18200 - Viticulture Technique

Learning outcomes

The course provides updated technical and scientific knowledge aimed to identify proper cultivation areas for grapevine  and techniques for designing and managing sustainable vineyards according to agroecology. Students will acquire the ability to perform adequate  choices at planting, in young and mature vineyards, in relation to the enological goals, respecting ecosystems and land, by interacting with the stakeholders of the grape and wine chain. Students will learn to identify, describe and solve agronomical problems through methodologically proper approaches. The theoretical knowledge, together with technical abilities, will facilitate the integration in the grape and wine sectors.

Course contents

Vineyard establishment. Grapevine soil and climatic requirements. Soil preparation. Fertilization. Choice of rootstocks. Effects of rootstock on vine tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, vegetative-productive balance, grape and wine quality. Intercropping. Permaculture. Grape cultivation in continental, tropical and subtropical areas. Precision viticulture.

Fertilization. Nutritional requirements of grapevine, Physiology of nutrition. Flows of nutrients in the vineyard. Deficiencies and toxicities of minerals. Fertilization criteria.

Soil management. Tillage. Grassing. Green manure. Mulching. Weeding. Innovative techniques.

Irrigation. Response mechanisms to water stress in grapevine. Rootstocks and varieties with high water efficiency. Agronomic techniques aimed to reduce water consumption. Irrigation techniques.

Winter and summer pruning. Criteria and techniques for pruning young vines. Technical aspects associated to grapevine physiology. Vine reactions to pruning practices. Criteria and techniques for pruning mature vines. Bud fertility and bud load. Summer pruning practices and their physiology. Mechanical pruning. Vine responses to mechanical pruning.

Training systems and vine distances. Main training systems. Description and pruning. Criteria for choosing the training systems in relation to cultivar, environment, agronomic techniques. Criteria for choosing vine distances. Behaviour and performances of the main training systems.

Ripening disorders and techniques for their prevention. Strategies for contrasting the effects of the climate change and abiotic stresses on vine physiology and reducing the uncoupling between berry technological and phenolic maturity. 

Harvest. Choice of harvest time and techniques. Manual and mechanical harvest. Training systems for mechanical harvest.

Organic and Biodynamic cultivation methods. Agroecological viticulture. Vegetal material and products admitted by law. Soil and canopy management aimed to reduce vine susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses, improve soil fertility, plant vegetative-productive balance, grape and wine healthiness. Agroecological systems.

Readings/Bibliography

Notes taken at lesson.

Updated list of scientific and dissemination papers indicated by the Professor during the course.

Useful to be consulted:

Fregoni M., 2013. Viticoltura di qualita'. Tecniche Nuove.

Palliotti A., Poni S., Silvestroni O., 2018. Manuale di viticoltura. New Business Media.

Altieri M.A., Nicholls Clara N., Ponti L., 2015. Agroecologia. Una via percorribile per un pianeta in crisi. Edagricole-New Business Media.

 

 

Teaching methods

Lessons followed by critical discussion. Seminars for updating the knowledge on specific subjects. Training in the educational-experimental organic vineyard located in Tebano (RA) and in commercial vineyards. Students will be responsible for the agronomic management of the educational-experimental agroecological vineyard.

Assessment methods

The knowledge of the topics presented in the lesson and during the practical activities and the verification of the acquired competences provide a practical test and an oral test.

The practical test takes place in the field and consists in describing the components of the viticultural systems, describing and carrying out cultivation operations, taking motivated decisions about the cultivation interventions considered appropriate in the vineyard. The practical test is outdated if the student proves to know the viticultural systems and their main agronomic problems, to be able to carry out and modulate choices related to vineyard establishment and management.
The passing of the practical test (without voting) confers the suitability, essential requirement to be able to access the oral test. Suitability is valid throughout the current academic year.
The oral test is evaluated by a score in thirtieth. During the oral test the student will address the topics discussed in the lesson (available in the texts recommended for the study and in the didactic material presented) and be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria: (i) knowledge, understanding and deepening of topics covered; (ii) critical and exhibition capacity; (iii) Correctness of technical-scientific language. The oral test may have a maximum score of 30 points, possibly with honors. Knowledge gaps and/or inappropriate language will lead to an insufficient vote.
Appeals are proposed within the specific windows defined in the course of study and students can book for the oral examination test exclusively using the modalities provided by the online system Alma exams. For any information about how to book, please connect to: https://almaesami.unibo.it/almaesami/welcome.htm.
Students who are entitled can contact the teacher to agree on a possible out-of-call examination.

 

 

Teaching tools

Educational-Experimental vineyard and commercial vineyards. Laboratories.

 

Office hours

See the website of Adamo Domenico Rombolà