STUDIES ON BERRY DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN PUSA URVASHI GRAPE (VITIS VINIFERA L.) UNDER SUBTROPICAL CONDITIONS

Berry development pattern was studied in 12-year-old vines of Pusa Urvashi cultivar (Vitis vinifera L.). The berries had a double sigmoid growth pattern like those in typical seedless grape genotypes, however, the total duration was remarkably short including lag phase.
Growth duration was divided into three stages, i.e. stage I: 0-42 days; stage II: 43-49 days and stage III: 49-70 days.
Veraison stage was identified at 8th week after anthesis and berry ripening was started from 9th day after veraison, i.e. end of May.
In order to improve berry quality, vines were trunk girdled at fruit set stage alone or in combination with three concentrations of GA3 viz. 20, 30 and 40 ppm once and twice after a week of first application.
The different combinations of girdling and GA₃ showed that trunk girdling at fruit set prior to application of 40 ppm GA₃ at full bloom once, hastened the berry ripening by 5 days.
There was improvement in berry quality without affecting the yield, i.e. by loosening the bunch with uniform, large and elongated berries having better T.S.S./acidity ratio.

VII International Symposium on Temperate Zone Fruits in the Tropics and Subtropics

S. Kumar, P.C. Jindal, S.K. Singh

berry development pattern, subtropical grape, trunk girdling, GA³, quality improvement

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.662.47