IMPACT OF TRAINING SYSTEM AND VINE SPACING OIL VINE PERFORMANCE AND BERRY COMPOSITION OF CHANCELLOR

Own-rooted Chancellor vines were trained to five training treatments [ Geneva Double Curtain (GDC); Hudson River Umbrella (HRU); 6-arm Kniffi n (6AK); midwire cordon (MWC); Y-trellis (YT)] and three vine spacings (1.4, 1.8, and 2.4 m). Weight of cane prunings (vine size) per m cano py length was nearly optimal in the GDC and YT systems, but was excess ive in the other three training treatments. increased vine spacing dec reased vine size on a per meter of row basis. Yields of divided canopi es (GDC and YT) averaged 42% higher than non-divided systems, but clus ter weights and berries per cluster tended to be lower in the divided canopies. The GDC system produced fruit with lowest degrees Brix, but also with lowest titratable acidity (TA) and pH, and highest anthocyan in content. Vine spacing had a limited influence on yield and fruit co mposition, but interacted with training system on some components. HRU training led to lower cluster exposure, but with higher leaf and clus ter temperatures, lower leaf diffusive resistance, higher transpiratio n rate, and lower midday leaf water potentials than GDC training.