Articles
EFFECTS OF LATE MECHANIZED LEAF REMOVAL ABOVE THE CLUSTERS ZONE TO DELAY GRAPE RIPENING IN ‘SANGIOVESE’ VINES
Article number
978_35
Pages
301 – 307
Language
English
Abstract
The responses to late season mechanical leaf removal (four weeks after verasion) conducted above the clusters zone in Sangiovese/3309 C vines trained to spur-pruned cordon were assessed in 2011 as grape composition, wine quality and replenishment of the reserve in roots and stems.
Eliminating 36% of the more functional leaves (i.e. median leaves and a fraction of well-expanded apical leaves of either primary and lateral shoots) resulted an effective, easy-to-do and economically viable method (it required only 3-4 hours per hectare) to slow grape ripening and obtain grapes with reduced soluble solids concentration and wine with lower alcohol content (-0.6%). Concurrently, the concentration of phenolics compounds in the grapes, the chemical and chromatic characteristics of the wines and the replenishment of the reserves (alcohol-soluble sugars, starch and total nitrogen) in the stems and roots were unaffected as compared to the non defoliated vines.
This preliminary data also suggest that, in Sangiovese, a robust response can be achieved if leaf removal is performed when the soluble solids concentration in the berries ranges around 15-16 °Brix and while severity of defoliation should not be less than 35-40% of the pending total leaf area.
Eliminating 36% of the more functional leaves (i.e. median leaves and a fraction of well-expanded apical leaves of either primary and lateral shoots) resulted an effective, easy-to-do and economically viable method (it required only 3-4 hours per hectare) to slow grape ripening and obtain grapes with reduced soluble solids concentration and wine with lower alcohol content (-0.6%). Concurrently, the concentration of phenolics compounds in the grapes, the chemical and chromatic characteristics of the wines and the replenishment of the reserves (alcohol-soluble sugars, starch and total nitrogen) in the stems and roots were unaffected as compared to the non defoliated vines.
This preliminary data also suggest that, in Sangiovese, a robust response can be achieved if leaf removal is performed when the soluble solids concentration in the berries ranges around 15-16 °Brix and while severity of defoliation should not be less than 35-40% of the pending total leaf area.
Authors
A. Palliotti, R. Cini, O. Silvestroni, F. Leoni, S. Poni
Keywords
berry composition, leaf area/yield ratio, anthocyanins/sugar ratio, reserve storage
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