Prediction of grape production by grapevine cultivar Godello in north-west Spain

SUMMARY Advance knowledge of potential grape production is of great value for harvest and post-harvest planning, in that it enables the winery to estimate requirements in terms of crop insurance and grapepicking workforce, and to optimize post-harvest processes. An aerobiological and phenological study of the Godello grape variety was carried out at a vineyard belonging to the Ribeiro Designation of Origin (Ourense, Spain) from 2004 to 2009. Aerobiological data were obtained using a Lanzoni VPPS-2000 volumetric trap placed inside the vineyard, while phenological observations were conducted on 20 selected vines, using the Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt and chemical industry(BBCH) standardized scale. Pollen production per anther and per grapevine was studied during the flowering stage, and airborne Vitis pollen counts were recorded. This information was used to develop a model for predicting local grape production. The equation obtained accounted for 0·99 of harvest variability, thus enabling accurate prediction of grape production 1-month in advance.