Bunch counts

Counting bunches per vine in the Sectormentor app

About a month before harvest, many vintners count the number of bunches per vine, which feeds into a yield prediction for harvest time. The Sectormentor Yield Predictor generates a prediction based on the bunch counts you add, alongside bunch weights (you can just use an average bunch weight, or measure your own).

Measuring your own bunch weights will inform future yield predictions, making your weights more specific to your context, and meaning your predictions should get better year on year!

What to record

Record bunch counts per vine

Make notes: Anything interesting you’ve noticed!

Photos

Equipment

Just your phone (with the Sectormentor app)!

Optional: Tally / click counter – to help you remember as you count

How to do the test

1. Head to a sample bay (or set of vines) where you want to count some bunches / clusters, and open the relevant sample location in Sectormentor, either using your phone map location, or by scanning the contactless tag at your sample location.

2. Count all bunches within the sample bay (or all bunches for the next set of vines depending on your sampling system), and enter this number into Sectormentor on your phone.

3. Divide your count total by the number of vines you have sampled to find the average per vine – this can be done in Sectormentor.

4. Add any relevant notes or photos alongside your bunch counts for future context, and remember to ‘sync’ your phone when you’re done using it!

5. Log in to Sectormentor on your computer, and head to the Yield Predictor tool to see an updated prediction, made with your own bunch counts!

Resources

Crop Estimation of Grapes – OSU Factsheet: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-1434-11