Winter Pruning Research Articles

Differential responses of summer pruning timing on growth, quality and yield of low chill peach

Abstract Summer pruning is an important horticultural operation that is performed to manipulate tree response so as to make it better manageable without a reduction in yield and fruit quality. But the timing is also an important factor in performing this event. Keeping in view the above facts, the present investigation was carried out to elucidate the ‘differential response of summer pruning timing on cropping behavior in low-chill peach cvs. Florida Prince and Shan-i-Punjab’. The experiment was carried out at the experimental orchard of the Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri, Hamirpur (HP) during the years 2018–2019 and 2019–2020. There are six treatments in the experiment, each with four replications. T1: no pruning; T2: 25% summer pruning on July 10th + winter pruning (WP); T3: 25% summer pruning on July 20th +WP; T4: 25% summer pruning on July 30th +WP; T5: 25% summer pruning on August 10th +WP); and T6: standard winter pruning (SWP). According to the study’s findings, combining 25% summer pruning on July 10th with winter pruning resulted in the greatest improvement in terms of vegetative, flowering or blooming, and qualitative parameters, namely fruit weight, fruit shape index, total soluble solid, and sugar content. However, Florida Prince showed positive enhancement of various characteristics and performed better than Shan-i-Punjab.

The Training Systems Affect Fruit Quality, Yield, and Labor Efficiency in Peach (P. persica L. Batsch)

In the Vase system, the most common training system for peach-growing countries for more than a century, light distribution to the canopy is uneven, and access to the canopy for pruning, thinning, and harvest labor is difficult. It is important to identify alternative systems to the Vase system considering the cultivar and growing environment to facilitate labor and enhance productivity and quality. In Türkiye, one of the important centers of peach growing worldwide, detailed research has yet to be published on the applicability of training systems alternative to the widely used Vase system. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different training systems (Vase, Catalan Vase, Quad-V, Tri-V) on growth, yield, fruit quality, and labor costs of peach cultivars (Extreme® 314, Extreme® 436, Extreme® 568). The experiment was conducted from 2017 to 2022. Although the distance between rows in all training systems is 5 m, the distance between trees on the row is determined as 4 m in Vase, 3 m in Catalan Vase, 2.5 m in Quad-V, and 2 m in Tri-V. In the experiment, vegetative development parameters, such as canopy volume, trunk sectional area, and the amount of winter pruning weights, differed according to the training system. In the final year, the Vase system, which produces the most pruning weight, generates 48.0% more pruning weight compared with the Tri-V system, which produces the least. Concerning yield per tree and hectare, trained to the Vase system yielded higher fruit per tree regardless of cultivar, while the Quad-V and Tri-V systems yielded more fruit per hectare. The training system and cultivar affected the fruit size; the largest fruits were obtained from the Extreme® 568 cultivar trained according to the Vase system. The most time needed for winter pruning was obtained from the Vase (79.4 min/tree) system, and the Tri-V (57.4 min/tree) and Quad-V (60.3 min/tree) systems required the least time. The Catalan Vase (31.1 min/tree) system required the least time for summer pruning. The most fruit harvest in an hour was obtained from the trees trained according to the Tri-V (164.5 kg/h) and Quad-V (132.02 kg/h) systems. These results suggest that Quad-V and Catalan Vase systems performed well and could be alternatives to the Vase system.

Hydrogen Cyanamide: A Chemical to Prepone Natural Budburst Timing of Grapevine Cultivars in Nepalese Context

Grapes primarily belongs to mediterranean climate but overtime due to successful vine management practices, its cultivation has been extended to sub-tropics and tropics. In Nepal, grape cultivation has been started about 8 decades ago, and the demand of this crop has been increasing every year. However, the critical challenge of heavy rainfall coinciding with the berry harvest period has limited the production window, necessitating innovative solutions. This study explores the potential of grape cultivation in Nepal by assessing significance of hydrogen cyanamide (HC) application to ensure early and uniform budburst and therefore fruit maturity before monsoon. Winter pruning and HC application at 2-5% concentration has been found effective in preponing budburst and maturity in some grapes varieties ‘Steuben’ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ in Nepal, but the results depend on date and dose of HC application in particular variety and specific growing condition. Application of HC at 2% concentration has resulted in earlier budburst by about 3 weeks in var. Cabernet Sauvignon in Dhading, Nepal. Also, the earlier treatment of HC and pruning in comparison to normal time of pruning (December 15 to January 15) has resulted in earlier and higher budburst and observed fruitfulness in varieties like ‘Steuben’ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ in warm temperate belt of Nepal. Thus, the study concludes the prepone of natural budburst is a must need practice for successful viticulture in terai and mid-hills of Nepal. It also emphasizes the need of more research to optimize the application of HC and ensure its efficacy in advancing budburst and maturity specific to variety and locality. Overall, the findings aim to inspire growers, enhance commercial viability, and contribute valuable insights to the viticulture sector in Nepal.

