Impact of Undervine Management on Vine Growth, Yield, Fruit Composition, and Wine Sensory Analyses in Cabernet franc

Four undervine management treatments were established in a Cabernet franc vineyard in Lansing, NY, in 2010: cultivation (CULT), native vegetation (NV), white clover (WC, Trifolium repens seeded annually at 10 kg/ha), and glyphosate herbicide (GLY, the control). Pruning weight and fruit yield of vines in the NV and WC treatments were reduced by up to 57 and 49%, respectively, compared to vines in the GLY plots. Juice chemistry was not affected by treatments, and panelists were unable to consistently differentiate wines from treatments in any vintage (2011 to 2013). In spring 2014, primary bud survival in NV and CULT vines was 52 and 48% greater than that in GLY vines. The smaller vine size and yield in NV and WC vines compared to GLY vines suggest that undervine cover crops can limit vine vigor relative to conventional practices. Greater yield of GLY vines, similarity in juice chemistry among treatments, and a lack of wine sensory differences among treatments suggest that herbicide use promotes higher yields without sacrificing fruit and wine composition. Partial budget analysis revealed that GLY as an undervine management strategy can produce up to $6891 more revenue per hectare than other treatments.