Vine management systems affect yield, fruit quality, cluster compactness, and fruit rot of 'Chardonnay' grape

Abstract

Three vine management systems were evaluated on 'Chardonnay' grapevines under Michigan growing conditions for five growing seasons to determine their influence on yield, fruit quality, cluster compactness, and the incidence and severity of fruit rot. These systems used mid-wire cordon (MWC) vine training, Umbrella Kniffin (UK) vine training, and a combination of those (UK/MWC). Over four growing seasons the UK and UK/MWC treatments had higher fruit soluble solids and higher yields than the MWC treatment. These higher yields were attributed to higher yields per node and the ability to retain more live nodes per vine than was possible with the MWC treatment. The UK and UK/MWC treatments also had less fruit rot than the MWC treatment in some years, which was related to reduced compactness of clusters. The UK and UK/MWC treatments produced greater numbers of mature canes per vine than the MWC treatment, and the locations of the canes allowed full cropping the season following an extremely cold winter.