High Cordon Machine Pruned Trellis Comparison to Three Standard Systems in Lodi 65 th Lodi Grape Day 7 February 2017 Paul Verdegaal UC Farm Advisor San Joaquin County
Balanced Vines
Purposes of Pruning A. J. Winkler 1962 Establish and maintain vine form Distribute bearing wood by capacity Control crop load
Concerns of Pruning $ Reality 2017 Lower Costs - Less Labor & Laws High Production High Quality Disease Prevention
Viticultural Practices Pruning $ Irrigation Nutrients Crop Load / Canopy Management
Crop Load / Canopy Management Cluster Thin Shoot Thin Leaf Removal Tipping Trimming Harvesting $
Considerations of Mechanization for Sustainability Disease Labor Availability Experience Regulations Wage Laws Benefits Safety Laws Market Competition Grape Prices
Trunk Canker Diseases in Vineyards Eutypa Dieback Eutypa lata (& others?) Bot Canker Botryosphaerai spp. Esca/ Black Measles/Vine Decline/Petri Disease/ Black Goo (many names, complex of fungi) Phaeoacromonium spp., Phaeomoniella spp, Togninia spp., etc. Phomopsis Dieback Phomopsis viticola
Cane Pruned HDC
HCMP Standard Bilateral Cordon T
HCMP Standard Bilateral Cordon T HCMP Standard Bilateral Cordon T
HDC HDC HDC Cane Pruned Cane Pruned
HCMP System Design Factors Studded T posts 133 10 GA wire Spaciong 7-8 ft x 10-11 ft Cordon Height 60 inches (minimum) to 72 inches Years 1-3 Vines shoot thinned & Cluster thinned (possibly) Year 1-4 Hand pruned Year 5+ Machine Hedged; 8 to 10 inch box Hand touch up 3 to 5 cents per vine 50 to 100 HP tractor
PRUNING AND TRELLIS SYSTEM COMPARISON TRIAL KAUTZ VINEYARDS 2016 STANDARD BILATERAL HDC QUAD CANE PRUNED HCMP 200 180 180 167 160 140 141 120 100 88 80 60 40 28 42 38 43 20 0 LB FRUIT/VINE CLUSTERS/VINE LSD P=.05 13.88 83.95 PAUL VERDEGAAL UCCE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
PRUNING AND TRELLIS SYSTEM COMPARISON TRIAL KAUTZ VINEYARDS 2016 STANDARD BILATERAL HDC QUAD CANE PRUNED HCMP 18 16 15.3 15.5 14 13.7 12 10 10.2 8 6 4 2 1.24 1.05 1.22 1.19 0.32 0.25 0.27 0.26 0 CLUSTER Wt. LBS BERRY Wt. GMS TPA LSD P=.05 0.125 0.11 5.02 PAUL VERDEGAAL UCCE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
PRUNING AND TRELLIS SYSTEM COMPARISON TRIAL KAUTZ VINEYARDS 2016 STANDARD BILATERAL HDC QUAD CANE PRUNED HCMP 30 25 25.1 25.3 24.5 24.9 20 15 10 6.5 6.5 6.3 6.6 5 3.46 3.46 3.36 3.43 0 BRIX T.A. g/l ph LSD P=.05 1.45 0.61 0.134 PAUL VERDEGAAL UCCE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
PRUNING AND TRELLIS SYSTEM COMPARISON TRIAL KAUTZ VINEYARDS STANDARD BILATERAL HDC QUAD CANE PRUNED HCMP 50 45 40 35 36 45.27 39 43 40.83 42 42.7 42 38 38 43 30 25 25.1 20 19 15 12.57 10 5 6.5 3.46 0 2013 2014 2015 2016 POUNDS FRUIT/VINE PAUL VERDEGAAL UCCE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
PRUNING AND TRELLIS SYSTEM COMPARISON TRIAL KAUTZ VINEYARDS STANDARD BILATERAL HDC QUAD CANE PRUNED HCMP 200 180 180 180 167 160 140 120 100 124 102 111 113 95 131 125 142 88 141 80 60 57 64 40 41 20 0 2013 2014 2015 2016 CLUSTERS/VINE PAUL VERDEGAAL UCCE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
PRUNING AND TRELLIS SYSTEM COMPARISON TRIAL KAUTZ VINEYARDS STANDARD BILATERAL HDC QUAD CANE PRUNED HCMP 0.5 0.45 0.4 0.35 0.3 0.25 0.29 0.31 0.29 0.3 0.38 0.36 0.35 0.35 0.25 0.31 0.31 0.3 0.32 0.25 0.27 0.26 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 2013 2014 2015 2016 CLUSTER WEIGHT LBS PAUL VERDEGAAL UCCE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
