HRT 336: Viticulture and Berry Production

Course Code: HRT 336

Credits and Offerings

  • 2 credits (1 lecture and 2 lab hours every week)
  • Spring semester of every year

Course objectives

  1. Describe modern cultural practices used to produce commercial grapes, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries and minor berries through classroom discussion and hands-on experiences.
  2. Describe the growth, development, and physiology of these species so that students understand physiological basis for cultural techniques.

Course Learning Objectives

  • Prepare students for commercial production of grape and berry crops
  • Provide students an understanding of fundamental growth processes and how these are manipulated through cultural practices to optimize the commercial production of grapes and berries.
  • Demonstrate the unique horticultural aspects (cultivars, pruning, fertility, crop load) of managing cane, bush and vine fruit crops.
  • Introduce the diversity of diseases and pests that commonly reduce fruit yield and quality.
  • The course will emphasize concepts in canopy management to improve wine and juice grape yield and quality, including vineyard design, trellis systems, and modern pruning and training systems .

Topics

  • Cultivated grape and berry species, taxonomy, growth and development
  • Site requirements
  • Grape and berry culture and physiology
  • Cultivar selection
  • Planting and establishment
  • Pruning, training and trellising
  • Management of berry pests and weeds
  • Fruit harvesting and handling
  • Production economics

Activities

  • Lectures and discussions on the topics above.
  • Hands-on labs to gain experience in planting, pruning and training.
  • One-day field trip to commercial grape and berry farms to observed commercial practices and learn from growers.

Instructors