The VCR service

• If planting is carried out in the optimal period and on properly prepared soils, excessive irrigation and nitrogen-rich fertilization should be avoided. (Remember that fertilizers should always been spread far from the roots).

• Once the plant has reached the 2-3 true leaves stage, it is mandatory to start the phytosanitary defense to prevent downy mildew and other pathogen attacks, so to favor the proper development of the shoots.

• As the shoots develop, it is advisable to select 1-2 of them and remove the exceeding ones. The remaining shoots shall be properly tied to the tutoring post.

• Depending on the weather during the season, irrigation should be carried out to avoid any water stress. Fertilizing operations are not recommended unless severe nutritional deficiencies occur.

• It is necessary to avoid competition between the vines and the weeds with the use of appropriate procedures. Mechanical weeding is a better choice, to be preferred over chemical herbicides, in which case it is of paramount importance to avoid contact with the foliage.

• The anti-peronosporic defense shall be continued until the full completion of the lignification, making sure to avoid any damage to the cambial tissues, which could jeopardize the vitality of the young plants.

• The most suitable period for planting, so to benefit from the best weather conditions, is during fall or spring, but not later than the end of May. In case of re-planting it is a good practice to avoid rootstocks that are sensitive to soil fatigue such as 3309, 101.14, 41B and 420A. It is always recommended to operate in optimal soil conditions to avoid compaction. A good ground fertilization is desirable in the pre-planting phase and mandatory in particularly poor lands.

• Before planting it is necessary to soak the grafted vines in water for at least 24-48 hours, in order to rehydrate tissues. Should it not possible to plant the vines shortly after purchase, it is possible to store them at controlled temperature (+3/+4°C), keeping them in the original packaging. Once unpacked, do not expose the roots to the sun, otherwise they will dehydrate and will be irreversibly damaged.

• After rehydration it is possible to trim the roots, making sure the final length won’t exceed 8-10cm in case of machine planting (Wagner machine), or 3cm if transplanting forks are used.

• Make sure that the callused point stays about 5cm above the ground level in hilly areas where erosion is more likely to take place, and about 10cm in lowlands. It is not advisable to plant using a drilling system, especially in compact and humid soils.

• Once planting operations are finished, it is crucial for the roots to stick perfectly to the soil to allow a prompt vegetative restart and avoid “empty areas” in the ground where water stagnation may occur.

• • In case of late planting, at a stage when rainfall is poor, irrigation with an appropriate amount of water is essential and it has to be done immediately after planting and, as much as needed, during the following period to avoid any water stress and poor development of the plants. If sprinkler irrigation is carried out, it is necessary to supply not less than 35/45mm of water, whereas, in case of direct localized irrigation, at least 7 liters of water/plant must be provided every other 3/5 days until bud burst is completed.

• As soon as the first shoots have reached a proper development level (2-3 leaves), it is necessary to start the phytosanitary defense in order to protect the young plants from harmful organisms that can undermine the vegetative growth, such as downy mildew, powdery mildew, thrips and leafhoppers.

• The grafted vines in pots can be implanted during the same year in which they are grafted. The plants are available from the first ten days of April and are delivered with adequately developed shoots and roots. However, this product requires a more careful and accurate field management at least at the earliest development stages.

• The pots are supplied in polystyrene trays which should be tilted along their longer side to remove the plants easily. We recommend removing the plants from the front row of the tray first to avoid any damage to the pots. Should the immediate planting not possible, the plants can be kept for a few days in a shaded place, making sure that they are properly watered and, if needed, treated with fungicides.

• We recommend transplanting the pots by hand into previously prepared holes by leaving the callus point at least 10cm above-ground. Alternatively, it is possible to transplant with automatic machines. In case of machine planting the utmost attention must be paid to avoid the rupture of the roots: to minimize this risk we recommend planting dry pots and watering them immediately after.

• It is essential to irrigate with 2-3 liters of water/plant every 4-5 days until the plants have completely taken root (about 60 days) and in any case whenever necessary. The first watering should be carried out a few hours after planting.

• • As soon as the first shoots have reached a proper development (2-3 leaves), it is necessary to start the phytosanitary defense in order to protect the young plants from harmful organisms that can undermine the growth of the canopy and the correct lignification process, such as downy mildew, powdery mildew, thrips and leafhoppers. Phytosanitary defense should be extended until the end of September/mid-October to preserve the whole physiological potential of the plants.

• An appropriate preparation of the soil is a mandatory condition to ensure a proper vegetative restart and the development of the vineyard. When dealing with heavy soils, it is desirable to carry out the preparatory operations, such as deep soil processing, subsoil tillage and plowing, during August-September, whereas in light lowland soils these operations can be performed later. Finishing operations must be carried out before planting to facilitate planting by machine or with mechanical forks.

• In case of replanting on parcels which have previously been grown with vineyards, it is always desirable to carry out a 1-to-3year crop rotation before proceeding with planting the new vineyard. In the presence of nematodes virus vectors, assessed with nematological analysis, it is necessary, where permitted, to resort to chemical disinfestation or to the cultivation of nematocidal plants (e.g. horseradish); otherwise crop rotation must be extended for at least 6 years.

• Should ground levelling be necessary, it is not advisable to overlap the surface soil with deeper layers, as it would be rather preferable to carry over soil from areas with different pedologic characteristics. It is preferable to level out the unevenness using deep soil and eventually coat it with the surface soil previously accumulated at the edge of the field.

• Similarly, we do not recommend performing deep soil preparations, especially in the presence of shallow soils, this in order not to bring the underlying inert materials to the surface and not to damage the fertile upper layers. As an alternative to deep break-up, a double-layer processing is advisable: a first 80-100cm deep tillage (especially useful when dealing with heavy and compact soils) and then a shallow – 40cm-deep – ploughing. When dealing with soils rich in skeleton, it is possible to shatter the aggregates with special equipment or to remove large inert blocks.

• Soil sampling and chemical-physical analysis are also good practices when choosing the correct ground (preparatory) fertilization and the most suited rootstock.

• Ground fertilization before ploughing is of paramount importance. If available, the use of mature cow manure (50-60 tons/ha) is recommended. Manure will provide both micro and macro-elements as well as organic matter useful for the improvement of the soil structure.

What is a clone?

A clone is the vegetative offspring of a single vine plant.

How does a clone come about?

A clone develops predominantly from spontaneous natural mutations randomly occurring in a vine plant.

What is the purpose of clonal selection?

Clonal selection exploits and enhances the intra-varietal genetic variability of the species by stabilizing mutations via vegetative propagation. The purpose is to identify individual plants whose phenological, productive, qualitative and disease susceptibility/tolerance characters got modified in a positive and desirable way with respect to the goals of the selection.

How does clonal selection take place?

The probability of observing intra-varietal variability increases with the age of the vineyards and tends to be greater for those varieties that have been cultivated for a long time, that are widely spread and occupy a considerable portion of the vineyard areas. In any case, once the genotypes of interest have been identified in old vineyards, the selection must be supported with phytosanitary tests (ELISA, PCR, biological indexing), which are specifically designed to obtain clones free from transmissible harmful organisms. At the same time, the consistency of the clone with the varietal type must be assessed after thorough ampelographic and/or genetic investigations. Morphological and agronomic surveys must follow for at least three years and in two distinct environments with different pedo-climatic characteristics. Finally, evaluations will focus on quality parameters, including vinifications, which must be made for at least two consequent vintages. Once the above conditions are met, it becomes possible to collect the results of the clonal selection process and apply to the Ministry of Agriculture for approval and registration.