Impact of Training System on Vine Performance and Fruit Composition of Traminette

Abstract

The performance of own-rooted Traminette vines was investigated over a 5-year period on three training systems: high cordon (HC), midwire cordon (MWC), and Scott Henry (SH). Yield, vine size, and canopy density were strongly influenced by training system. Berry composition (soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity and monoterpenes) was only slightly influenced by training system. Vines trained to divided-canopy SH had the highest yield and largest vine size, resulting in 5-year mean crop load (ratio of yield to cane pruning weight) of 7.8, which is at the low end of the generally accepted appropriate range of 8 to 12. Midwire cordon vines were 22% lower yielding, but with similar vine size, resulting in a lower than desired 5-year mean crop load of 6.0. High-cordon vines had moderate yield and vine size, and a 5-yr mean crop load of 8.1. Canopy density as measured by point quadrat analysis differed between training systems. High-cordon vines had dense canopies with four leaf layers, 2% gaps, and less than 20% exposed clusters, while SH and MWC vines had one to two leaf layers, approximately 10% gaps, and 40% exposed clusters. Despite differences in canopy density and crop load ratios, fruit composition at harvest was similar for all training systems.