Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
sugar in its woody tissue in the form of carbohydrates, or starch. The following year, these
carbohydrates fuel the growth of the vine and the development of fruit.
Not only is sugar one of the flavor factors in fruit, but it is also sugar that converts to
alcohol during fermentation of the fruit. Unless you have a vineyard that allows for a good
photosynthetic process to take place, your grapes will not have sufficient sugar levels to
make good wine.
Once you understand how to plant and train your vines in such a way that the leaves
get maximum sunlight, you can enhance the photosynthetic capacity of your plants. This
means, first of all, that nothing can be shading the vineyard, including an adjacent row of
vines. It also means that you do not want too many leaves or excessive vigor so that the
outer leaves shade the inner leaves. Shaded inner leaves do not do any good and, in fact, are
a drain on the plant's stored energy. What you will ultimately want to develop is an open
canopy, which will allow the most sun to reach the most leaves. This open canopy has other
benefits, including improved air circulation that helps to prevent fungal diseases, which are
prevalent in most vineyards worldwide.
Photosynthesis and Transpiration
