(194) Quality Parameters in `Flame Seedless' Table Grapes Growing in Two Different Microclimatic Areas in Chile

An experiment was set up to elucidate the causes of differences in harvest time in the adjacent grape-growing areas of Rapel and Sotaqui in the Limari Valley, Chile. Berry samples of `Flame Seedless' were collected from each area, from 10 days after last GA spray until harvest (December to February). Soluble solids (SS), titrable acidity (TA), and SS/TA ratios were analyzed and days from full bloom to harvest, growing degree days, and ambient temperatures were recorded. In Rapel, full bloom was 25 Sept.; the harvest by 16 °Brix, started on 3 Jan., and the harvest by 20:1 SS/TA ratio (min. 15.5 °Brix) on 28 Dec. (11, 16, and 24 days earlier, respectively, than Sotaqui). Degree-days (DD) at harvest (16 °Brix) were 1058 in Rapel and 837 DD in Sotaqui. In the last 50 days prior to harvest, berry acidity was always lower in Rapel, decreasing from 0.87% to 0.47%, while in Sotaqui berry acidity decreased from 1.96% to 0.86%. From 20 Dec. to 2 Jan., the acidity did not decrease significantly (1.96% to 1.84%), but in the next 3 weeks decreased to 0.68%. This difference in the rate of acid degradation is related to the increase in minimum night temperatures in this same period of berry growth. It is concluded that the minimum temperature-dependent rate of organic acid degradation is the main factor influencing the SS/TA harvest index parameter.