Cultural Practices
In the world of grapes, the term 'cultural practices' can sometimes be used as a catch-all phrase, but generally it refers to topics that relate to growing the crop itself. This includes issues like choosing varieties and rootstocks, trellis and training systems to support the vines, managing the vines' canopies and cropload to meet production and fruit quality goals, winter pruning and more. You'll probably notice quickly that topics like these are also related to and influenced by information about pest management, vineyard nutrition and business management.
CULTURAL PRACTICES CATEGORIES
Relevant Events
Variable Rate Shoot Thinning Demonstration
May 24, 2019
12:00 PM
Branchport, NY
Tailgate Meeting
May 28, 2019
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Canandaigua, NY
Most Recent Cultural Practices Fall Content
Hans Walter-Peterson, Team Leader, Viticulture Extension Specialist
One of the components that influences yields in grapevines is the number of berries that set and mature on each cluster, or "fruit set". Each flower cluster contains many individual flowers, each of which has the potential to become a grape. However, not every flower will successfully pollinate or develop a healthy embryo and the surrounding tissue that becomes the fruit that we want.
This article covers some of the factors that influence fruit set in grapes and summarizes practices that growers could use to influence set. It was originally published in the June 2013 issue of the Finger Lakes Vineyard Notes.
Hans Walter-Peterson, Team Leader, Viticulture Extension Specialist
Dr. Kees van Leeuwen is a professor of viticulture at the University of Bordeaux. His work focuses on the effects of environment on terroir. He is also the viticulture consultant for Chateau Cheval Blanc in St. Emilion, one of the premier producers in Bordeaux, which uses a high percentage of Cabernet Franc in its wines.
Dr. Benjamin Bois, an associate professor in viticulture and climatology from the University of Burgundy, speak to Finger Lakes growers and winemakers about Pinot noir production in Burgundy and how it is influenced by climatic and site conditions.
Factors That Affect Fruit Set
Hans Walter-Peterson, Team Leader, Viticulture Extension Specialist
Finger Lakes Grape Program
Last Modified: June 15, 2016
One of the components that influences yields in grapevines is the number of berries that set and mature on each cluster, or "fruit set". Each flower cluster contains many individual flowers, each of which has the potential to become a grape. However, not every flower will successfully pollinate or develop a healthy embryo and the surrounding tissue that becomes the fruit that we want.
This article covers some of the factors that influence fruit set in grapes and summarizes practices that growers could use to influence set. It was originally published in the June 2013 issue of the Finger Lakes Vineyard Notes.
Dr. Kees van Leeuwen, University of Bordeaux
Hans Walter-Peterson, Team Leader, Viticulture Extension Specialist
Finger Lakes Grape Program
Last Modified: December 10, 2014
Dr. Kees van Leeuwen is a professor of viticulture at the University of Bordeaux. His work focuses on the effects of environment on terroir. He is also the viticulture consultant for Chateau Cheval Blanc in St. Emilion, one of the premier producers in Bordeaux, which uses a high percentage of Cabernet Franc in its wines.
Dr. van Leeuwen visited the Finger Lakes in late October, 2014 and presented a seminar to the region's industry about the role of Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux production, and some of the results of research that he and others have done on the variety over the past several years. Dr. van Leeuwin was kind enough to give his permission for us to share the slides from his presentation to the industry.
Slides from Presentation by Dr. Benjamin Bois, University of Burgundy
Last Modified: September 17, 2014
Dr. Benjamin Bois, an associate professor in viticulture and climatology from the University of Burgundy, speak to Finger Lakes growers and winemakers about Pinot noir production in Burgundy and how it is influenced by climatic and site conditions.
Upcoming Events
Variable Rate Shoot Thinning Demonstration
May 24, 2019
12:00 PM
Branchport, NY
Terry Bates, director of the multi-state Efficient Vineyard project, will be in Branchport this Friday, May 24, to demonstrate a variable rate shoot thinning system that uses NDVI sensor data to change the rate of shoot thinning on the fly. This work is being done in preparation for the Shaulis Symposium Field Tour this summer, which will feature several new and emerging vineyard technologies during the tour.
Tailgate Meeting
May 28, 2019
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Canandaigua, NY
Our second tailgate meeting of 2019 will take place on May 28 at James Hicks Vineyard in Naples.Announcements
Katie Gold Named New Grape Pathologist
Katie Gold has been named as the new assistant professor of Grape Disease Ecology and Epidemiology at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva. Katie is currently completing her Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Upon completion of her Ph.D., she will conduct postdoctoral research at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in California from August 2019 through January 2020. While at JPL, Katie will gain experience with the latest hardware and software for remote imaging with future application to digital agriculture and grape production. She will begin her tenure-track assistant professor position on February 1, 2020 with responsibilities that are 60% research and 40% extension.
Her research and extension seminars were on the topics of "Hyperspectral systems for pre-symptomatic potato disease detection" and "Agricultural sensors in Grape IPM", highlighting some of the tools and approaches that she will bring to the position. Katie is already setting up collaborations for her grape work in New York and plans to attend the American Society for Enology and Viticulture - Eastern Section Meeting in Geneva this July.