Briquette Production from Vineyard Winter Pruning Using Two Different Approaches

Worldwide, different strategies are being developed in order to ensure optimum conditions for the development and growth of economic competitiveness, as well as for increasing the quality of life and environmental protection. All these strategies are closely linked to the development and modernization of systems for producing energy from clean and renewable sources. In this context, the present paper presents the results of research regarding the evaluation of the sustainability of briquette production using biomass resulting from vine winter pruning as the raw material. An analysis of the scientific literature indicates that nearly 8 Mt of biomass would result from the over 7.4 million hectares of vine plantations in the world, biomass that could be valorized through densification in order to produce solid biofuels with a lower calorific value of more than 17 MJ/kg. This study examines the production of briquettes from vineyard winter pruning with consideration of two types of densification technologies: baling and natural drying of the tendrils, and collection, shredding, and artificial drying of the lignocellulose debris. The quality indices and energy consumption and energy efficiency of the briquettes were evaluated to determine their feasibility as an alternative fuel source. When designing the scientific endeavor, the following aspects were considered: defining the aim and objectives of the research; designing the research algorithm; collecting, preparing, and conditioning the biomass; conducting a chemical analysis of the briquettes; and evaluating the energy consumption and energy efficiency for producing the briquettes, taking into account two drying methods (natural and artificial drying). In the meantime, some specific laboratory equipment was designed and built for the artificial drying of biomass, evaluation of mechanical durability, measurement of energy consumption, etc. Analysis of the experimental data has led to the conclusion that the agricultural waste from vine pruning can constitute an important and sustainable source of energy in the form of briquettes that fulfill most of the requirements imposed by international standards.

Prohexadione calcium as a tool to reduce winter pruning in peach tree cultivar Eragil

This work evaluated the efficiency and feasibility of applying calcium prohexadione (PCA) at different times to control the vegetative growth and qualitative aspects of the peach tree cultivar Eragil. The experiment was carried out in the 2021/2022 season in a commercial orchard in the municipality of Ipê, RS. Treatments consisted of applications of PCA at a fixed dose of 20 mL·100 L-1 at different stages of development, as shown: T1 – control (no application); T2 – application in petal fall; T3 – application at petal fall + application 30 DAA (days after the first application); T4 – application after green pruning; T5 – application after green pruning + application 30 DAA; T6 – application at petal fall + application 30 DAA + application 60 DAA. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with six treatments and four replications. Each plot consisted of four plants; the two central plants were considered useful. Effective fruiting increased in T3. In the evaluations of the number of pruned branches, length of branches, and weight of branches per plant, all results were smaller in T2. In the assessments of number of buds, internode length, and pruning time per hectare, there was also a significant difference, and in the number of buds, T6 had the smallest number. The internode length was the greatest in T3, and the shortest pruning time stood out in T4. Calcium prohexadione effectively controlled the vegetative growth of Eragil peach and can be directed to large areas of the peach crop when labor for pruning is scarce.

Effects of mechanical box pruning intensity on bud development, vegetative growth, and yield components on cv. Cabernet-Sauvignon in Mendoza, Argentina

