IMPORTANCE OF CORRECT PRUNING AND CANOPY

MANAGEMENT

In this presentation

• Factors influencing fruitfulness • Results of poor pruning and canopy

management

Permanent trunk (3 years or more)

Spur of previous season (2 years)

Shoot from this season (1 year)

FRUITFULNESS: 1 year old on 2 year old = fruitful (carry clusters)

Cropping potential • Cropping potential = Fruitfulness of buds x Number of

buds x Environmental factors • Environmental factors include

– Vine health (diseases, pests) (management) – Moisture availability (irrigation) (management) – Nutrient availability (fertilizer applications) (management) – Climate (cannot change)

• Fruitfulness of buds depends on – Variety: Genetic (cannot change) – Pruning system: Spurs vs canes (decision depending variety) – Correct application of pruning system (management) – Trellis system: Vertical vs Horizontal (decision) – Exposure of buds to sunlight during the growing season,

specifically during and just after flowering (management) – Temperature during spring and early summer; higher

temperatures (>25 °C) will increase fruitfulness (cannot change)

Management • We can only effect the aspects we can

have an influence on • Management of sunlight into the canopy

has the biggest effect on cropping potential in the long term and is dependent on: – Application of the pruning system – Canopy management during the season

(shoot thinning, leaf thinning, tipping, topping)

Pruning and canopy management

• Pruning and canopy management are equally important, because – Pruning provides the amount of buds for

optimal yield and quality – Canopy management provides strong shoots

that can be pruned during winter

Correct and poor spacing of spurs

Effects of pruning on canopy density

Canopy too dense

Ideal spacing between spurs

12-15 cm

Effects of wrong pruning

Poor spur spacing

Poor spacing of spurs =

No sunlight in canopy =

Low fruitfulness =

Low yield

Poor ripening of shoots

Effects of poor pruning and canopy management

Shoot removal by hand

Suckering

Suckering of excessive shoots to maintain adequate sunlight penetration

No shoots removed

Shoots removed √√

XX

Sunlight penetration ideal

Shade patterns reflect canopy density

Ideal Too dense

Use of shade patterns to evaluate density of canopy

Good spacing of shoots = good sunlight = high fruitfulness = high yield

Ripening of shoots complete

Good distribution of clusters

12-15 cm

Excessive bud load

Excessive crop load

Excessive shading/low sunlight Poor shoot growth

=

Correct spur spacing

Proper suckering (summer shoot removal)

Good ripening of shoots

Poor spacing of spurs

= No sunlight in canopy

Dead shoots

Results of poor sunlight in into canopy

Summary

• Pruning and canopy management is equally important – Correct pruning creates long term vine

structure – Good canopy management results in

• Good sunlight penetration • Good fruitfulness (high yield and quality)