Wine vineyards in humid environments like the mid-Atlantic United States are characterized by vines that develop too much vegetative growth for optimum quality wine production. Cover crops, rootstocks and rootzone restriction were evaluated for their effect on vegetative and reproductive growth on Cabernet Sauvignon. Treatments were arranged in a strip-split-split plot arrangement with under-trellis cover crops (UTCC) compared to row-middle only cover crop combined with 1-m weed-free strips in the vine row as main plots. Rootstocks riparia Gloire, 420-A, and 101-14 were sub-plots, while sub-sub-plots comprised two treatments: vines were either planted in root-restrictive (RR), fabric bags (0.016 m3) at vineyard establishment (2006), or were planted without root restriction. All three factors were effective in suppressing vegetative development as measured by rate and extent of shoot growth, lateral shoot development, trunk circumference, and dormant pruning weights. Canopies of vines with UTCC and RR had reduced leaf layer values by approximately 21% and 23% compared to conventional controls. The principal effect of the UTCC and the RR treatments was a sustained reduction in stem (xylem) water potential. UTCC and RR caused significant 7 and 10% reductions in berry weight, compared to their conventional controls. Berry weights of vines grafted to riparia were greater than those of vines grafted to other rootstocks. Wine made from UTCC and RR treatments increased red wine color compared to herbicide UTGC and NRR, respectively. This study identified treatments that improve vine balance while simultaneously improving grape composition and potential wine quality. / Master of Science

O Cerrado é o segundo maior bioma do país, ocupando cerca de 23% do território nacional, sendo superado em área apenas pela Amazônia. Possui uma vegetação com diversas fitofisionomias, tendo a mais rica flora dentre as savanas do mundo, as frutíferas do Cerrado são espécies de diversos gêneros e famílias, produzindo frutos de interesse para alimentação “in natura” quanto para industrialização como também são fontes de alimentos para os animais, a espécie arbórea Dipteryx alata Vog. apesar da sua irregularidade na produção de frutos, possui alta produtividade, facilidade no transporte e armazenamento dos frutos e a qualidade do produto, assim O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar características de crescimento e parâmetros fisiológicos de mudas de Dipteryx alata Vog. em diferentes tamanhos de recipientes sob condições de viveiro no Sul do estado do Tocantins idades diversificadas após o transplantio. Em condições de viveiro foram plantadas sementes de baru em sementeira de areia, quarenta dias após as plântulas foram transplantadas para recipientes de tamanhos diferenciados. Permaneceram durante dez dias em condições de 75 % de sombra para que houvesse a aclimatação das mudas, após esse período foram transportadas para condições de 50% de luminosidade. O teste foi instalado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Aos 30, 60 e 120 dias após o transplantio para a coleta das variáveis fisiológicas, foi utilizado o analisador de gasses infravermelho portátil (Irga – Infra Red Gas Analyser), modelo Li – 6400XT (Portable Photosynthesis System – LI) da LICOR, em datas semelhantes a coleta dos caracteres morfológicos. Para as análises de crescimento, os dados de diâmetro do colo e altura foram coletados com paquímetro digital com 0,001 mm de confiança e régua graduada. Ao final do experimento foram coletados materiais para análises de matéria seca de raiz e parte aérea, como também feita a relação raiz por parte aérea, os dados então foram analisados a partir do software Assistat 7.7. Após rodar a análise de dados constatou-se que para as análises de crescimento assim como as variáveis fisiológicas, os recipientes de maior volume (20x30 cm) condicionaram melhor meio para o desenvolvimento das mudas. / The Cerrado is the second largest biome in the country, occupying about 23% of the national territory, being surpassed in area only by the Amazon. It has a vegetation with several phytophysiognomies, having the richest flora among the savannas of the world, the fruit of the Cerrado are species of diverse genera and families, producing fruits of interest for food "in natura" as for industrialization as well as sources of food for the animals, the arboreal species Dipteryx alata Vog. in spite of its irregularity in fruit production, it has high productivity, ease in transport and storage of fruits and product quality, as well. The present work had the objective of evaluating growth traits and physiological parameters of Dipteryx alata Vog. in different sizes of containers under nursery conditions in the South of the state of Tocantins diversified ages after transplanting. Under nursery conditions baru seeds were planted in sand sowing, forty days after the seedlings were transplanted to containers of different sizes. They stayed for ten days under conditions of 75% shade for acclimatization of the seedlings, after that period they were transported to conditions of 50% luminosity. The test was installed in a completely randomized design. At 30, 60 and 120 days after transplanting for the collection of the physiological variables, the portable infrared gas analyzer (Irga - Infra Red Gas Analyzer), model LI - 6400XT (Portable Photosynthesis System - LI) of LICOR, was used on dates similar to the collection of morphological characters. For the growth analyzes, the data of diameter of the neck and height were collected with digital caliper with 0.001 mm of confidence and graduated ruler. At the end of the experiment, materials were collected for analysis of dry matter of root and shoot, as well as the root ratio for aerial part, the data were then analyzed from Assistat software 7.7. After running the data analysis it was verified that for the growth analyzes as well as the physiological variables, the containers of larger volume (20x30 cm) conditioned better medium for the development of the seedlings.

Vineyards in the Mid-Atlantic often have large, vigorous vines that can be costly to manage and produce inadequate fruit for wine production. Dense canopies increase the incidence of fungal disease, require greater allocation of resources to manage, and inhibit fruit development. The primary objective of these studies was to determine effective vine-size modification treatments that would optimize fruit quality, while reducing labor and chemical control. Research factors included root manipulation, under-trellis ground cover, and rootstock. Treatment levels were root bag (RBG) or no root manipulation (NRM); under-trellis cover crop (CC) or herbicide strip (HERB); and one of three rootstocks: 101-14, Riparia Gloire, or 420-A. Effects of these treatments were measured in two experiments: Experiment I compared combinations of all three treatments, while Experiment II explored the individual effects of root restriction using root bags of varying volumes. Root restriction consistently demonstrated the ability to reduce vegetative growth and vine water status. In the first experiment fruit-zone photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) was increased by 234% in RBG vines. Timed canopy management tasks indicated that RBG canopies required about half the labor time of NRM canopies. Anthocyanin concentration and total phenolic content were increased by 20% and 19% respectively in RBG fruit. CC increased fruit-zone PPFD by 62%, and increased soluble solids and color compounds. The 420-A rootstock reduced potassium uptake, resulting in lower must potassium concentration. Results demonstrated that these treatments significantly reduce vegetative growth in a humid climate, decrease management labor, and produce higher quality fruit. / Master of Science