1.1 - Chapter 1.1 (The Vine Canopy)

Question 1

Define and describe shoots

Answer 1

Shoots are the green stem structures that leaves are attached to on the grapevine.

They begin growing at budburst from buds retained from the previous year and are made up of buds, leaves, tendrils, lateral shoots, and inflorescenes (grape bunches).

The main axis of the shoot transports water and solutes to and from different structures and includes a store of carbohydrates.

Question 2

Define one-year-old wood

Answer 2

One-year-old wood refers to the primary shoots from the previous growing season that were not removed at pruning and have lignified. They are either canes or spurs, depending on how they were pruned.

Question 3

Define and describe permanent wood

Answer 3

Permanent wood is the woody parts of the vine that are older than one year, including the trunk and, for some, cordons.

• Provides support to other parts of the vine
• Transports water and solutes to and from different parts of the vine
• Stores carbohydrates and nutrients

Question 4

What are the main functions of a grapevine’s roots?

Answer 4

Main functions are to (1) anchor the vine, (2) uptake water, (3) store carbohydrates, and (4) produce hormones that have important functions within vine growth and grape ripening.

Question 5

Describe the buds of a grapevine

Answer 5

Buds contain all the structures in miniature that will become green parts of the vine (stem, buds, tendrils, leaves, and often inflorescences).

They are formed between the petiole (leaf stalk) and the stem.

There are two types: compound (latent) buds and prompt buds.

Question 6

Define and describe compound buds

Answer 6

Compound buds form in one growing season and break open in the next growing season (so long as retain during winter pruning), producing the shoots in the next growing season.

Compounds buds contain a primary bud (the primary growing point) and smaller secondary and tertiary buds which only grow if damage has occurred to the primary bud, e.g., spring frost.

Question 7

Define and describe prompt buds

Answer 7

Prompt buds form and break open in the same growing season.

They form on the primary shoot (the one that just grew from the compound bud) and produce lateral shoots.

Question 8

Define and describe lateral shoots

Answer 8

Lateral shoots grow from prompt buds and are smaller and thinner than primary shoots.

Primary function is to allow the grapevine to continue growing if the tip of the primary shoot has been damaged or eaten.

Question 9

Define and describe tendrils

Answer 9

Tendrils are a green part of the grapevine that help the vine attach itself to support structures, including trellis wires; however, grape growers don’t trust the tendrils to keep the canopy in place and hold the vine to a trellis and will often tie in canes and shoots as necessary.

Question 10

Define and describe leaves

Answer 10

Leaves are the main site of photosynthesis for the grape vine and critical to the production of sugars needed for vine growth and metabolism.

Question 11

Define transpiration

Answer 11

Transpiration is the process of drawing water and nutrients from the soil up through the vine to the leaves as water diffuses from the leaf.

Question 12

Define inflorescences

Answer 12

Inflorescences is a cluster of flowers on a stem, which becomes a bunch of grapes at fruit set.

Although the number on each primary shoot depends on the variety, there are generally between one and three.

Question 13

Describe the pulp of a grape

Answer 13

• Pulp makes up the majority of the grape’s weight and volume.
• Pulp contains water, sugars, acids, and some aroma compounds and aroma precurors (thiols, terepenes).
• Most pulp is colorless; however, teinturier varieties of grapes, e.g., Alicante Bouschet, Dornfelder, have red-colored pulp.

Question 14

What does the skin of a grape contain?

Answer 14

• high concentration of aroma compounds and aroma precursors
• tannins
• color compounds

Question 15

Describe the seeds of a grape

Answer 15

• Mature inside the grape, turning yellow to brown
• Contain oils, tannins, and an embryo that can grow into a new plant

Question 16

Define cordons

Answer 16

Cordons are one or more horizontal arms of permanent wood.

Question 17

What are the parts that collectively make up the canopy?

Answer 17

• Stem
• Buds
• Leaves
• Lateral Shoots
• Tendrils
• Inflorescences/Bunches of grapes

All are structures of the main shoots

Question 18

In the spring, the main shoots of a vine grow from ____ retained from the previous year.

Answer 18

Buds (Compound Buds)

Question 19

What role does the main axis of the shoot have in regards to how a vine functions?

Answer 19

• Transports water and solutes to and from the various vine structures.
• Stores carbohydrates

Question 20

What are solutes?

Answer 20

Sugars and minerals – substances that dissolve in liquid to form a solution

Question 21

What is the difference between a node and an internode?

Answer 21

• Node - swelling on the stem where other structures of the vine are attached
• Internode - area, or distance, between nodes

Question 22

What does it mean when shoots lignify?

Answer 22

When green shoots turn brown and become woody and rigid.
Once this happens, that shoot is then referred to as a cane.

Question 23

Where do buds form on the vine?

Answer 23

Between the leaf stalk (petiole) and the stem.

Question 24

What are buds made of?

Answer 24

Buds become all the green parts of the vine – stem, buds, tendrils, leaves, inflorescences

Question 25

What are the two main types of buds?

Answer 25

Compound (latent) buds Prompt buds

Question 26

What is the main difference between **compound buds** and **latent buds**?

Answer 26

* Compound buds form in one growing season and break open in the next growing season * Prompt buds form and break open in the same growing season

Question 27

What do compound buds produce? Briefly describe what is inside a compound bud.

Answer 27

* Compound buds produce the main shoots in the next growing season if retained during winter pruning. * Inside a compound bud there is a primary bud (the main growing point) and small secondary and tertiary buds, which generally only grow if the primary bud has suffered damage, e.g., spring frost

Question 28

What do prompt buds produce?

