Mechanical grape harvesting is becoming more and more important due to labour shortages and the need for greater operational efficiency. This thesis suggests vineyard design for mechanical harvesting and its impact on grape and wine quantity and quality. The key for mechanical harvest is proper vineyard layout, which includes optimal planting distances, row lengths, and appropriately sized headlands. The row length, typically between 80 and 130 m, and the inter-row spacing of at least 2.2 m, ensure smooth operation of the machinery. Headlands must be at least 5.5 m wide to allow safe turning of equipment. Mechanical harvesting, which can replace up to 42 workers, is more cost-effective, requiring only 3.2 h/ha compared to 135 h/ha for manual harvesting. However, mechanical harvesting can result in grape weight losses of up to 8.72% and must volume losses of up to 3.43%. The optimal shaker frequency, minimizing these losses, is determined to be 440 beats per minute. Physical damage during harvesting can result in up to 60% of the berries being injured, leading to oxidation of the must and a decrease in phenolic content, potentially causing undesirable browning and reduced aromatic complexity in the wine. Conversely, physical damage can also release more phenolic compounds at red grape varieties, which may contribute to greater wine complexity. To enhance the quality of mechanicaly harvested grapes, it is crucial to handle the grapes properly post-harvest, including the use of optical sorters and cold processing techniques.
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