Viticulture

    Viticulture

Article by CH.Anusha & N.Bhargavi

What is viticulture??

Viticulture is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. 

Grapes production in India :

 

Grape cultivation in India has been commercially taken up under a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. While there are three distinct regions, e.g., temperate (J.K. and H.P.), sub-tropical (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Western U.P.) and tropical (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh).

The current area and production under grape is estimated at 60,200 ha with an annual production of 1,546,300 tonnes.Maharashtra accounts for more than 80% of the total production. 

♦️  Nashik, called “grape capital of India”

Growing vines:

Many factors can affect the overall quality of a grape vine, the three most important are climate, slope, and soil.

Climate:

Climate is the most significant external factor in determining a grape’s inherent qualities.

Grape vines need approximately 1300–1500 hours of sunshine during the growing season and around 690 millimetres (27 in) of rainfall throughout the year in order to produce grapes suitable for winemaking. 

Slope:

 Hillsides and slopes are preferred over flatter terrain: vines growing on a slope can receive a greater intensity of the sun’s rays, with sunshine falling on an angle perpendicular to the hillside.

Soil:

Quality soil is important to allow plants to have better root systems.

Favorable soil conditions include: aeration, loose texture, good drainage and moderate fertility.

Drainage factors are cited as the most important soil characteristic to affect grape vine growth.

Propagation:

Grapevines are propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering, budding, or grafting.  Grape is mostly propagated by hardwood stem cuttings.

Spacing:

Spacing varies with variety and soil fertility. Generally under organic cultivation, spacing of 2.5 m x 1.5 m, 2.75 m x 1.50 m and 3.0 m x 1.5 m.

Planting:

Rectangular system of planting is adopted for growing grape.

Pits of 90 cm x 90 cm x 90 cm are dug and filled with soil and well decomposed FYM/Compost @ 55 t/ha. The pits are then irrigated.

Pruning in Grapes:

Pruning is one of the most important cultural operations in grape production because it regulates both vegetative growth and fruit production.

Summer pruning:-

The canes are cut back to one or two bud level for Building up the fresh vegetative growth.

Hence it is called back pruning or growth pruning.

Winter pruning:-

The mature canes (about 6 months old)are pruned.

Entire foliage and immature shoots are removed 

Levels of pruning differs with varieties-

--anab-e-shahi and bhokri pruned to 5 bud level.

--thompson seedless to 10 buds.

--Bangolre blue to 4 buds. 

This is called forward pruning.

Training:

The use of vine training systems in viticulture is aimed primarily to assist in canopy management.

Head system:-

In this system the vines are trained like dwarf bush.Less vigorous varieties and varieties producing fruitful shoots for the basal buds are suitable for this system.

The vine is allowed to grow to a single stem with the help of stakes.

Pendal system:-

This is best suited for vigorous varieties which don’t perform well on other systems.

Two vigorous shoots in opposite direction are selected and allowed to grow in opposite directions on the wires overhead.

Telephone system:-

This suitable for moderately vigorous varieties with more apical dominance.

Kniffin system:-

It is a system of training grape vine in which the arms of the vine are tied to horizontal wire at the same level above the ground.

Harvesting:

Harvesting period for grapes, generally starts 30-70 days after fruit set.

Berries change color from green to yellow (for white varieties), or red-purple (for red varieties).

Yield:

Yield varies according to variety and climatic conditions etc. The average yield of Anab-e-Shahi and Bangalore blue is 40-50 tonnes/ha while that of seedless varieties is 20 tonnes/ha. Average yield of 20-25 tonnes/ha.

Storage:

The shelf life of grapes is only one week at room temperature . The storage life of grapes can be increased by employing suitable means to reduce desiccation, decay due to growth of fungi .  Pre-cooled grapes are packed in corrugated boxes in 4.5/5/9 kgs and kept in cold storage Boxes that are specially designed with perforations to allow cool air to pass through.

Diseases:

Powdery mildew:

Oidium is a powdery mildew that can attack all green parts of the vine. 

Downy mildew:

Downy mildew (Peronospora) thrives in high temperatures and humidity and produces stains on leaves. It can be treated by spraying plants with copper sulphate.

Fan leaf virus:

 Fanleaf virus is spread by nematodes that breed in the vine stem. It can lead to deformity, yellowing of leaves, and smaller crop yields.