Considerations for Growing and Marketing Wine Grapes in Tennessee Grape Growing 101 Understanding Wine Grapes
David W. Lockwood Plant Sciences University of Tennessee Grapes -
• Said to be the oldest cultivated fruit – Found in Egyptian tombs & tombs of pre-Christ era • Grape of antiquity mentioned in the Bible
• Originated in the regions between and south of the Caspian and Black seas in Asia Minor • Cab Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Vitis vinifera • Merlot Zinfandel
•
Chardonnay Sauvignon blanc Trebbiano Sangiovese Vinifera Varieties
• Most require long, warm-to-hot summers • Cool winters (often injured at temperatures below -8°F) • Spring frosts can kill most of the fruitful shoots and reduce the crop • Rain, cold, cloudy weather during bloom results in poor berry set Rains early – disease, at harvest – fruit rot American Bunch Grapes
• Cynthiana • Catawba (aka Norton)
• Steuben • Niagara Native American species
Cold hardy Disease resistant Fruits have lower sugars, higher acids and berries are slip-skin About 30 species have been identified V. labrusca, V. aestivalis, V. riparia, V.berlandieri • Seyval Vidal blanc French American Hybrids • Chardonel
Muscadines (Vitis rotundifolia Miche)
• Native to the Southeast • Have been cultivated for > 400 years • Muscadine grapes Jumbo • Scuppernong
Supreme • Carlos Types of Grapes for Wine Production in Tennessee • Muscadines: easiest to grow, limitation is potential for cold injury, best candidate for organic production IF cold injury is not a limitation • Americans: most consistently productive throughout all parts of the state, highest yield potential for bunch grapes • French-American hybrids: adaptable to most parts of the state, intermediate yield levels • Vitis vinifera: perhaps most desired of all bunch grapes (may receive a premium price for the fruit, most difficult to grow (cold, disease susceptibility, site specific), lowest yield potential Vineyard Timeline
• -1 years: Site selection & development (preplant) • 1st year: Planting, training, trellising • 2nd & 3rd year: Pruning, training • 4th year: 1st commercial crop • 5th year: Full Production • Expected life of vineyard: ? (20+ years) Average Grape Yields from Mature Vineyards
• American bunch - 5 to 7 tons/acre • French-American Hybrids – 3 to 5 tons / acre • Vitis vinifera - 1 ½ to 2 tons / acre • Muscadines - 7 to 8 tons / acre A Vineyard Is NOT Forever
• Change in customer demands • Introduction of superior varieties • Emergence of new pest problems • Weather-related issues • Deficiencies in the cultural program Parts of a Vine Ungrafted (own roots) vs. Grafted Grapevines? Type of Grape Muscadine ungrafted American ungrafted French-American Hybrid Most older varieties can be ungrafted, Consider grafted vines for Chardonel, Traminette V. vinifera All should be grafted Grape Root Phylloxera Compound Bud of Grape
4 = lateral shoot
3 = tertiary bud 5 = leaf scar
1 = primary bud 2 = secondary bud Grapevine Growth Cycle Stages of growth & fruiting of a vinifera grapevine in an average year
Vineyard Site Selection
David W. Lockwood Univ. of TN/Univ. of GA
7/30/2011
Orchard Site Score Sheet • Accessibility • Full sun • Elevation • Slope – aspect and steepness • Soil Characteristics – drainage (internal & surface), potential rooting depth, fertility • Water – quantity & quality • Wildlife • Adjacent agricultural operations Elevation (Relative)
(also fog) For every 100’ increase in elev., expect 5 to 10°F increase in temp. during a radiation frost event Site Selection
• Direction of slope – • North to northeast – less potential for winter injury, frost damage • Steepness of slope – erosion, irrigation design, safe operation of equipment • Soils • Water • Wildlife Direction of Slope
North facing South facing • Reduced potential for winter injury • Soils tend to be: (less severe temperature fluctuations – Warmer in winter) – Thinner – Lower in organic matter content – More drought prone
• Crops: • Reduced potential for spring frost – Break bud earlier damage (plants become active later) – Ripen their fruit earlier Slope
