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
- Describe modern cultural practices used to produce commercial grapes, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries and minor berries through classroom discussion and hands-on experiences.
- 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.
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