What is the purpose of removing bark during girdling?

Removing bark during girdling serves the specific purpose of promoting larger berry size. Girdling involves removing a strip of bark from around the trunk or a main limb of the vine, which interrupts the flow of nutrients and water. This disruption leads to an increase in the concentration of sugars and other carbohydrates in the remaining parts of the plant, as well as a reduction in the growth of the vine. The result is that the vine focuses its energy on producing fewer but larger berries instead of many smaller ones. This practice is employed strategically to enhance the quality and size of the grapes, which is particularly important in grapevine cultivation for wine production.

Other choices do not align with the primary purpose of girdling. For instance, controlling vine height is typically managed through other pruning methods rather than girdling. Enhancing root development is also more related to appropriate soil management and root pruning techniques, rather than the girdling process itself. While girdling can influence flowering and fruiting to some extent, its main objective in terms of yield is focused on berry size rather than merely increasing the number of clusters.