• Mild (2 to 5%) – increases air & water drainage –Flat fields may pose supplemental water drainage problems • As slope increases, the erosion potential increases • Slopes > 15% present a hazard in operating equipment • Undulating slopes: –Difficulties in constructing & maintaining trellises & irrigation systems –Vast differences in soils: • Depth, drainage, fertility Row Orientation – Sloping Land Across the slope Up & down the slope • Vineyard floor mgmt. • Vegetation under vines to – Bare strip under vines & lessen erosion mowed row middles • Superior air drainage • Irrigation systems easier • Heavier, more powerful to design & operate tractors needed to • More precision in handle the hills pesticide applications – (4-wheel drive) • >15% slope, sliding into rows • >25% slope, roll-over threat Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Wildlife Damage to Selected Fruit Crops - 1998
Crop Damage in Value of $’s spent in wildlife Dollars Production damage control Apples 13.5 million 1 percent 4 million Blueberry 4.4 million 4 percent 443,000 Grape 23.1 million 1 percent 5.4 million Total 41 million ~9.9 million Exclusion (Netting) Site Preparation
• Soil testing • Elimination of noxious weeds • Remove barriers to good air drainage • Address poor water drainage areas (if applicable) • Remove wild/abandoned vines near the orchard site • Establish desired vineyard floor cover Taking Soil Samples • Sample at 2 depths – Upper 8 inches – 8 to 16 inches • pH • P • K • Ca • Mg • Organic Matter Effect of Soil pH on Nutrient Availability Applying Lime & Phosphorus to Soils Rate for upper 8” + = Amt. to apply Rate for 8 – 16” depth
Disk or rototill (mixes lime with soil in upper 4 – 6”)
Plow to put amended soil at the bottom of the furrow (for high lime rates, apply ~ 2/3 of total & incorporate, apply remaining amount & disk into topsoil) More Site Development Considerations:
• Shading results in spindly growth, reduced fruiting and fruit quality, increased disease pressure (especially morning shade) • Air drainage – grown up ditchbanks, fencerows, etc. can restrict air drainage out of planting site • Water drainage – consider diversions, ditching or tile drainage to eliminate wet areas – Consider planting on a raised bed in marginal sites Field Layout
• North/south row orientation is most desirable if the field permits – Plant across slopes, regardless of orientation, to reduce soil erosion • The suggested floor management plan consists of a bare strip of soil down the row a minimum of 4 feet or more in width plus a sodded strip between rows for equipment support and to serve as a deceleration and diffusion strip for run-off water. • Straight rows make trellis construction and maintenance easier. – Make the maximum length of the trellis about 300 ft. for ease of access and to allow for better air drainage Ordering Plants
• Order early to increase chances of getting the varieties, plant size and plant quality that you desire – Consider delaying planting and advance ordering if desired plants are not available • Don’t cut corners on plant quality – Virus-indexed – Tissue culture Grapevine Viruses
Leafroll
Red Blotch K Def. or Leafroll? – Reddish-purple interveinal discoloration starting @ the leaf margin, BUT with green coloration bordering the veins, symptoms develop 1st on mid- shoot leaves K def. Leafroll Grapes
American bunch Hybrids V. vinifera Muscadines Own-rooted or Own-rooted Mostly own-rooted, Grafted Own-rooted grafted vines some grafted Vine spacing 8’ X 12’ = 8’ X 12’ = 6’ X 12’ = 16’ X 12’ = 454 vines/acre 454 vines/acre 605 vines/acre 227 vines/acre Time from planting 3 to 4 3 to 4 3 to 4 3 to 5 to 1st crop (years) Time to full crop 5 5 5 6 to 7 (years) Anticipated annual 25 to 30 lbs/vine 15 to 20 lbs/vine 8 to 10 lbs/vine 60 to 70 lbs/vine yield (5½ to 7 tons/acre) (3½ to 5 tons/acre) (2½ to 3 tons/acre) (7 to 8 tons/acre) Anticipated 20 to 25 years 20 to 25 years 15 to 20 years 25 to 30+ years productive life Functions of the Trellis
