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w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m M a r - A p r 2 014 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 3 3 ber of clusters. The more buds left, the more shoots and the potential for more clusters and higher yields. But leaving too many buds can cause shoots to compete for the vines' resources and not develop strong enough shoots to ripen the crop. Conversely, too few shoots can cause excessive vigor and issues with set. Choosing cane pruning over cor- don pruning can improve yields in many situations, particularly in vari- eties with better fertility in apical bud positions. Cane-pruned vines also tend to have lower incidenc- es of canker diseases, which can cause lower productivity. A TALE OF TWO SEASONS As vines enter dormancy, the crop potential for the following season has already been partially determined. Exposure of buds to sunlight in the season prior to the current one increases bud fruitful- ness. Shading of the buds in the prior season can reduce bud fertil- ity. As a result, yield management takes place over two seasons. This complex dual-season effect on fertility is part of the reason why a more vigorous vine does not always produce more crop. Vines with excessive vigor shade buds during their differentiation during the prior season and cause lower bud fertility. Vines that are grow- ing too rapidly during bloom can cause shatter and poor fruit set. It is more important to have a healthy, balanced vine, so techniques to build vigor need to be used in mod- eration, especially if the vineyard is not designed for high production in terms of variety, rootstock, spacing and trellis selection. In situations where vines are vig- orous, canopy management during both seasons is critical. Suckering should be completed by bloom, even when suckers can be left on the vine longer as a devigoration strategy. Any canopy management in the fruit zone, such as leaf and/or lateral removal, should be done as early in the season, as close to set, as possible. This allows more light onto the differentiating buds for the following season, and also helps the grapes growing in the current season to acclimate to sunlight, protecting them from sunburn. As always, excessive canopy removal, even when done early in grape development, can overexpose clusters, making them susceptible to sun damage and shrivel, reducing yields in an undesirable way. NUTRITION COUNTS Throughout a vineyard's life, it is prudent to take periodic sam- ples to make sure that the soil has enough available nutrients for the vines. Annual vine tissue nutrient Key's VitiSort ™ wine grape sorter combines a MOG removal shaker, optical sorting, and free-run juice recovery in one compact system to remove shot berries, insects, raisins, small jacks and more. s Reduce sorting labor costs by up to 80% s 99.9% MOG removal s Produce consistent, high quality wine s Lowest cost grape sorter on the market Contact us today at 509.529.2161 to learn how VitiSort can help you put only fl awless grapes in your bottle. © Key Technology Inc. 2014 www.key.net Sorting Excellence Processing Knowledge Conveying Effi ciency Advancing Together Remove the MOG. Save the fl avor. TM VitiSort ™ Optical Wine Grape Sorter SOIL & CELLAR REMI COHEN