Effect of varying node number per bearer on yield and juice composition of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines

Abstract

Cabernet Sauvignon vines were pruned so that bearers of varying node number ranging from 2-node spurs to 14-node canes were retained on the same vine. Studies of factors that determine production and grape juice composition were made. A linear relationship between yield per bearer and nodes per bearer was established, a result of more bunches from increased shoot numbers. Bunch weight and yield per node decreased linearly as node number per cane increased. The effect of node position along bearers on time of budburst, shoots per node and bunches per shoot were described with linear or higher order polynomial regressions for each treatment. Juice composition was largely unaffected by a 5-fold difference in yield between the pruning treatments.