Mechanised winter pruning is increasingly being used to reduce the high costs of manual pruning. Mechanised pruning is non-selective, and for its optimal application, the definition of pruning intensity is necessary to achieve the target yield and grape quality. Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of three intensities of mechanical box pruning compared to a manual pruning treatment on spur length, the number of retained buds, budburst, shoot growth, and development; yield components and berry composition, and vine balance. Treatments corresponded to three mechanical pruning intensities leading to different bud loads at the beginning of the experiment by pruning at different distances from the cordon (i.e., box size): MP1 (1 cm height × 7 cm width), MP2 (14 cm × 14 cm), and MP3 (21 cm × 21 cm). MP2 treatment was also compared to a traditional manual pruning treatment (SP) that was pruned to the same bud/plant in the first season. In the first season, MP2 retained the same bud/plant as SP, but in the second and third seasons, MP2 retained 88 % and 100 % more buds/plant than SP, respectively. Accordingly, MP2 and SP showed no difference in yields in the first season, but in the second season, MP2 showed a 39 % higher yield than SP. Regarding the intensity of mechanical pruning, after treatments were applied, the number of retained buds increased as box size increased. Treatments modified the length of spurs, budburst percentage and their pattern. In the first season, the yield on the highest box (MP3) was four times higher than the smallest box (MP1), but they showed similar yields in the second season. The intensity of mechanical box pruning, applied after two seasons, generated regulatory and compensation mechanisms (i.e., lower budburst and cluster weight), leading to similar yields independently of the pruning intensity. Our results show that (i) after two seasons, mechanical pruning was more productive than manual pruning, and (ii) mechanical pruning intensity had a marked influence on yield only during the first year of application, while some compensation mechanisms among yield components equilibrate yield afterwards.

Effects of winter pruning intensity on the interactions between the apple tree and rosy apple aphid Dysaphis plantaginea (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Effects of winter pruning intensity on the interactions between the apple tree and rosy apple aphid Dysaphis plantaginea (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Effect of load regulation by winter pruning on fruit quality attributes of Duke and Legacy blueberry cultivars

Effect of load regulation by winter pruning on fruit quality attributes of Duke and Legacy blueberry cultivars

Xylem water transport is influenced by age and winter pruning characteristics in grapevine (<i>Vitis vinifera</i>)

In order to investigate the effect of age and pruning characteristics on grapevine hydraulic conduction, a study was carried out between 2017 and 2020. Two pruning regimes (respecting or not sap flow pathways) and two vine age levels (older and younger vine plants) were considered and compared on two different vineyard plots located in French north-east Jura region and in south-west Bordeaux one. The assessment of pruning characteristics in relation to sap flow pathway was based on a visual characterization of the external wood aspect of the trunk and arms and consisted of a set of criteria involving the number, size and position of pruning wounds.Sap flow measurements of entire vine plants were carried out using the Xyl’em® tool, as well as an assessment of the necrotized, living and conductive xylem area in the trunks and arms after Phloxine staining. The biomass of the vegetation was also assessed.Results showed that vines pruned without considering the sap flow pathways had a 40-to-50% less conductive sap flow than vines pruned taking into account the sap pathway. No difference was observed with vine age within each pruning regime. However, for the vineyard plot where the amount of conductive xylem area was assessed, older vines that were not pruned to respect the sap pathways showed a smaller area of living wood as well as conductive wood than the older ones pruned to respect the sap flows. The amount of living and conductive areas of these vines was equivalent to that of younger vines pruned to respect sap pathways. These older vines also showed less vegetative biomass.These results show that pruning without taking into account the sap pathways has a negative impact on the conduction of xylem sap pathways in grapevines, both in terms of hydraulic efficiency and quantity of living and conducting tissues. However, the possible consequences of these reductions on grapevine physiological functions still need to be further investigated.

Vine Performance and Phenology Postponement in Cane-Pruned Chardonnay Vines Grown in a Temperate Climate: The Effects of a Delayed Winter Pruning

In a global warming context, the advancement and compression of maturity in early ripening grape varieties suited to sparkling wine making can easily expedite harvest within the first two weeks of August (in northern Italy). Such earliness, albeit safeguarding acid retention, involves potential suboptimal grape composition and triggers logistical issues related to grape harvest and delivery. Hence, this three-year study beginning in 2020 was conducted on cane-pruned Chardonnay vines, grown in the Franciacorta district of Lombardy, to assess if a single-step delayed winter pruning was able to postpone vine phenology and ripening, without harming yield potential. Control (C) vines pruned midwinter were compared with those subjected to late winter pruning (LWP), performed when the apical shoots growing on the unpruned canes had reached the 2-3 unfolded leaf stage (T1) as well as 7-8 days later (T2). In 2022, a fourth treatment was added, consisting of a two-step procedure with finishing performed at T1 (LWP-two canes). Vegetative growth, yield components, ripening dynamics, and maturity at harvest were followed in each year of this study. Budburst delay induced by LWP treatments across seasons varied between 4 and 9 days, whereas harvest was postponed by 5–14 days. The extent of delay was especially pronounced in 2020, when the removed leaf area (LA) was also found to be the highest. The higher the removed LA, the higher the yield constrain was in the concomitant year. In 2020 and 2021, despite the harvest delay, LWP vines were able to assure full matching with desirable features in must composition, set at total soluble solids (TSS) of about 18°Brix and a titratable acidity (TA) of at least 8 g/L. In the very hot and dry phase of 2022, none of the treatments facilitated the required ripening status, while data showed that an even earlier ripening would not have allowed the harvest to reach the minimum TSS level. Notably, even in 2021 and 2022, when the removed LA was quite low, a delaying effect was prompted in the seasonal trends of all main ripening parameters. This suggested that besides the amount of LA removal, other unknown factors drive the postponement of ripening. In 2022, the behavior of added-treatment LWP-two canes was found to be quite similar to that of the C vines. Depending upon the desired yield level and local climate feature, the protocol entailing a single-step late winter pruning, performed at any time between the T1-T2 time window used in this study, is deemed as effective in achieving a significant harvest delay while maintaining or even improving the compositional patterns recorded for midwinter pruned vines.

