Vineyard establishment

main objectives

In adopting a terroir zoning approach to viticulture, this module teaches students how to establish a sustainable vineyard by selecting appropriate planting material in different local environmental situations and making informed decisions about the perennial management and operations of a commercial vineyard.,,LEARNING OUTCOMES,,1) Report the agroclimatic characteristics of a specific region and identify the viticultural and enology potential of different vineyard planting sites. ,2) Recognize suitable grapevine planting material (including varieties, clones and rootstocks).,3) Define a fitted vineyard layout plan in terms of perennial practices such as row orientation, planting density and training systems.,4) Discuss the potential production constraints of different vineyard sites in relation with the zonal and local environment.,5) Report the overall costs of a vineyard establishment project.

general content

Plant materiel: Vine improvement and vine nurseries, grafting and propagation techniques, Grapevine varieties and heat requirements, Rootstock varieties and characteristics. ,Site selection: Climate variations and limits, understanding soil physical characteristics and water balance, understanding soil chemical properties including pH and nutrient levels, identifying suitable environmental conditions for vineyard establishment.,Vineyard layout: Clearing roots and rock removal, weed control and fertilization, levelling and terracing, drainage and irrigation, selecting the structural parts of vineyard and shelter belts Understanding row spacing and direction, training systems, pruning and cover cropping techniques,Vine planting: Timing and cost of plantation, landscape design techniques and spatial organization, training young vines (year 1, 2 and 3),Field visits: Visit to a vine nursery.,

pedagogy

The module consists of classroom lectures and discussions completed by practical work. The teaching and evaluation language is English.

evaluation

Group assignment 40%,Individual examination 60%

Bibliography

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