Kautz Vineyard Juice Analysis 2014 Juice Analysis Brix ph T.A. g/l Bilateral Cordon 24.6 3.57 b 6.5 HDC 24.8 3.57 b 6.4 Cane Pruned 25.3 3.53 b 6.6 HCMP 26.7 3.67 a 6.7 NS 2015 Juice Analysis NS Brix ph T.A. g/l Bilateral Cordon 25.5 a 3.78 ab 5.1 HDC 25.5 a 3.85 a 4.9 Cane Pruned 22.8 b 3.67 b 5.5 HCMP 23.6 ab 3.77 ab 5.7 NS 2016 Juice Analysis Brix ph T.A. g/l Bilateral Cordon 25.1 3.46 6.5 HDC 25.3 3.46 6.5 Cane Pruned 24.5 3.36 6.3 HCMP 24.9 3.43 6.6 9 October 1 October 14 October NS NS NS
50.0 45.0 40.0 35.0 30.0 25.0 20.0 First Harvest Yields Kautz Vineyard 2013 Tons per Acre 13.0 10 October 2013 15.0 10.0 5.0 6.0 4.6 6.9 0.0 Standard HDC Cane Pruned HCMP Brix 24.0 24.3 23.1 24.9 nsd
Harvest Yield 2014 Tons Per Acre 9 October 2014 16 14 11.9 15.0 13.0 14.1 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Standard HDC Cane Pruned MPHC Brix 24.6 24.8 25.3 26.7
2015 Kautz Trial TPA 16.0 14.0 12.0 14.8 13.7 15.2 12.0 10.0 8.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 Standard HDC Cane Pruned HCMP 1 October
2016 Kautz Trial TPA 16.0 14.0 15.3 13.7 15.5 12.0 10.2 10.0 8.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 Standard HDC Cane Pruned HCMP 14 October
Pruning Systems Comparison Kautz Vineyard Accumulated Yield & Estimated Returns 2013 to 2016 TPA $ Return/Acre* Cost/Acre Standard Bilateral Cordon 40.1 28,078 _ HDC 49.6 34,720 _ Cane Pruned 53.4 37,380 _ HCMP 51.8 36,260 _ $700/ton
Gallo Liberty Vineyard HCMP T Trellis Cordon Height 60 inches vs 42 inches
yield (tons/acre) Harvest Yield TPA 18.0 Liberty Trellis Comparison 2016 16.0 14.0 12.0 10.0 8.0 HCMP Standard 6.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 Pinot grigio Chardonnay Merlot Pinot noir Cabernet Sauvignon
Liberty Gallo HCMP Harvest Differential Days Pinot grigio +10 to 14 days Chardonnay 0 Pinot noir -2 to 3 Merlot +14 to 16 Cabernet Sauvignon +7 to 10
Summary Vine Capacity Should Be Fully Utilized Balance of Production versus Growth Maximum Yield for Total Inputs Quality Wines at a Reasonable Price Some Varieties may not be adaptable or with caution Cabernet sauvignon; Sauvignon blanc; Chardonnay; Syrah; Malbec Merlot; Pinot noir; Viognier Pinot grigio; Zinfandel More Input with Higher Yields Water N & K Scale of Operation or Custom Services required Capital Investment or Specialization of Services
Thanks to Joe Valente, Kautz Vineyards John Kautz Farms Ernie and Jeff Dosio, Pacific AgriLands, Inc. Gallo Vineyards Lodi Winegrape Commission LWC Lodi District Grape Growers Association LDGGA
Remember Our Military The Land of the Free because the Home of the Brave
Winkler s Principles Pruning decreases vine capacity Crop depresses vine capacity in following year(s) Vine capacity varies with shoot number Shoot vigor is inverse to shoot number and crop load Vine fruitfulness varies (within limits) inversely with shoot vigor Large shoot or arm can produce more than small one and should carry more fruit buds Vines can nourish and ripen a certain quantity of fruit; its capacity is limited by its history and environment 1929-60
Vegetative vs Reproductive Crop : Prunings Ratio 3 5 Coastal 5 7 Balanced 7 10 Cash flow Prunings / cordon 0.3 to 1.0 kg/m 0.6 to 1.0 lb/ft Shoots per cordon length 1 / 5cm 50 to 75 % of clusters visible*