat,cheese
sweet,clove,smoke,bandaid
fruit,banana,apple,rose
solvent,fruit,potato,chocolate flower,
apple
grass,green
ST and harvest date impact Foch aroma compounds
FochTriangle Tests
Foch Triangle Tests• Shoot thinned late harvest preferred over
Control late harvest • Shoot thinned late harvest preferred over
Shoot thinned early harvest
Control (2007)
ST (2007) Control (2008)
ST (2008)
Yield (t/a) 4.1 3.3 7.0 5.3
Rev. per acre
$2,460 - $4,662 -
Add. costs per acre
$0 $54 $0 $54
Add. cost per ton
$0 $16.36 $0 $10.18
Req. price/ton
$600 $761 $666 $890
Add. bottle price
$0 $0.22 $0 $0.31
Maintaining revenue per acre in Foch vineyard:
Canopy management of Seyval
Shoot-thinned (5 shoots per foot)
Control
Treatments: shoot-thinned, cluster-thinned, shoot-thinned + cluster-thinned
Seyval
Con = control, ST= shoot-thinned, CT = cluster-thinned, ST+CT = shoot-thinned + cluster-thinned
Seyval
Con = control, ST= shoot-thinned, CT = cluster-thinned, ST+CT = shoot-thinned + cluster-thinned
pH = 3.52 – 3.65TA = 7.54 – 8.09 g/L
Con = control, ST= shoot-thinned, CT = cluster-thinned, ST+CT = shoot-thinned + cluster-thinned
Seyval
To maintain revenue of $7,356 per acre in Seyval vineyard:
Control
ST CT ST+CT
Yield (t/a) 12.0 9.6 8.1 6.6
Add. costs per acre
$0 $54 $62 $116
Add. cost per ton
$0 $5.62 $7.65 $17.57
Req. price per ton
$613 $772 $915 $1,132
Add. bottle price
$0 $0.22 $0.42 $0.72
Choosing a training system
Noiret on VSP
Managing hybrid canopies
Same concepts apply as in vinifera – but different practices are required to achieve a balanced, open canopy
• Choose training system and CM practices based on growth habit (upright vs. procumbent), anticipated vigor, site, and growing season
• Don’t undercrop! (But don’t overcrop…). Calculate cropload on 5 sentinel vines per acre.
• ST and CT if needed (often on vigorous hybrids)
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