Quality Plant Material for Optimum Yield in Grape Cultivation

1. Introduction: Quality plant material plays an important role in obtaining optimum economic yield with marketable quality produce under various biotic and abiotic stress conditions. This is an important aspect in horticultural crops having long productive life like grapes. Some quality standards regarding rootstock and scion plant material have been advocated at national level and documented for the benefit of grape nurseries and grape growers.

2. Mother Plants Quality of grape grafts is greatly determined by the quality of mother plants used as rootstock as well as selection of scion. Quality of mother plants is maintained by: • Planting in separate block for selected mother plants of both rootstock and scion grape varieties • Using authentic planting material and proper management of these plants like prevention from pests and diseases, avoiding imbalanced growth, providing appropriate amount of nutrition, etc.

3. Mother Plants • Varieties selected must have longer productive life, greater potential for yield and good quality of produce. • Plants should be from true-to-type progeny, healthy and free from diseases and pests infestation and physiological disorders. Grape Nursery: Mother Plant Block

4. Root Stock Variety: Selection of appropriate root stock is very important in successful grape grafts as well as Grape nursery. The selected rootstock should have following characters like: • Vigorous root system. • Compatible with known commercial scion variety, • Resistant to Phylloxera disease and Nematodes • Easy to propagate and Tolerant to drought condition.

5. Grape Rootstock: In-situ plantation of Root stock Cutting in Grape

6. The Graft: • Selection of proper stage and age of scion sticks is necessary for successful and healthy graft. The rootstock and scion must be vigorous, healthy without disease and pest infestation and without any physical injury. • Bud sticks and rootstock must have similar girth for better union and of appropriate thickness and maturity have to be selected for grafting in case of both rootstock and scion varieties. • Scion sticks and rootstock are initially grown under controlled and standard conditions for uniform and faster union.

7. The Graft: Successful Graft of Grapes

8. Grape Grafts: Grape Grafts ready for Sale in Nursery

9. Management of Grafts: Management of the growing plants after the grafting process is an important aspect in quality grape nursery production. Maintaining conditions favorable for growth and graft union can be obtained by: • Regular spraying for control of pests and diseases on the new planting material. • The grafts must be supplied with proper doses of nutrients at right time. • The grafts must be irrigated regularly and maintained in warm and humid climate for proper growth and graft union.

10. Hardening: • Planting material in the nursery should be produced under favorable climatic conditions. • Plants attain fast growth in nursery due to favorable climatic conditions, however such seedlings fail to adjust in open fields. • During hardening process, these nursery plants are gradually exposed to outdoor environment so that such plants can easily established in the fields.