TY - JOUR T1 - Five Years of Machine Pruning: A Grower's Experience JF - American Journal of Enology and Viticulture JO - Am J Enol Vitic. SP - 40 LP - 41 DO - 10.5344/ajev.1983.34.1.40 VL - 34 IS - 1 AU - GARY B. WILSON Y1 - 1983/01/01 UR - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/34/1/40.abstract N2 - In 1978, test plots were established to evaluate machine pruning of Salvador, Barbera, and French Colombard grapes. A vineyard pruning machine was developed. Yields and sugars were collected for three harvest seasons. All tests but one showed increased yields and reduced sugars. Total sugar produced in the three years was increased 6% in Salvador, 13% in Barbera, and 7% in French Colombard. The labor costs of pruning complete blocks of the same varieties were collected as they progressed from hand pruning (1977) to machine aided (1978-80) to machine pruning (1981-82). Machine pruning substantially reduced hand pruning labor costs even though wage rates increased during the same period. Total pruning costs were also reduced. ER -