Organic production of red wine grapes under plastic cover in subtropical region of Brazil

Abstract

A trial was carried out aiming to evaluate the development and yield of red wine grapevines under plastic cover in an organic production system in Guarapuava, the Central-Southern region of Paraná State, Brazil. The experimental design was in a randomized blocks, in a 5x2 factorial arrangement (cultivars x rootstocks), with five red wine vine cultivars (Merlot, Malbec, Carbenet Sauvignon, Ives and Early Isabella) and two rootstocks (Paulsen 1103 e VR 043-43). The grafted grapevines were planted in September of 2005 and the evaluations carried out for the three first productive cycles (2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009). The following variables were evaluated: phenological growth stages, number of clusters, average cluster weight, total yield, total soluble solids content and fresh weight of pruning material. The cultivation of wine grapevines in an organic system under plastic cover demonstrated viability, inhibiting the incidence of diseases and reducing the needs of control. The most limiting factor was the damage caused by wasps and bees that decreased cluster harvest. Despite this problem, between tested grapevine cultivars, the Early Isabella was the most productive in all years, while Malbec was also outstanding in the first cycle. VR 043-43 hybrid could be a suitable rootstock for red wine production in areas infested by 'Perola da Terra' scale insects (Eurhizococcus brasiliensis).Index terms: Vitis spp., grapevines, 'VR 043-43', agroecology. RESUMOUm experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar o desenvolvimento e produtividade de uvas para vinho tinto sob cobertura plástica, em sistema orgânico, em Guarapuava, região centro-sul do estado do Paraná, Brasil. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 5x2 (cultivares x porta-enxertos), com cinco cultivares de vinho tinto (Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordô e Isabel Precoce) e dois porta-enxertos (Paulsen 1103e VR 043-43). As videiras enxertadas foram plantadas em setembro de 2005 e as avaliações foram conduzidas nos três primeiros ciclos produtivos (2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2009/ 2009). Foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis: estádios fenológicos, número de cachos, massa média dos cachos, produtividade, teor de sólidos solúveis totais e massa fresca do material de poda. O cultivo de videiras para vinificação em sistema orgânico sob cobertura plástica demonstrou ser viável, inibindo a incidência de doenças e reduzindo a necessidade de controle. O fator mais limitante foi o ataque de vespas e abelhas que severamente reduziram a colheita de cachos. Apesar desse problema, entre as cultivares de videira testadas, a Isabel Precoce foi a mais produtiva em todos os anos, enquanto a 'Malbec' foi também superior no primeiro ciclo. O híbrido 'VR 043-43' poderia ser um porta-enxerto adequado para a produção de uvas para vinho tinto em áreas infestadas com pérola-da-terra (Eurhizococcus brasiliensis).Termos para indexação: Vitis spp., videiras, VR 043-43, agroecologia.

Agronomic evaluation of 'Bordô' grapevine (Ives) clones

“…These values are in accordance with the 15.3 °Brix found by Orlando et al (2003), higher than the 13.8 and 14.4°Brix observed by Botelho et al (2011) but lower than the 19.0° Brix observed at Bswh climate regions by Leão et al (2010). Clone 8 distinguished itself by presenting the highest values for total soluble solids.…”

“…The mean production cycle (from start of budburst to harvest) in the three harvest seasons was 142 days (Table 2), similar to the 149 days observed by Orlando Botelho et al (2011). The highest temperatures and lowest rainfall observed in the 2013 growing season may have contributed to the reduction of the production cycle of the clones during this season (Smart and Robinson, 1991).…”

“…These authors observed that grafting was responsible for a marked increase in yield but the use of different rootstocks or canopy management had little effect on increasing yield, mainly due to poor fruit-set. In an organic production trial under plastic cover in a subtropical highland climate in the south of Brazil, Botelho et al (2011) observed yields of 1.4 and 2.6 t ha -1 in Bordô vines grafted onto '1103 Paulsen' rootstock in the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 seasons, respectively, with no difference in yield regardless of the rootstook.…”

Physiological and agronomical responses of Syrah grapevine under protected cultivation

“…Besides elimination of negative effects like rain and diseases during grapevine growing season, the polyethylene cover has also shown to cause early ripening (Çoban, 2007) or delay harvest of grapes (Cangi et al, 2011;Kamiloglu et al, 2011). Furthermore, these studies have also revealed that microclimate alteration promoted by protected cultivations of grapevine has improved gas exchange and vine water status (Chavarria et al, 2008) and grape composition (Botelho et al, 2011).…”

“…This recent innovation has been adopted in some Brazilian vineyards. The use of polyethylene cover in the vineyard has become widespread by wine grape growers to prevent diseases development, to reduce the use of fungicides, to increase the wine grape yield during the rainy summer and has also enabled organic table and wine grape production (Botelho et al, 2011;Pedro et al, 2011). Besides elimination of negative effects like rain and diseases during grapevine growing season, the polyethylene cover has also shown to cause early ripening (Çoban, 2007) or delay harvest of grapes (Cangi et al, 2011;Kamiloglu et al, 2011).…”