The trellis is a long-term investment. It should be built to last the life of the vineyard • Support the vine and the crop • Expose fruit and foliage to sunlight • Open canopy to air movement and spray penetration • Facilitate ease of vineyard operations – Pruning, thinning, pest control, harvest Grapes may be grown on the ground - • Lack of trellis materials • Cold (vines covered with soil in winter) • Tradition Trellises • Most expensive part of vineyard establishment • Trellis should be designed to last the life of a vineyard • Wood, metal or a combination for posts • Wire tensioning is done from end posts – End posts should be larger (at least 4 in. top diam.) • 10 ft. posts with 3 ft. in the ground • Anchors to reinforce end posts – Line posts used to position wires at desired heights 3 in. top diam.) • 8 ft. posts with 2 ft. in the ground • Wire: 12½ gauge high tensile for the load-bearing wire Factors influencing training system & trellis design to be used in the vineyard • Type of grape (Amer. Bunch, Fr. Amer. Hybrid, V. vinifera, muscadine) • Vine spacing (inrow & between row) • Row orientation • Soil fertility • Management capabilities • Available labor (both the amount & capabilities) • Establishment costs • Equipment requirement • Mechanization? Two-Dimensional Trellises VSP High wire bilateral cordon Umbrella Kniffin
Hudson River Umbrella 4 Cane Kniffin Scott Henry
Smart Henry Smart Dyson From Galleta & Himelrick, Grape Training Systems Small Fruit Crop Mgt., 1990
Three-Dimensional Trellises 4 Arm Kniffin Umbrella Kniffin Geneva Double Curtain (GDC)
Single curtain cordon Geneva double curtain
Lyre
David W. Lockwood UT/UGA 2015
Training • Manipulating a plant to: –attain a desired shape –promote early production –increase fruit quality –make plant care easier Vineyard Training Systems -
• Which to use? –Site specific –Person specific • Use what works best for the location of the vineyard & for the people who will be doing the work. 4-Cane Kniffin System Mature Vine High or Low Cordon?
• High Cordon: High Wire Bilateral Cordon, Umbrella Kniffin, Hudson River Umbrella, Geneva Double Curtain – For varieties with a trailing/drooping growth habit – Labrusca types tend to have downward growth • Low Cordon: Vertical Shoot Positioning, Lyre – For varieties with an upright to semi upright growth habit – V. vinifera tends to have upward growth Bilateral (Single Curtain) Cordon
60” Pruning – Low-Head Bilateral Cordon System aka VSP (Vetical Shoot Positioning) Why Prune?
• The grape is not ripened by the rays of the moon.
• Facilitate better sunlight penetration, air flow and spray coverage throughout the canopy • Promote growth in desired areas – Keep the crop close to the trunk or cordons • Promote development of wood for future crops • Remove dead, broken or diseased canes • Remove unfruitful canes • Adjust crop size Types of Pruning
• Cane Renewal Pruning: – Use where the most fruitful buds are further away from the base of the cane (5th to 7 buds)
• Spur Pruning: • Use where the basal few buds tend to be the most fruitful – 2nd to 4th buds – The bud at the base of a cane is seldom fruitful & is not included when making bud counts Pruning – High-Head Bilateral Cordon System Pruning – Low-Head Bilateral Cordon System 4-Cane Kniffin System Mature Vine Grapevine: Bud Fruitfulness
• Spur pruning -Where the basal 2 to 3 buds are the most fruitful • Cane replacement – where the most fruitful buds are further out on canes Annual Cultural Practices in an Established Vineyard • Pruning • Weed Control • Dormant sprays • Fertilization • Sprays for insect & disease control – (8 to 10 applications) • Mowing • Weed control • Cluster thinning • Canopy management – shoot positioning & removal of non-fruitful shoots , leaf removal • Harvest • Post-harvest sprays Sub-Lethal Glyphosate Injury
Injury late in the growing season may: • Stop shoot growth • Result in off- green leaf color • Be carried over into following year with: – Multiple severely stunted shoots emerging from nodes – Stunted growth continuing through the growing season or until the vine dies Vineyard Fertility
David W. Lockwood UT/UGA March 27, 2015 Components of a Good Vineyard Fertility Program:
• Soil testing – pre & post-plant • Tissue analysis • Records on yields & quality • Tree growth & leaf color observations Getting the best return from your fertilizer dollar
