Effects of Vineyard Management Practices on Winegrape Yield Components. A Review Using Meta-analysis

Background and goals 

Vineyard management practices can improve production outcomes, including fruit quality and disease prevention. The results of these practices are variable due to vineyard factors such as production capacity, growing environment, and the intensity at which the practice is applied. The meta-analysis reported herein synthesizes data on the effects of vineyard management practices, to better inform vineyard managers of their likely outcomes. 

Methods and key findings 

A meta-analysis was used to investigate vineyard practices including cluster thinning, irrigation, leaf removal, pruning severity, pruning timing, shoot thinning, and shoot trimming, and their effects on yield and on yield components such as berry number per cluster, berry weight, cluster weight, and cluster number. Cluster thinning, leaf removal, shoot thinning, and irrigation reduction significantly reduced yield. Reduced pruning severity increased yield as the bud number increased. All yield components were significantly reduced by reduced irrigation. Cluster thinning and shoot thinning could partially compensate for reduced cluster number with corresponding increases in berry number per cluster, berry weight, and cluster weight. When pruning was less severe, the decreased berry number per cluster, berry weight, and cluster weight partially counteracted the increase in cluster number. In many cases, the timing and severity of vineyard management practices led to different outcomes; this interaction must be considered when making management decisions. 

Conclusions and significance 

This meta-analysis provides important information to better predict yield outcomes after implementation of various vineyard management practices.