The impact of leaf removal and the management of crop load on fruit quality - a European insight

Grapevine summer pruning (i.e., shoot trimming, shoot and bunch thinning, leaf removal) includes a series of operations typically carried out during the vegetative period that are usually aimed at remediating deviations of vine development and yield from an ideal pattern. The majority of summer pruning operations are easily mechanised with the exception of shoot and bunch thinning which, as a consequence, have a notable impact on yearly vineyard workload (Intrieri and Poni 1995). Today, under the pressure of global warming resulting in crops ripening faster and a higher incidence of multiple summer stresses and sunburn damage, as well as the fact that economic sustainability is a worldwide must, the philosophy of and goals underlying several summer pruning operations are also evolving