Viticula Dictionary

bacterium that produces insecticidal toxins which act through ingestion, mainly against lepidopterans

soil free of weeds, either tilled or treated with herbicides

incorporation of fertilizers into the soil at varying depths prior to or at planting

vines already grafted, obtained through bench grafting and subsequent rooting in a nursery

control method that regulates pest populations by preventing reproduction, such as mating disruption

exudation of sap from pruning cuts occurring near the start of vegetative growth, when rising soil temperature activates roots before visible shoot growth

natural waxy coating on the grape berry surface, varying in intensity according to the variety (e.g. Espadeiro)

embryonic shoot composed of a vegetative shoot apex (meristem) with leaf primordia

number of buds left on canes during pruning, expressed as buds/m² or buds/ha.

mature, lignified vine shoot, typically formed after the end of the growing season

(see shoot)

act performed during pruning in which a long cane (at least seven buds) is bent in the opposite direction to its natural insertion (e.g. pergola training or Sylvoz pruning). It is a way of controlling excessive vigor inherent either to the grape variety or to conditions that promote such vigor

one-year-old woody shoots on a vine, considered collectively

all manipulation of the vine canopy throughout the growing season. Includes shoot positioning, shoot tucking, shoot wrapping, shoot topping (green pruning), leaf removal, and fruit thinning (manual or chemical).

control method based on the use of pesticides. It is the most widely used method and has the most direct impact, although with side effects. Depending on the target organism, fungicides, bactericides, insecticides, and acaricides may be used

herbicide that acts as the name indicates by direct contact with the green parts of the plant, affecting only the point of application, with no absorption by the weed. Application must occur after weed germination

protection method that uses cultural practices to reduce or mitigate conditions favorable to crop pests, such as controlling vine vigor through fertilization, training systems, pruning, and canopy management practices

harmful effect caused directly or indirectly by crop pests on crops or their products

any damage or pathological condition caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, or mycoplasmas

pest pressure level at which control measures should be applied to prevent crop losses exceeding the cost of treatment

terminal structure at the end of vine rows that supports the trellis system, bears its weight, and maintains wire tension; may be made of stone, concrete, or a single piece of metal

disease originating in a specific area

the cast-off cuticle left after an insect molt

flattening and abnormal splitting of vine organs that are normally cylindrical, such as shoots or inflorescences, caused by short-node virus

accidental drop of fertilized flowers (ovaries) or young berries, caused by adverse flowering conditions (low temperature, rainfall), nutritional imbalance, or excessive vigor; includes cases corresponding to coulure

pruning carried out during the first years of the vine to establish the permanent structure (trunk, arms and cordons) associated with a given training system

also called alimpa or fruiting (end of flowering); the stage following pollination and fertilization, when flowers develop into berries on the shoots.

final stage of flowering during which fertilization occurs, marking the transition toward fruit set. (see Fruit set)

canopy management practice consisting of removing part of the grape clusters in high-yield years to improve quality. It can be done manually, mechanically, or chemically

distribution of fruit along the cane

also known as production pruning, based on the retention of buds capable of producing grapes. The most fruitful buds are usually those in the middle third of the cane, although fertility varies according to the variety. Knowledge of varietal fruiting habits is therefore important in determining the severity of pruning

process that involves mechanization of the vineyard in almost all operations: soil management, canopy management practices, pruning, and harvesting

replacement of missing vines with new vines to fill gaps in a vineyard established in the previous year

use of varieties resistant to crop pests and diseases, discovered and/or developed by humans

technique consisting of making an incision around vine shoots or trunks that interrupts the flow of photosynthates to the roots, increasing the availability of carbohydrates and growth substances to the aerial parts, improving fruit set and berry size; more commonly used in table grapes.

