Crop Thinning Cost Effective Methods to Improve Wine Quality James Freckleton The Yalumba Wine Company

Background – Why thin? 2004 Vintage Heavy crops Quality problems – late ripening Resource issues-unable to secure labour Opportunity to trial new methods

Financial Comparison Treatment$/ Hour$/ Ha Machine Bunch Thinning $250 or $100$250 - $600 Hand Bunch Thinning $25.30$1,000 - $2,600 Shoot Thinning$25.30$800 - $1,000

Shoot Thinning

Shoot thinning Advantages –Quality –Canopy Balance –Yield Reduction –Cost Disadvantages –Spur Position/ Damage –Frost/ Poor Set Considerations –End target –Timing (early/ late) –Weather

Thinning to early can lead to re-shooting

Late

Shoot thinning Cost? –Early thinning cost ($300 - $1,000 per ha) –Late thinning cost ($1,000 - $1,300 per ha)

Actual cost of shoot thinning? Block and Variety Pruning $/Ha Unthinned Pruning $/Ha Thinned Pruning Difference $/Ha Shoot Thinning $/Ha 2008/09 Shoot thinning minus pruning costs = Actual $/Ha? J-block Merlot $2,100$1,385$715$1,297$582 D-block Pinot Gris $1,232$812$420$838$418

Mechanical Thinning

Trial A J H The Vineyard

It would be nice if Ashley gave us a hand Can’t wait until the baby comes – no more of these bloody trials. Boy this is hard work!!

Implementation – What Did We Do? Machine Set-Up 2 bow rods on either side Highest bow rod set approx cm below the cordon wire Remove buckets and fish plates Set a constant tractor speed of 2.1km/hr

Results

First Attempt!

Control (not thinned) 26.9 T / Ha

After The Harvester! Pea size berry

Treatment - 440rpm (16ºC) 11t / ha Reduction 6.6% Shoot Damage

Treatment - 480rpm (16ºC) 19.4t / Ha Reduction 9% Shoot Damage

Treatment - 440rpm (25ºC) 11.5t/ Ha Reduction 3.7% Shoot Damage

Treatment - 480rpm (25ºC) 7.4 t / Ha Reduction 3.3% Shoot Damage Change Slide 7.4 t / Ha Reduction 3.3% Shoot Damage

Treatment - 520rpm (16ºC) 15.5 T / Ha Reduction 15% Shoot Damage

Can You See A Difference? Control 440 rpm 480 rpm 520 rpm

Shoot Damage

Yield Loss Vs Time This graph indicates that actual % crop-loss at harvest is double that immediately following thinning. This is a result of desiccation of damaged bunches over time.

Baume Vs Yield

Maturity – Thinned Vs Un-thinned

Current Practices Trial a row first Weather Conditions- warmer is better Timing-pea size Zone of fruit- target one area and hit hard Machine set-up –Harvester Properties –Beater speeds –Beater location (mindful of Trellis system?) –Machine speed Variety

Machine Thinning Experiences with Other Varieties and Different Harvester Set-ups

Sauvignon Blanc

Shiraz

Take Home Messages Final fruit destination Consider as cost effective options Timing of processes Weather Conditions