Abstract:The knowledge about the interaction between mechanical pruning and soil organic amending is still scarce. This study aimed to examine the effects of the interaction between these two practices on wine quality. Syrah grapes from two trial fields in Portugal subjected to two different pruning systems (mechanical pruning; hand spur pruning) and five different organic amendment treatments (control, biochar, municipal solid waste compost, cattle manure, and sewage sludge) were harvested and vinified for four years.… Show more
Grapes are one of the most valuable fruit crops in the United States and can be processed into a variety of products. The grape and wine industry contributes to and impacts the U.S. agricultural economy. However, rising labor costs and global competition pose challenges for the grape and wine industry. Vineyard mechanization is a promising strategy to increase efficiency and address the labor shortage and cost issues. Recent studies have focused on the impact of vineyard mechanization on general grape and wine quality. Wine phenolics, aroma compounds, and sensory characteristics are the key indicators of wine quality and consumer preference. This article aims to review the impact of vineyard mechanization, specifically mechanical harvesting, mechanical leaf removal, mechanical shoot thinning, cluster thinning, and mechanical pruning on grape and wine phenolics, and aroma compounds and sensory profile. Studies have shown that vineyard mechanization significantly affects phenolic and aroma compounds, especially grape-derived aroma compounds such as volatile thiols, terpenes, C13-norpentadiene, and methoxypyrazine. Mechanically processed grapes can produce wines of the same or better quality than wines made from hand-operated grapes. Vineyard mechanization could be a promising strategy for grape growers to reduce operating costs and maintain or improve grape and wine quality. Future research directions in the area of vineyard mechanization were discussed. It provides a comprehensive view and information on the topic to both grape growers and winemakers in the application of vineyard mechanization.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.