Sustainable grape productivity and the growth-yield relationship: A review

Abstract

Research reports and experimental efforts during the last century are presented with the goal to encourage discussion of balancing grapevine fruit yield and vine growth and leaf area. Fruit and subsequent processed quality are equally relevant economic issues as we strive to create conditions for both sustainable grapevine productivity and vine capacity for tolerating abiotic and biotic stress episodes. It is proposed that methods to achieve vine balance will vary with regard to macroclimate and cultivar, but will be most critical for those macroclimates commonly called cool-climate regions. Regardless, vine balance is most readily understood when based on the principles of vine carbon balance as mediated through well-understood factors such as cm2 leaf area/gram fresh weight of fruit at harvest and allmetric practices as the Ravaz Index and the GrowthYield Relationship.