Interactions Between Leaf Area Dynamics and Vineyard Performance, Environment, and Viticultural Practices

The Leaf Area Index (LAI) is a key physiological metric in viticulture, associated with vine health, yield, and responsiveness to environmental and management factors. This study, conducted in a Mediterranean Sauvignon Blanc vineyard (2017–2023), examines how irrigation and environmental variables a...

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Main Authors: Yishai Netzer, Noa Ohana-Levi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Agriculture
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/6/618
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author Yishai Netzer
Noa Ohana-Levi
author_facet Yishai Netzer
Noa Ohana-Levi
author_sort Yishai Netzer
collection DOAJ
description The Leaf Area Index (LAI) is a key physiological metric in viticulture, associated with vine health, yield, and responsiveness to environmental and management factors. This study, conducted in a Mediterranean Sauvignon Blanc vineyard (2017–2023), examines how irrigation and environmental variables affect LAI across phenological stages, and their impact on yield (clusters per vine, cluster weight, total yield) and pruning parameters (cane weight, pruning weight). Results show that irrigation is the primary driver of LAI, with increased water availability promoting leaf area expansion. Environmental factors, including temperature, vapor pressure deficits, and solar radiation, influence LAI dynamics, with chilling hours playing a crucial role post-veraison. Excessive LAI (>1.6–1.7) reduces yield due to competition between vegetative and reproductive sinks. Early-season LAI correlates more strongly with yield, while late-season LAI predicts pruning weight and cane growth. Machine learning models reveal that excessive pre-veraison LAI in one season reduces cluster numbers in the next. This study highlights LAI as a critical tool for vineyard management. While irrigation promotes vegetative growth, excessive LAI can hinder fruit set and yield, emphasizing the need for strategic irrigation timing, canopy management, and climate adaptation to sustain long-term vineyard productivity.
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spelling doaj-art-3c43fa0824a149b2aecf442a056ed2352025-08-20T03:40:42ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722025-03-0115661810.3390/agriculture15060618Interactions Between Leaf Area Dynamics and Vineyard Performance, Environment, and Viticultural PracticesYishai Netzer0Noa Ohana-Levi1Department of Chemical Engineering, Ariel University, Ariel 4070000, IsraelIndependent Researcher, Variability, Kfar Vradim 2514700, IsraelThe Leaf Area Index (LAI) is a key physiological metric in viticulture, associated with vine health, yield, and responsiveness to environmental and management factors. This study, conducted in a Mediterranean Sauvignon Blanc vineyard (2017–2023), examines how irrigation and environmental variables affect LAI across phenological stages, and their impact on yield (clusters per vine, cluster weight, total yield) and pruning parameters (cane weight, pruning weight). Results show that irrigation is the primary driver of LAI, with increased water availability promoting leaf area expansion. Environmental factors, including temperature, vapor pressure deficits, and solar radiation, influence LAI dynamics, with chilling hours playing a crucial role post-veraison. Excessive LAI (>1.6–1.7) reduces yield due to competition between vegetative and reproductive sinks. Early-season LAI correlates more strongly with yield, while late-season LAI predicts pruning weight and cane growth. Machine learning models reveal that excessive pre-veraison LAI in one season reduces cluster numbers in the next. This study highlights LAI as a critical tool for vineyard management. While irrigation promotes vegetative growth, excessive LAI can hinder fruit set and yield, emphasizing the need for strategic irrigation timing, canopy management, and climate adaptation to sustain long-term vineyard productivity.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/6/618leaf area indexmachine learning<i>Vitis vinifera</i>vine physiologyyield componentspruning components
spellingShingle Yishai Netzer
Noa Ohana-Levi
Interactions Between Leaf Area Dynamics and Vineyard Performance, Environment, and Viticultural Practices
Agriculture
leaf area index
machine learning
<i>Vitis vinifera</i>
vine physiology
yield components
pruning components
title Interactions Between Leaf Area Dynamics and Vineyard Performance, Environment, and Viticultural Practices
title_full Interactions Between Leaf Area Dynamics and Vineyard Performance, Environment, and Viticultural Practices
title_fullStr Interactions Between Leaf Area Dynamics and Vineyard Performance, Environment, and Viticultural Practices
title_full_unstemmed Interactions Between Leaf Area Dynamics and Vineyard Performance, Environment, and Viticultural Practices
title_short Interactions Between Leaf Area Dynamics and Vineyard Performance, Environment, and Viticultural Practices
title_sort interactions between leaf area dynamics and vineyard performance environment and viticultural practices
topic leaf area index
machine learning
<i>Vitis vinifera</i>
vine physiology
yield components
pruning components
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/6/618
work_keys_str_mv AT yishainetzer interactionsbetweenleafareadynamicsandvineyardperformanceenvironmentandviticulturalpractices
AT noaohanalevi interactionsbetweenleafareadynamicsandvineyardperformanceenvironmentandviticulturalpractices