vegetative propagation process involving the physiological phenomenon of callus formation, allowing the union between the scion and the rootstock

the set of grape varieties and rootstock varieties selected for a given site and region

herbaceous cover of the soil, either sown or consisting of resident vegetation

group of pesticides used to control weeds in crops

small dark protuberance on the berry at the end opposite the pedicel; more or less visible (pointed) depending on the variety (e.g. Batoca)

plant species preferred by specific pests and pathogens that cause diseases and damage

inability of scion and rootstock to form a durable and physiologically functional union

process of virus detection by grafting onto indicator plants in the nursery, where infected vines express symptoms of the target virus (e.g. Pinot noir for leafroll virus)

grape varieties cultivated in and originating from the local region

cessation of growth in parts of the inflorescence followed by conversion into tendrils; may be caused by pre-flowering climatic conditions (low temperature, insufficient sunlight), nutrient deficiencies, or cane pruning practices

plant protection approach based on monitoring harmful organisms and assessing the need for intervention using risk analysis, economic thresholds or development models, to support decisions on the use of control methods

part of the cane located between two buds (see node)

clearing of weeds around the vine and formation of a shallow basin with raised edges to retain irrigation water

located at each node of the cane and formed in the previous year. Each bud contains three embryonic shoots: a primary bud, which is larger and normally bursts under favorable conditions, and two secondary buds that burst if the primary bud is destroyed (e.g. by frost or breakage) or under high vigor conditions (double or triple budburst)

develop in the same year as the formation of buds, in the leaf axils. Usually unfruitful, they are particularly common in vigorous vines that have undergone shoot topping

process of shoot maturation that occurs after veraison, when growth ceases and shoots become brown and woody, while buds increase in size and enter dormancy

small seedless berry corresponding to an unpollinated or unfertilized ovary that does not ripen, known as bagoinha verde (sensitive grape variety: Borraçal)

pruning in which canes are cut back to at least four buds.

economically significant reduction in crop production, in quantity or quality, caused by biotic or abiotic factors affecting the crop

liquid organic fertilizer consisting of a mixture of dissolved and suspended animal manure from stables without bedding

pruning in which both canes and spurs are retained

covering the graft union with soil to provide protection and create the temperature and humidity conditions required for callus formation

development of more than one shoot from a single bud, typically due to the bursting of primary and secondary buds.

organisms without a cell wall (e.g. Flavescence dorée).

symbiotic association between plant roots and fungi, in which the fungus derives carbohydrates from the plant, while the plant benefits from improved absorption of water and nutrients, and reduced uptake of toxic levels of salts and metals

species of arthropods or other organisms that feed on and/or develop at the expense of crop pests

death of cells in green plant organs

microscopic worms that, in certain soils (especially sandy soils), attack the roots of rootstocks, leading to more or less rapid weakening of the vine

(see internode)

vine grown on its own roots rather than grafted onto a rootstock

organism that lives at the expense of a host throughout its life cycle, weakening the host, rendering it incapable of reproduction and potentially causing its death.

berry stalk

cluster stalk

any harmful occurrence caused by vertebrate or invertebrate animals such as insects, mites and nematodes

also known as plant protection products, these are chemical or synthetic substances used to protect plants and agricultural production. They include fungicides, insecticides, acaricides, nematicides, bactericides and herbicides, among others

leaf stalk

Chronological sequence of vine development throughout the growing cycle. Main phenological stages: budbreak, flowering, veraison, and ripening.

physiological disturbances that may severely affect grape yield (coulure, millerandage, inflorescence reversion to tendrils, etc.)

number of vines per hectare, calculated by dividing one hectare (10,000 m²) by the area occupied by each vine (m²)

spacing defined by distance between rows (m) and distance between vines within the row (m), expressed as row spacing × intra-row spacing (m × m), representing area per vine (m²)

an organism that has several hosts

management of spatial and temporal variability within vineyard blocks, aimed at improving economic efficiency through increased productivity and/or quality, while reducing production costs, environmental impact and associated risks

organism that captures and kills its prey to feed on it immediately

operation consisting of coarse cutting back of canes, removing most of those attached to the trellis wires; it facilitates pruning and is normally carried out mechanically

bud located at the base of each leaf petiole, capable of developing in the same growing season, producing a lateral shoot. Common in vigorous vines and variety-dependent

cutting back canes to a greater or lesser extent to regulate and stimulate the growth of buds which contain the vine's productive potential for the following season. The term generally refers to pruning carried out during the dormant period, also known as winter pruning

method combining the type of pruning (cane or spur) with the spatial arrangement and orientation of canes (e.g. Sylvoz, Royat, Guyot).

