VIN 123 - Pruning and Canopy Management

Credits: 2
Lecture Hours: 2
Lab Hours: 0
Practicum Hours: 0
Work Experience: 0
Course Type: Voc/Tech

This course is an introduction to pruning and the canopy management of bearing vineyards. Prior to taking this course, students should have a basic understanding of vineyard establishment leading up to the years of vineyard fruit production.
Competencies

Evaluate the impact that vineyard status can have on vineyard management
1. Identify training systems
2. Evaluate the strengths and limitations of each system.
3. Investigate impact of winter hardiness and spring frosts
4. Explain how to determine damage
5. Identify methods of cold temperature avoidance
Understand different pruning systems
1. Differentiate cordon and cane pruning
2. Differentiate fruiting canes and spurs
3. Identify methods of insurance pruning
4. Demonstrate balance pruning
Outline pre-pruning steps
1. Identify live tissues
2. Identify desirable and undesirable tissue
3. Analyze vine growth status.
4. Calculate proper level of pruning
Analyze proper pruning technique
1. Evaluate methods of tissue removal
2. Assess different pruning situations
Identify characteristics of a quality canopy
1. Calculate shoot density
2. Estimate fruit exposure
3. Identify plant growth habits that indicate proper growth
Formulate canopy management plan
1. Outline canopy management options
2. Describe options for positioning canopy
3. Describe options of removing canopy
4. Evaluate management options
5. Analyze impact of plan