Abstract
The choice of training system may influence vineyard efficiency in terms of light interception and water consumption, particularly in the current context of climate change. On this basis, during the 2017 season, Sangiovese potted vines were grown outdoors using two different training systems: guyot vertical shoot positioned system (C) and V-shaped open canopy (A). From the end of June until September, vine transpiration was continuously monitored by the gravimetric approach and at different times in the season, the leaf area, light interception, photosynthetic activity and stem water potential were measured. Grape yield and fruit composition were recorded at harvest. C plants did not differ from A in terms of leaf area during the entire season. Light interception was higher in C vines during the early hours of the morning and lower in the central part of the day and the transpiration loss was higher, as was the net photosynthesis detected on some days in August. No differences were detected in terms of yield but a significant increase in soluble solids was found in C compared to A. The open canopy compared to a closed one, in a particularly hot year like 2017, resulted in negative consequences on the accumulation of soluble solids, probably as a result of the radiative stress suffered by the A vines in the middle hours of the day.
Highlights
Water consumption by agricultural plants normally refers to all water evaporated from plant and soil surfaces plus that which is retained within plant tissues typically accounting for less than 1% of the total evaporated during a normal growing season [1]
The latter is greatly impacted by both training system and row orientation: vines with the same leaf area show different water consumption in relation to plant density [2; 3]
The trial compared two training systems arranged on a single N-S oriented row: a Guyot vertical shoot positioned (C) and V-shaped open canopy grapevines (A) with a vine spacing of 1 m in the row
Summary
Water consumption by agricultural plants normally refers to all water evaporated from plant and soil surfaces plus that which is retained within plant tissues typically accounting for less than 1% of the total evaporated during a normal growing season [1]. Vineyard water loss is related to the amount of evaporative demand from the atmosphere and effective water consumption The latter is greatly impacted by both training system and row orientation: vines with the same leaf area show different water consumption in relation to plant density [2; 3]. Many studies have highlighted how modifying the total amount and distribution of plant leaf area through the training system alters vine microclimate by affecting mainly light environment and leaf temperature. This impacts vine performance in terms of photosynthesis [4; 5]. In the context of climate change, the aim of this study was to evaluate, in potted Sangiovese vines, the relationship between two training systems with closed and open canopies - and leaf gas exchanges in terms of transpiration and photosynthesis, to obtain a model for the evaluation of water and light use efficiency
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
