VITICULT 7021WT - Viticultural Production

This course involves teaching sessions that may be attended by both Undergraduate and Postgraduate students.

Principles behind the establishment of a viticultural enterprise comprising site selection, choice of planting material and the design and establishment of the vineyard. Trellising design, pruning principles, practices and mechanisation. The relationship between production aspects and the physiology of the vine including phenology and shoot development, effect of node position on fruitfulness, interaction with climate response to pruning, trellising and canopy management. Vineyard management practices including: pests and diseases of grapevines; their recognition and control; propagation; soil management comprising weed control by chemical and non-chemical methods; the response of grapevines to irrigation; principles of irrigation scheduling and strategic irrigation practices; harvesting and handling methods used for winegrapes; cultural practices employed to produce winegrapes of particular end-use specification.