Abstract
Shoot tipping, apical ethephon application, basal leaf removal, and lateral shoot removal were evaluated for two years as means of reducing shade in the fruiting/renewal region of young Chardonnay grapevines pruned to a low head and trained to bilateral canes. Tipping shoots or apical ethephon application effectively controlled shoot elongation and caused minimal terminal or lateral shoot regrowth. These treatments did not measurably alter the light environment of the fruiting/renewal region relative to vines receiving no canopy manipulation. Intracanopy insolation was, however, significantly increased by removal of lateral shoots. Canopy treatments did not significantly affect yields, pruning weights, or bud cold hardiness in either year; however, opening the fruiting region of the canopy by lateral shoot and/or basal leaf removal generally reduced titratable acidity and malic acid and significantly reduced the incidence of botrytis bunch rot.
- Received July 1985.
- Copyright 1986 by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture
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