Clients receive detailed and summary results which include a pruning report, supplied in PDF and/or Excel format to model potential yield responses to varying pruning levels. This process gives more confidence in pruning decisions and the cropping potential for the coming season. If you'd like a quote or find out how to collect and submit a sample yourself for analysis, please contact Stefan on 0434 904 264 or stefan@chandlervines.com.au
MEASURING CROP POTENTIAL FOR THE COMING SEASON
Bud fruitfulness (or bunches per bud) fluctuates between seasons up to 30%. Adjusting pruning levels in response to these fluctuations can help mitigate crop losses and improve vine balance between seasons.
Assessing the average number of bunches present in the dormant buds and taking into account the potential bunch weight at harvest next year helps determine bud numbers to retain at pruning.
With over 15 years experience and microscopic assessment of in excess of 130,000 buds, this involves a delicate and detailed assessment of bud fertility which individually isolates each bunch (inflorescence primordium) within the entire primary (or secondary) bud. This level of detail is more accurate than simple cross-sectional methods because...
The presence of small immature scale can be found on the canes or under bark of 1 year old wood that are too small to see with the naked eye. These observations can assist in adjusting management practices the following year.
MEASURING CROP POTENTIAL FOR THE COMING SEASON
Bud fruitfulness (or bunches per bud) fluctuates between seasons up to 30%. Adjusting pruning levels in response to these fluctuations can help mitigate crop losses and improve vine balance between seasons.
Assessing the average number of bunches present in the dormant buds and taking into account the potential bunch weight at harvest next year helps determine bud numbers to retain at pruning.
With over 15 years experience and microscopic assessment of in excess of 130,000 buds, this involves a delicate and detailed assessment of bud fertility which individually isolates each bunch (inflorescence primordium) within the entire primary (or secondary) bud. This level of detail is more accurate than simple cross-sectional methods because...
- bunches are often positioned at various depths and orientations within the bud
- bunch size can vary 5-fold within the same bud
- primary bud necrosis can be present with differing degrees of severity from the entire bud being necrotic to only a small section at the base of the bud or the tip of the bunch that may be necrotic.
- mite infestations can vary from several hundred mites to 5-10 mites per bud from within the outer or inner leaf primordia.
The presence of small immature scale can be found on the canes or under bark of 1 year old wood that are too small to see with the naked eye. These observations can assist in adjusting management practices the following year.
The view inside a dissected primary bud showing the main features.
The secondary bud in the view is cross sectional only and has not been dissected.