PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Xiaoyi Wang
AU  - Roberta De Bei
AU  - Sigfredo Fuentes
AU  - Cassandra Collins
TI  - Influence of Canopy Management Practices on Canopy Architecture and Reproductive Performance of Semillon and Shiraz Grapevines in a Hot Climate
AID  - 10.5344/ajev.2019.19007
DP  - 2019 Jun 07
TA  - American Journal of Enology and Viticulture
PG  - ajev.2019.19007
4099  - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/early/2019/06/05/ajev.2019.19007.short
4100  - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/early/2019/06/05/ajev.2019.19007.full
AB  - Canopy management techniques can be beneficial to grapevine reproduction as they improve canopy structure and microclimate. In this study the influence of different canopy management practices: cluster thinning, leaf removal, shoot thinning and light pruning on reproductive performance was studied for the varieties Semillon and Shiraz grown under field conditions in a hot climate in South Australia. Canopy architecture, canopy light interception and reproductive parameters for different management practices were measured. Results showed that the applied practices modified canopy architecture and influenced reproductive performance and the berry ripening process. Specifically, shoot thinning and leaf removal decreased leaf area index (LAI) and increased canopy porosity and light interception. Berry ripening was positively affected by cluster thinning and shoot thinning, while leaf removal and light pruning delayed the process. For reproductive parameters, leaf removal had a relatively minor impact; shoot thinning and cluster thinning reduced cluster number but showed compensation effects in other yield components; and light pruning decreased berry weight. In addition, cluster compactness was found to be significantly correlated with bunch rot (Botrytis cinerea) incidence for Semillon.