Answer 28

Lateral shoots

Question 29

On what do prompt buds grow?

Answer 29

Grow on the main shoot which has just grown from a compound bud

Question 30

What structures do lateral shoots have?

Answer 30

Stem, leaves, buds, tendrils, sometimes inflorescences

Question 31

What is the main function of lateral shoots?

Answer 31

To allow the vine to continue growing if the tip of the main shoot has been damaged or eaten; they're especially helpful being an additional source of photosynthesis if they are located near the base of the primary shoots and, therefore, can benefit from the sunlight.

Question 32

Why is it undesirable to have lateral shoots near the base of the main shoot?

Answer 32

* They can impede air flow and shade the fruit too much. * They are usually removed during summer pruning.

Question 33

What are the benefits of keeping the inflorescences on lateral shoots and letting them develop into clusters (also known as a second crop)?

Answer 33

* If they grow into clusters and are green harvested, their removal is thought to improve the ripening process and enhance the uniformity of ripeness of the remaining bunches * If they grow into clusters and are hand-harvested, the vineyard manager can be selective and either give them a longer hang time or the clusters can be separated out * If they grow into clusters and are machine-harvested, then can have an impact on the must and final wine

Question 34

What is the profile of bunches from a 'second crop' harvested at the same time as the main crop?

Answer 34

* Higher in acidity * Lower in potential alcohol * Potentially unripe tannins, aromas, and flavors * In black grapes, the bunches will have less color develoopment

Question 35

What role do the tendrils have?

Answer 35

* Provide support for the vine * Help position the vine canopy * Help keep canopy in place | Growers don't trust so will tie canes and shoots to trellis as necessary

Question 36

What are stomata

Answer 36

* Pores on the underside of leaves that allow a plant to take in carbon dioxide, which is needed for photosynthesis * Stomata also allow water vapor to diffuse out of the plant, but when conditions are hot or dry, they can close to reduce water loss, but that limits photosynthesis by preventing carbon dioxide from entering the vine

Question 37

Where in the vine does photosynthesis mainly happen?

Answer 37

Leaves

Question 38

What is inflorescence?

Answer 38

A cluster of flowers on a stem which, when fertilized, develops into a bunch of grapes at fruit set.

Question 39

How many inflorescences develop on each main shoot?

Answer 39

Between one and three, depending on the grape variety

Question 40

What are the three main parts of a grape?

Answer 40

* Pulp * Skin * Seeds

Question 41

What is a teinturier grape variety?

Answer 41

One that has red-colored pulp, as opposed to the majority of grape pulp that is colorless. Alicante Bouschet

Question 42

What does grape pulp consist of?

Answer 42

* Water * Sugars * Acids * Some aroma compounds and aroma precursors

Question 43

What does grape skin consist of?

Answer 43

* High concentration of aroma compounds and aroma precursors * Tannins * Color compounds

Question 44

What do seeds consist of?

Answer 44

* Oils * Tannins * Embryo, which can grow into a new plant

Question 45

As seeds mature, their color goes from __ to __

Answer 45

Yellow to dark brown

Question 46

What is the powdery, waxy coating on grapes called?

Answer 46

Bloom ## Footnote Nebbiolo means 'fog' and named that because of the bloom of the grape is very 'foggy'

Question 47

What is the most important function of one-year-old wood?

Answer 47

It has the compound buds that will release the main shoots for the upcoming growing season.

Question 48

One-year-old wood will either be called a __ or a __, depending on how the vine was pruned.

Answer 48

Cane or a spur

Question 49

What are cordons?

Answer 49

Horizontal 'arms' of a vine made of permanent wood

Question 50

What functions do the roots of a vine have?

Answer 50

* Anchor the vine to the soil * Uptake water and nutrients * Store carbohydrates * Produce hormones for growth and ripening

Question 51

Where are the vine's roots found?

Answer 51

Mostly in the top 50 cm of the soil, although have been found to reach over six meters down into the soil

Question 52

List the four sections of the vine

Answer 52

Primary Shoots, One-Year-Wood, Permanent Wood, Roots

Question 53

Identify the four most important North American species

Answer 53

* V. labrusca * V. riparia * V. berlandieri * V. rupestris

Question 54

What is one grape variety that often forms inflorecenses on lateral shoots?

Answer 54

Pinot Noir

Question 55

What is one grape variety that can have tight bunches and the implications of such tight bunches?

Answer 55

Pinot Noir More prone to fungal diseases due to the increased likelihood of grape-skin splitting during growth and lack of air flow.

Question 56

Define **transpiration**

Answer 56

Process that draws water and nutrients from the soil up through the vine to the leaves as water diffuses from the leaf (during photosynthesis)

Question 57

Where are roots actively growing?

Answer 57

Water and nutrients are absorbed at the root tips, where the roots are actively growing.

Question 58

What influences the distribution of the main framework of roots?

Answer 58

* Soil properties * Irrigation * Cultivation * Type of rootstock

Question 59

Describe photosynthesis

Answer 59

* CO2 + H20 + Sunlight = sugars (glucose, fructose & galactose) and oxygen * Chlorophyll takes the CO2 and H20 inhaled by stomata and converts them into sugars, cabs, and oxygen * Once the vine has created its food via photosynthesis, it transports it through the phloem using the 'source to sink', where the sugars and carbs can be used to create energy or stored either in the woody structures and roots or in the grapes ## Footnote Viticulture

Question 60

Define and describe the **petiole**

Answer 60

Petiole is the part of the leaf that attaches to the vine. It primarily serves as support for the leaf and is the main connection to the vascular system of the leaf blade.