Efecto de prácticas de manejo (poda y raleo) en el comportamiento agronómico de la variedad Albariño (Vitis vinifera L.)

The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of winter pruning and cluster thinning at veraison on vegetative development, yield, and berry composition of the Albariño (Vitis vinifera L.) variety in Uruguay. The interest in this study arises from the significant expansion of Albariño plantings in the country during the last decade. It is a high-vigor variety characterized by long internodes, which represents a challenge when defining the number of buds to leave during winter pruning. In this context, the possibility of increasing bud load per linear meter of wire was evaluated through the crossing of shoots from adjacent vines (cross bilateral pruning). To complete the experimental design, bilateral pruning treatments (commonly used in national viticulture) and unilateral pruning were included. Likewise, the pruning treatments were combined with cluster thinning (50%) at veraison, in order to evaluate the effect on vegetative balance and must quality. The results obtained demonstrated that pruning intensity (differential among treatments) had effects on yield, vegetative development of the vines, and berry composition. The pruning treatment with the highest number of buds (cross bilateral) presented the highest yields, associated with a greater number of clusters per vine, although with lower individual cluster weight. In contrast, the most severe prunings (unilateral and bilateral) showed lower yields, but greater pruning weight and leaf area per shoot. Cluster thinning reduced yield but favored earlier berry ripening, reflected by an increase in soluble solids content. Regarding acidity, no clear influence of pruning or thinning was observed. Likewise, no significant differences were recorded in malic and tartaric acid content, possibly influenced by climatic conditions.