Reduce Yields, Get Better Fruit

The rest of the world is catching up to what viticulturalists have known for quite a while. If you press for high yields and get lots of fruit, the fruit isn't that good because the plant has less energy and stuff to send each particular fruit. But if you reduce your yields you get better product and this is something that you have to do to make great wine.

A study conducted by Dr. Donald Davis in conjunction with the Bio-Communications Research Institute looks at evidence for the dilution effect when yields are higher. The basic conclusion:

plantings of low- and high-yield cultivars of broccoli and grains found consistently negative correlations between yield and concentrations of minerals and protein, a newly recognized genetic dilution effect.

Hat Tip: The US Food Policy Blog.