Effect of crop load, girdling and berry thinning on water berry development in grapes

Study conducted on 9-year-old grapevines of cv. Perlette involving girdling at veraison, berry thinning (both at a crop load of 80 bunches/vine) and berry-set stage, managing crop load at either 40 or 60 bunches/vine to reduce the incidence of water-berry development resulted in 58.54 (in crop load with 40 bunches/vine) to 38.50% (in trunk girdling); reduction in development of water berry in all the treatments over the control (80 bunches/vine). The treatments had no effect on bunch length and breadth, but bunch weight, berry length and breadth, acidity, brix, and yield/bunch were significantly improved. The rachis N content was reduced under all treatments and was positively correlated with the incidence of water berry in a bunch. The rachis K, Ca and Mg contents increased in all the treatments, showing a negative direct relationship with the incidence of water berry in grape bunches.