Evaluation of early-ripening grape genotypes under
subtropical North Indian conditions.
Ram Kumar , Shailendra Rajan , Negi, S. S.
Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, P.O. Kakori,
Rehmankhera, Lucknow - 227 107, India.
The yield and quality of 14 early-ripening grape cultivars, planted
during 1995 in Rehmankhera, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, were
evaluated during 1997-2000 to identify the most suitable cultivars for
North Indian plains, where pre-monsoon showers is a limiting factor for
grape cultivation. The period of bud sprouting and ripening varied with
the year and cultivar. Bud sprouting (20 February-5 March) and fruit
ripening (16 May-5 June) were earliest in Beauty Seedless. BA x
Per-75-32, Gold, Delight and Kishmish Beli exhibited late fruit
ripening. Flame Seedless and Pusa Navrang were high-yielding, and the
mean annual yield of these cultivars was approximately 20 kg per vine.
Both cultivars, which were resilient to damage by heavy rains,
exhibited phenotypic yield stability even under unfavourable
conditions. Cardinal (5.40-8.61 kg per vine), Kishmish Charani
(4.69-12.66 kg per vine), Beauty Seedless (1.13-22.63 kg per vine),
Pusa Seedless (5.02-7.13 kg per vine), Gold (1.36-8.88 kg per vine) and
New Perlette (2.69-9.84 kg per vine) had moderate yields, whereas Pusa
Urvashi (1.20-2.89 kg per vine) and Kishmish Beli (1.15-3.04 kf per
vine) had low yields. Hybrid BA x BS-71-50 did not produce fruits. The
highest bunch weight was recorded for Pusa Seedless (279.75 g).
Cardinal had the highest berry weight (3.01 g). The fruits of Kishmish
Beli were characterized by the lowest acidity (0.44%). The results
suggest that Flame Seedless, which had high fruit yield, number of
bunches and bunch weight, was the most suitable for cultivation under
Lucknow conditions. |