• Establish & maintain optimum soil pH • Time of fertilizer application: – Preplant – Postplant (N – when vines can actively take it up) • Know what you need (records, observations, tissue analysis, ) • Method of application • Maximize resorption of nutrients in fall • Reduce competition Petiole Analysis At Bloom At Veraison • May be most accurate for • May provide more reliable nitrogen information for other • For immediate fertilizer nutrients applications • Use for post-harvest applications or next season application • Select most recently matured leaf (use only shoots that have NOT been tipped) – generally the 5th to th Basal 7 leaf from the tip Cluster Grape Petiole Analysis Element Full Bloom Veraison N 1.6 – 2.8% 0.9 – 1.3% P 0.20 – 0.60 0.16 – 0.29 K 1.50 – 5.00 1.50 – 2.50 Ca 0.40 – 2.50 1.20 – 1.80 Mg 0.13 – 0.40 0.26 – 0.45 Mn 18 – 100 ppm 31 – 150 ppm Fe 40 – 180 ppm 31 – 50 ppm B 25 – 50 ppm 25 – 50 ppm Cu 5 – 10 ppm 5 – 15 ppm Zn 20 – 100 ppm 30 – 50 ppm Mo 0.13 – 0.40 ppm 0.3 – 1.5 ppm Maintaining Productivity in Mature Vineyards
David W. Lockwood UT/UGA 2017 Kentucky Fruit and vegetable Conference When to Prune? • Early pruning may result in more canker disease issues Botryosphaeria Dieback? Delayed vs. Double Pruning
Delayed Pruning Double Pruning • Pros: • Pros: • Possible delay in budbreak • Canker disease control • Canker disease control • 1st pruning can be mechanized, does not require highly skilled labor, allows • Cons: for removal of most of the brush • Concentrates pruning labor into a short • Cons time period when other vineyard • No delay in budbreak operations also need to be done • 2nd pruning does come at an inconvenient time, but it is not as • Consider for early budbreak varieties time demanding as delayed pruning Antinori 2014 Merlot
Trunk renewal Identify the Disease
Botrytis Bunch Rot Black Rot Sour Rot Black Rot Infection Period Prediction Table • Minimum leaf wetness • Temperature (°F) duration in hours for light ______infection 50 24 55 12 60 9 65 8 70 7 75 7 80 6 85 9 90 12
R. A. Spots, Ohio State Univ. Black Rot
All new growth is susceptible to infection Most V. vinifera are highly susceptible
Cultural Control Chemical Control • Dormant pruning • Most critical time to spray: • Removal of mummified fruit • Just before bloom until 4 to 6 • Canopy management practices weeks post-bloom • Once veraison begins, natural to permit good light, air and resistance to infection develops in spray penetration the fruit Female Grape Root Borer Moth
Photo by Grape Root Borer Pupal Exuvia Hannah Burrack L i f e
C y c l e • Effect of larval feeding at the GRB Impact on Yield base of the trunk Dutcher & All, 1979 • Effect of larval feeding on roots
# larvae % trunk % Yield # larvae Yield girdling Reduction Reduction 1 30% 1 6 47 2 50% 2 12 73 Regent • Relatively new German hybrid • Mostly vinifera • Good fungal disease resistance • Wines can have: • Intense color • Tannins • Acidity • Strong aromas of cherry & black currant • Suggest planting grafted vines Arandell • 1st release form Bruce Reisch’s “no spray” program • Good resistance to: • Powdery mildew • Downy mildew • Susceptible to: • Black rot • Phomopsis • Dark red wine with light to moderate tannins • Notes of dark berry fruit, tobacco, hints of black pepper or cedar on finish Aromella • Recent Cornell release • Ranked as making a top-ranked floral to muscat wine • Own-rooted vines have been highly productive & highly vigorous • Large, loose clusters • Juice chemistry in Finger Lakes similar to Riesling • Wine characterized by notes of pineapple, honeysuckle & citrus peel Harvest
• For information on vineyards management practices, consult:
• www.smallfruits.org, – select “IPM/Production Practices” – & then select Bunch Grapes, Southeast Regional Bunch Grapes Integrated Management Guide References
• Wine Production Guide for Eastern North America Natural Resource, Agriculture and Engineering Service (NRAES) Cooperative Extension PO Box 4557 Ithaca, NY 14852-4557 Phone: 607-255-7654 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.NRAES.ORG