Manipulating female flower intensity in ‘Yu Her Pau’ Litchi by delayed winter pruning

Manipulating female flower intensity in ‘Yu Her Pau’ Litchi by delayed winter pruning

Rootstocks and twig topping intensity at winter pruning for ‘Maciel’ peach three

Winter pruning has been a common practice in peach. Twig topping has been associated with it, but this practice has been used at the same intensity, regardless of the cultivar. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating productive behavior and quality of ‘Maciel’ peach grafted on ‘Capdeboscq’ and ‘Okinawa’ (P. persica) as rootstocks, when they were submitted to different twig topping intensities in winter pruning. The following three pruning intensities were evaluated: short pruning, when 2/3 of the productive twig was removed; long pruning, when 1/3 of the twig was removed; and pruning with no topping, when twigs were kept integral. Effective fructification is lower when ‘Maciel’ peach trees are submitted to short pruning, but it leads to fruit with higher weight and flesh firmness, besides larger diameters. Pruning with no twig topping and long pruning increased the fruit number and yield per tree. Not only fruit weight, diameter and soluble solid content, but also yield per tree of ‘Maciel’ peach are affected by ‘Capdeboscq’ and ‘Okinawa’, regardless of the intensity of twig topping throughout pruning. Higher concentration of soluble solids was found in peaches grafted in Okinawa. While the highest production was verified with the use of the ‘Capdeboscq’ rootstock.

Using deep learning for pruning region detection and plant organ segmentation in dormant spur-pruned grapevines

Even though mechanization has dramatically decreased labor requirements, vineyard management costs are still affected by selective operations such as winter pruning. Robotic solutions are becoming more common in agriculture, however, few studies have focused on grapevines. This work aims at fine-tuning and testing two different deep neural networks for: (i) detecting pruning regions (PRs), and (ii) performing organ segmentation of spur-pruned dormant grapevines. The Faster R-CNN network was fine-tuned using 1215 RGB images collected in different vineyards and annotated through bounding boxes. The network was tested on 232 RGB images, PRs were categorized by wood type (W), orientation (Or) and visibility (V), and performance metrics were calculated. PR detection was dramatically affected by visibility. Highest detection was associated with visible intermediate complex spurs in Merlot (0.97), while most represented coplanar simple spurs allowed a 74% detection rate. The Mask R-CNN network was trained for grapevine organs (GOs) segmentation by using 119 RGB images annotated by distinguishing 5 classes (cordon, arm, spur, cane and node). The network was tested on 60 RGB images of light pruned (LP), shoot-thinned (ST) and unthinned control (C) grapevines. Nodes were the best segmented GOs (0.88) and general recall was higher for ST (0.85) compared to C (0.80) confirming the role of canopy management in improving performances of hi-tech solutions based on artificial intelligence. The two fine-tuned and tested networks are part of a larger control framework that is under development for autonomous winter pruning of grapevines.

