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WineEast Trellis requirements for VSP modification Certain requirements must be met in order to vertically divide a VSP training system. For the training system modification at Rolling Hills Vineyard, the height of the fruiting wire was set at 42 inches above the ground. This height allowed enough room to produce the needed leaf area on downward-oriented shoots to achieve equivalent ripeness that coincided with the fruit on the upward-oriented shoots. The trellis above the fruiting wire must also allow for sufficient shoot length to ripen the fruit (usually 3.5- to 4-foot shoot length is sufficient). Some growth will occur above the top set of catch wires, thus a mammoth 8-foot top wire height should not be in order. One strategy I am implementing for new vineyards on sites with high vigor potential is to insist on a minimum fruiting wire height of 38 inches above the ground in order to allow for canopy division (should it be desired in future years). After all, there really is no need to get the fruit closer to the ground to accumulate heat. (Heat is not a limiting factor in the South!) Another noteworthy benefit of this modification is the ability for a grower to easily transition back and forth from VSP to the vertical canopy division as the seasons and vine age dictate. The decision to allow downward shoots occurs during dormant pruning, thus there is zero transition time between the two systems. yield and fruit quality. A replicated trial comparing Blanc Du Bois trellised on the GDC, Watson and VSP (both cane and spur pruned) training systems over five years was started in the Rio Grande Valley in 2011 in collaboration with USDA-ARS and Rio Farms Inc. The four-year study comparing Favorite winegrapes trained to VSP and vertically divided training systems at Rolling Hills Vineyard is complete, and this system is currently being evaluated for Blanc Du Bois winegrapes in Texas. WE Fritz Westover is a viticulture program specialist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. With over a decade of hands-on viticulture experience, Westover specializes in the development of applied research projects, educational workshops and vineyard consulting for the Texas wine industry. Future work Several projects have been initiated by the Texas A&M AgriLife Vance_Jan11.qxp Extension service to evaluate the effects of training systems on References 1. .K. Wolf (Ed.). ���Wine Grape Production Guide for Eastern North America.��� T 2008. NRAES-145. Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES), Ithaca, NY. 2. . Smart and M. Robinson. ���Sunlight into Wine.��� 1991. Winetitles, Underdale R SA 5032, Australia. 3. .J. Morris and G.L. Main. ���An investigation of training systems, pruning severR ity, spur length and shoot positioning on Cynthiana/Norton grapes.��� 2010; Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 61: 445-450. 4. . Westover. ���Blanc Du Bois Takes Root: A winegrape found in Texas and the F southeast is tolerant of Pierce���s disease.��� Wines & Vines, February 2012; pp. 75-80. 5. . Westover. ���Lenoir Gains Recognition: A Pierce���s disease-tolerant winegrape F succeeds in the South.��� Wines & Vines, May 2012; pp. 92-95. 6. . Sorokowsky, ���Growing South: A premium winegrape grower���s new training D system improves quality and saves labor costs.��� American Fruit Grower. January 2008; pp. 11/23/10 8-9. 9:29 AM Page 1 Wine Packaging by Naylor WPN is a premier supplier to over 2,000 wineries, and wine & spirits shops. Our automatic bottom wine carriers are the perfect sturdy solution for your retail sales! Wine Packaging by Naylor 4138 Vineyard Rd. Stewartstown, PA 17363 (800) 292-3370 sales@naylorwine.com Ask about discounts for Wine America & Ohio Wine Producer members. www.naylorpackaging.com Naylor Wine Cellars is a lifetime member of Wine America, Pennsylvania Wine Assoc., Ohio Wine Producers and the NY Wine & Grape Foundation. Win es & Vines M A RC H 20 13 59