Factor affecting the efficacy of vineyard techniques used to delayed ripening

One of the most concerning trends associated with increasing heat and water stress is advanced ripening of grapes, leading to harvesting fruit that is high in sugar concentrations but lacks optimal phenolic (i.e. color and mouthfeel) and aromatic maturity. Mitigation techniques for this phenomenon have been researcherd for the past decades and practices to delay sugar accumulation have been identified, including antitranspirants, delayed pruning and late source limitation techniques. Evaluation of the efficacy of these vineyard practices has occurred in a wide range of environments, vintages, varieties and growing conditions. To assess the efficacy of these three vineyard practices, which are easy-to-implement and cost-effective, a meta-analytic approach was adopted using data retrieved from 43 original studies. Statistical techniques of meta-analysis were applied to the data collected to evaluate the efficacy of antitranspirants, late pruning and late source limitation techniques.