Assessment of the Crop Forcing Technique and Irrigation Strategy on the Ripening of Tempranillo Grapes in a Semiarid Climate

Background and Aims. High temperatures during grape ripening have a negative effect on the winemaking characteristics of musts. The crop forcing technique delays ripening to a period when temperatures are lower. The objective of this study is to provide information to winemakers and grape growers on how the delay in ripening caused by crop forcing can affect berry performance. Methods and Results. This study of 3 growing seasons (2017–2019) analyzes the effect of this technique in a vineyard of the Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo in Extremadura, together with two irrigation strategies. The grapevines were forced 4 and 22 days after anthesis (F1 and F2, respectively), compared to a treatment without crop forcing techniques (NF). Each treatment was subjected to two irrigation strategies: to cover the water needs of the plants (C) and deficit irrigation during preveraison (RI). Crop forcing delayed the harvest between 32 and 56 days on average in relation to NF. Crop forcing and irrigation strategy modified berry composition at harvest: C-F1 and C-F2 had higher total polyphenol and anthocyanin concentrations, total acidity, malic acid content, and lower pH relative to C-NF; RI-NF increased total anthocyanin concentration and pH and decreased titratable acidity value. Conclusions. Crop forcing is able to delay grape ripening to lower temperature periods. This is a promising technique for restoring the coupling between phenolic and technological ripeness. The combination of both crop forcing and deficit irrigation strategy maintains the berry quality while improving water use efficiency. Significance of the Study. The present work shows how the “crop-forcing” technique is effective in modifying the relationship between different parameters that determine the characteristics of berries throughout ripening as a raw material for winemaking, compared to vines with traditional winter pruning, under different irrigation strategies.To the memory of Jordi Marsal

Late pruning modifies leaf to fruit ratio and shifts maturity period, affecting berry and wine composition in Vitis vinífera L. cv. ‘Malbec’ in Mendoza, Argentina

Higher temperatures in recent years have advanced berry ripening and harvest date, decoupling berry sugar accumulation of anthocyanins final concentration and therefore reducing wine potential color. Late pruning is proposed as a tool to modify phenology and to delay berry ripening later in the season when temperatures are lower. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of late pruning on berry and wine composition in cv. Malbec. During three consecutive seasons, winter pruning (WP) was compared to three late pruning treatments: plants pruned at budburst (BB), at 2–3 unfolded leaves (2–3 L), and 8 unfolded leaves (8 L). Late pruning treatments showed higher concentration of soluble solids at the same cumulated degree days (GDD) from veraison. On the other hand, while berries from 8 L presented higher levels of acidity, they presented similar value of pH. In 2018, wines from 8 L presented a higher content of phenols and total tannins; while the concentration of anthocyanins was higher in wines from 2–3 L and 8 L. In 2019, wines from 8 L plants presented higher anthocyanin content, while the rest of the parameters were similar for all treatments. Late pruning could be a useful tool to maintain or improve the phenolic composition of berries and wine, although in our conditions it was not very effective in delaying the accumulation of soluble solids for harvest. The effects of late pruning on berry maturity and composition was mediated by changes in thermal regime during maturity and leaf to fruit ratio.

How to modulate mechanical winter pruning according to the productive and enological traits of four Vitis vinifera L. varieties cultivated in the north of Italy

How to modulate mechanical winter pruning according to the productive and enological traits of four <i>Vitis vinifera</i> L. varieties cultivated in the north of Italy

Time and type of pruning affect tree growth and yield in high-density olive orchards

The effect of different strategies and the time of pruning on olive vegetative-reproductive behavior was studied in a 5-year-old high-density orchard (1,250 trees ha−1, cv. ‘Ascolana tenera’). The treatments were: a) winter lateral pruning and topping, b) summer lateral pruning and winter topping, c) winter lateral pruning and summer topping and d) summer lateral pruning and topping. Selective spring pruning maintaining a conical shape of the canopy was used as the Control. Topping significantly maintained tree height recorded at the end of the 3-year trial in comparison to the Control (3.84 ± 0.45 m), in particular summer treatments maintained the final tree height at 3.0 ± 0.26 m. Summer topping and lateral pruning significantly reduced canopy volume compared to winter pruning and the Control. There was less vegetative re-sprouting in the control and, on the average, less for summer than for winter pruning in the same year of pruning. There were no significant differences between the treatments regarding the seasonal vegetative growth of 1-year-old mixed shoots. Fruit yield per tree was significantly higher with time-split pruning (part in winter and part in summer) with respect to conical-shape pruning of the canopy. Results suggest that the proposed management of pruning with winter lateral pruning and summer topping contributes to good vegetative-reproductive balance of young trees with high yield and a more compact shape.

