Estimation of grape quality in vineyards using a new viticultural index

• Five viticultural parameters have been proposed in the literature as particularly important for defining a balanced vine able to produce high quality grapes: 1) total leaf area/yield, 2) yield/pruning weight, 3) pruning weight/linear meter of canopy length, 4) total leaf area/linear meter of canopy length, and 5) leaf density (leaf layer number). For very high-quality production, 2 more variables have been added to the list: 6) canopy surface area (exposed leaf area), and 7) visual assessment using an evaluation card (which, in turn, makes use of some of the above parameters).