classification of pruning according to severity of cutting, including spur, cane, and mixed pruning systems.

canes removed from the vine during pruning

also called cluster axis; the central structure of the grape cluster that bears the berries, comprising the peduncle and pedicels

(see spur pruning) short-pruned spur in mixed pruning systems used to produce the fruiting wood for the following season

periodic evaluation of the nature and size of pest populations and the severity of the damage caused

rooted, non-grape-producing vines resulting from the hybridization of Vitis species that, in the year following planting, are grafted with the desired grape variety (Vitis vinifera)

development of roots from the scion due to failure to remove the soil mound covering the graft union; more common in field grafting

premature aging of green plant tissues

substance that attracts males and females, usually produced by females and used as a means of pest control through mating disruption

young vine growth, typically referred to up to flowering

ease of breakage of free shoots due to wind or human handling (canopy positioning), caused by poor attachment to the second-year cane, often associated with esca (sensitive grape variety: Loureiro).

specific form of shoot positioning used in certain high-trunk training systems, such as CSR and Cruzeta, in which drooping shoots are disentangled and arranged in parallel

process in which vine shoots lignify, become more resistant, and turn brown. (see Lignification)

canopy management practice consisting of cutting back the tips of shoots to a greater or lesser extent

a canopy management practice formerly used in the Douro consisting of wrapping shoot tips around the top wire to guide and control upward growth; now largely replaced by shoot topping

any manifestation of disease consisting of evidence of the parasite through alterations in the host, namely its structures, vegetative or reproductive.

(see Herbaceous ground cover)

annual decision to keep the soil bare (tilled or weed-free through herbicide application) or grassed (soil covered with resident or sown vegetation).

process that uses solar energy to control soilborne pests, pathogens and weeds by covering the soil with plastic film after irrigation to field capacity, before planting or sowing

pruning in which canes are cut back to two or three fruitful buds, producing spurs known by various names, including talões, polegares, talicões, and tornos

Tillage of the soil at a depth of 0.60m–1.00 m, carried out with a subsoiler or bulldozer blade

also called despampa, consists of the removal of shoots developing from latent buds on the trunk or along the cordon which compete for reserves with shoots from canes retained after pruning

desiccation of berries, loss of turgidity, shriveling and drying caused by direct sunlight when bunches are not adequately protected by vine foliage. It occurs under high temperatures and low relative humidity and depends on the grape variety

small seedless berry resulting from pollination without fertilization that develops and ripens; known as bagoinha doce (sensitive grape variety: Arinto).

any manifestation of a disease expressed through morphological or physiological changes in the host, resulting from its reaction to a pathogenic agent

herbicide capable of being absorbed by the green parts of weeds, penetrating plant tissues and being translocated through the sap to all parts of the plant.

filamentous organ arising on the shoot opposite a leaf, capable of coiling around neighboring structures, enabling the vine to climb. These are no more than modified inflorescences

application of fertilizer on the soil surface around actively growing vines

relatively long cane used to gradually occupy the space between vines until vine formation is complete

set of viticultural practices including plant spacing, planting density, row orientation, vine training system, pruning type, pruning load, canopy management practices, soil cover management, irrigation, and fertilization.

shoots arising from dormant buds on the vine trunk, usually infertile in the first year

vesicular outgrowths formed in the xylem of actively growing wood that may obstruct xylem vessels (e.g. in sensitive rootstocks such as 161-49 C)

structure of the vine defined by the number and orientation of rows, height and width of the canopy, and height of the trunk or cordons

includes any biotic agent (disease, pest, weed) and any abiotic factor (frost, sunburn, soil structure)

device fitted to a tractor-mounted sprayer that uses high-pressure water jets to create planting holes for vines

weather-related events that can affect grape yield (frost, hail, etc.)

all plants that grow where they are not desired