Accuracy Evaluation and Branch Detection Method of 3D Modeling Using Backpack 3D Lidar SLAM and UAV-SfM for Peach Trees during the Pruning Period in Winter

In the winter pruning operation of deciduous fruit trees, the number of pruning branches and the structure of the main branches greatly influence the future growth of the fruit trees and the final harvest volume. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) is considered a feasible method for the 3D modeling of trees, but it is not suitable for large-scale inspection. The simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technique makes it possible to move the lidar on the ground and model quickly, but it is not useful enough for the accuracy of plant detection. Therefore, in this study, we used UAV-SfM and 3D lidar SLAM techniques to build 3D models for the winter pruning of peach trees. Then, we compared and analyzed these models and further proposed a method to distinguish branches from 3D point clouds by spatial point cloud density. The results showed that the 3D lidar SLAM technique had a shorter modeling time and higher accuracy than UAV-SfM for the winter pruning period of peach trees. The method had the smallest RMSE of 3084 g with an R2 = 0.93 compared to the fresh weight of the pruned branches. In the branch detection part, branches with diameters greater than 3 cm were differentiated successfully, regardless of whether before or after pruning.

Effects of Mechanical Winter Pruning on Vine Performances and Management Costs in a Trebbiano Romagnolo Vineyard: A Five-Year Study

Vineyard mechanical winter pruning has been spreading worldwide, and the physiological basis ascribable to it has been consolidated throughout the years. Despite labor savings and reduction of costs having been proven, the demonstration of its economic viability might be challenging. In this context, this work aims to evaluate the vine performances and the costs of different degrees of the mechanization of winter pruning over a five-year trial (2011–2015). In a vineyard of cv. Trebbiano Romagnolo (Vitis vinifera L.) located in northern Italy, three pruning treatments were laid out as follows: (a) manual pruning (MAN); (b) mechanical pre-pruning and simultaneous manual follow-up (MP + F); (c) mechanical pruning without a manual follow-up (MP). The results showed a strong increase in the node number of MP. Nevertheless, the yield compensation factors (i.e., the shoot fruitfulness and cluster weight) limited the increase in productivity. Soluble solids did not differ between the pruning treatments, while titratable acidity resulted slightly higher only on the MP berries. The MP treatment was the most economically convenient, with a vineyard surface of 1.5 hectares, while mechanical pruning with manual finishing resulted more advantageous, compared to manual pruning when the vineyard surface was greater than 2.9 hectares. The agronomic and economic results obtained in this five-year trial suggest that mechanical pruning may be profitably applied also on grapevine varieties characterized by low basal bud fruitfulness, such as Trebbiano Romagnolo.

Effects of cane- and spur-retained node numbers on the pre-flowering vegetative growth of cane-pruned Sauvignon blanc

In established vineyards, node number retention at winter pruning is the first step to achieving and maintaining vine balance. Balanced vines exhibit timely and quasi-uniform 100 percent budburst. To understand how vine capacity and balance are expressed before flowering, mature Sauvignon blanc vines were pruned according to a 5 [total node numbers on canes: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50] x 3 [total node numbers on spurs: 1, 2, 3] factorial design in one site, and in two other sites according to a 5 [total node numbers on canes: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50] x 2 [total node numbers on spurs: 1, 2] factorial design. Two spurs of one, two or three nodes each were retained on either side of the vine. The number of canes laid down per vine was one, two, three and four canes each of 10 nodes for the 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-node treatments, and four canes averaging 12.5 nodes for the 50-node treatment. The budburst percentage was calculated on the whole vine, canes, and spurs. Blind nodes, count shoots, non-count shoots and double shoots were counted and mapped along canes and spurs. Many non-count shoots were measured on the vine head of 10-node vines (29.5 ± 3.0 shoots, p &lt; 0.001), compared to 50-node vines (2.8 ± 1.9 shoots, p &lt; 0.001). 50-node vines had an overall budburst of 100 %, despite having the highest number of blind nodes (7.6 ± 0.3 nodes, p &lt; 0.001). These were mainly located at the canes’ proximal sections relative to the vine head and were likely caused by correlative inhibition and primary bud necrosis. Cane budburst provided a more accurate assessment of the vine response to node loading than vine budburst. The number of double shoots was not associated with the vine node load, as they appeared on both low-node and high-node vines. Three-node spurs developed more blind nodes than one-node and two-node spurs (p &lt; 0.001). Based on the findings of this research, we recommend a composite metric (cane percent budburst, cane blind node count and head shoot count) to assess vine capacity and balance between budburst and flowering, and the practice of retaining one- or two-node spurs at cane pruning is also justified.