Grapes are a popular fruit. It is cultivated commercially in various countries of the world. It is a perennial herb that bears delicious juicy fruits. It contains vitamin B, minerals, calcium, phosphorus and iron It is eaten as a fruit, jam, jelly, vinegar, juice, and oil can be made from the seeds.
France, USA, Turkey, South Africa, China, Portugal, Argentina, Iran, Italy, and Chile grapes are cultivated. But China cultivates the most. Grapes have different properties. It is very beneficial in diabetes control, heart health, and asthma problems. It also plays a role in bone formation and hair and skin.
Soil
It can grow in different types of soil. However, for grape cultivation, it is better to select loamy red soil, and fertile land with relatively high water holding capacity and Ph value of 6·5-8·5.
Grape varieties
Three types of productive grapevines are cultivated in our country. Jakkou, Black Ruby, and Black Pearl. All three cultivars are summer and later metamorphose into three colors, light brown, black, and crimson respectively. It takes about two years for the first yield to come.
Land Preparing
Three to four plowings are required to prepare the land well. The soil should be well-raked. It is best to choose land that will not stand water and has plenty of sunlight.
Sowing method
The root-cutting method is done from December to January. The knifing method should sow at a distance of 3*3 m and the arbor method at a distance of 5*3 m and they should be sown at a depth of 1 m.
(I)Fertilizer application
Urea 60 gm and Murate of Potash 125 gm in April for new plants. This same dose should be given again in June. Fertilizers should be applied similarly to old trees. However, a full dose of Gorbar fertilizer and SSP should be applied after pruning.
Also, apply half doses of nitrogen and potassium. The remaining half dose of nitrogen and potassium should be applied after fruiting in April. Spray urea twice. Once after flowering and once after fruiting.
(ii)Weed removal
Stomp @ 800 ml per acre should be applied in early March when the land is to be cultivated. Then Gramoxone 24 WCS (paraquat) or Glycel 41 SL (glyphosate)@1.6 liters per acre mixed with 150 liters of water when the weed height is 15-20 cm.
(iii)Prune vine stems
At the beginning of the year following planting, the vines must be lofted. Then in February, the stems of the vines spread in the loft should be pruned. Stem pruning increases grape yield and reduces flower drop.
7 days before pruning and 7 days after it should be lightly irrigated at the base. After the tree is planted, all the side trunks other than the main trunk must be broken until it reaches the loft.
(iv)First cut
After the stem rises to the loft, when it is 35/45 cm, the top part of the main stem should be cut, so that a total of four branches grow from two sides of the stem.
(v)Second cut
After the first pruning, if the four branches grow and reach a length of 45/60 cm after 15-20 days, the four tops should be cut. 16 more branches will grow from the cut edge as before.
(vi)Third cut
If these 16 branches are 45-60 cm long after 15 to 20 days, their tops should be cut again so that 4 new branches will be obtained from each branch and thus a total of 64 branches will be obtained from 16 branches. These branches first produce flowers and later these flowers develop into pea-like fruits and grapes.
After fruiting in the first year, the branches should be kept 15-20 cm long and pruned in the next month of February i.e. spring. As a result, some more new branches will grow and flower in early spring. This procedure will last for 3-4 years.
Grapevine diseases
Insect attack:
1. Insects in dung
They eat young leaves. The entire leaf is eaten, leaving the vein part of the leaf.
Suppression
Mix Malathion 400 ml per 150 liters of water and spray
2. Thrips and Jasids
They mainly feed on leaves and fruit juices. As a result of eating the juice of the lower part of the leaves, white spots appear on the leaves.
Suppression
Malathion 4400 ml per 150 liters of water should be mixed and sprayed.
3. Leaf crushers or leaf rollers
These aphids curl the leaves. It can also eat flowers.
Suppression
Quinafos 600 ml per 150 liters of water should be mixed and sprayed.
4. Yellow and red balls
Punctures and eats the ripe fruit.
Suppression
Quinafos 600 ml per 150 liters of water should be mixed and sprayed.
Disease Management
a. Powdery mildew
A powder-like substance is seen in the leaves and flowers.
Solution
Carbendazim 400g or wet sulfur 600g should be sprayed before flowering and fruiting.
b. Downey Mildew
Yellow marks on the upper part of the leaves and loss of shape of the leaves. A white fungus forms on the underside of the leaves.
Solution
First spray – Mancozeb 400-500 g at the time of pruning.
Second spray – 3-4 weeks after the first spray, the second spray should be done. The third spray should be done after leaf growth and the fourth spray should be done after flowering.
c. Anthracnose
Deep lesions are seen on fruits, twigs, and branches. Brown spots are seen on leaves.
Solution
Copper oxychloride or M-45 400 g per 150 liters of water should be sprayed.
Fruit collection
Grapes should be harvested when ripe. After collecting the fruit, it has to be sorted. Then they should be kept at 4·4°C for six hours. Finally, it should be packed in containers and sold in the market.
