Recommended Varieties

1. Table grapes

1.1 Suitable varieties for different grape growing

regions

Region Varieties

Maharashtra, Thompson Seedless and its mutants like Tas – A –

Northern Karnataka Ganesh, Sonaka and Manik Chaman and A 17/3
and Hyderabad found promising, however, yet to be released;
colored seedless varieties like Fantasy Seedless,
Sharad Seedless and Crimson Seedless; seeded
varieties like Red Globe (found promising but yet to
be recommended).

South Interior Thompson Seedless, Sonaka, Flame Seedless,

Karnataka Sharad Seedless, Crimson Seedless and Red
Globe

Tamil Nadu Thompson Seedless (for Table Purpose), Gulabi,

Bangalore Blue (Juice purpose)

North India Flame Seedless, Perlette and Beauty Seedless

1.2 Varieties Presently in Export

Green Seedless: Thompson Seedless, Tas-A-Ganesh, Sonaka, A
17/3
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 Coloured Seedless: Flame Seedless, Sharad Seedless, Fantasy
Seedless

1.3 New Potential Varieties for Export

Green Seeded: Italia
Coloured Seeded: Red Globe

2. Raisin
In India, Thompson Seedless and its mutants viz. Sonaka, Tas-A-
Ganesh. Manik Chaman are mainly used for raisin production although
Arkavati grape found to be promising and earlier recommended by Indian
Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore. NRC for Grapes, Pune have
also come out with varieties viz. A 17-3, E 12/3, Mint Seedless, Superior
Seedless, KR White, Manik Chaman, A 18-3 (Coloured seedless) and
Cardinal (For Manukka) found promising for the production of raisin, but are
yet to accept on commercial footing.

3. Wine

3.1 Commercially important

White Wine Varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc,

Ugni Blanc, Chardony, Clairette found promising and being
utilized by commercial wineries in the country.

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 Red Wine Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon , Shiraz, Merlot,
Zinfendel, Pinot Noir

Other Wine Varieties: Grenache, Convent Large Black,

Carignane, Prince, Saperavi

4. Rootstocks
Rootstocks are being employed in Indian viticulture to overcome the
adverse effects of salinity and drought and also to modify the scion
physiology / morphology in terms of vigor, fruitfulness, bunches and berry
characters etc. Of the available rootstock in the active Germplasm of the
institute, promising ones are under evaluation for drought and salt
tolerance. Dog ridge rootstock was known for its drought and salt tolerance
in major grape growing regions of India and hence its compatibility with the
promising varieties of grapes like Thompson Seedless and its mutants has
been established. As a result it was most widely accepted rootstock in
India. Of late, Dog ridge rootstock is posing few problems like uneven bud
burst after pruning, less fruitfulness and increased deadwood in the
cordons, which has been attributed to its more vigor inducing capacity to
scions under heavy black cotton soils. The systematic evaluation of
rootstocks revealed rootstocks of V. berlandierii × V. rupestris group like
110 R, 99 R, and 1103 P etc. as most drought and salt tolerant. Among
these, rootstock 110 R is gaining popularity because of its increased
fruitfulness, moderate vigor, restricted uptake of chlorides and increased
water use efficiency under moisture stress conditions. Maximum
accumulation of phenolic compounds was observed in Thompson Seedless
grafted on these rootstocks, which may offer fair degree of resistance to

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major grape diseases like downy mildew and powdery mildew. The
propagation techniques like concentration of IBA, planting media, season of
planting etc has been standardized for multiplying rootstocks by hard wood
cuttings. Similarly time and stage of in situ grafting, chip budding and green
grafting have been standardized to raise rootstock vineyards. Advanced
grafting techniques like bench-grafting using grafting machines needs to be
standardized. Work on molecular characterization of rootstocks to identify
drought and salt tolerant gene has to be initiated to develop suitable
rootstock for Indian condition, which can well adapt to semi arid tropics of
India where grape is grown under larger area.

If the soil characteristics are ideal without any salinity and alkalinity
problems and if the quality of irrigation water is also good, it is not
necessary always to employ rootstocks. It is evidence from few vineyards
in some of the grape growing districts that own rooted vineyards are
performing equally well under good cultural management conditions under
good soil and water quality conditions even after 15-20 years of planting.

Some of the other research findings under rootstock projects are as

follows:

 Thompson Seedless grafted on Dog ridge performed well during

initial years of grafting. Due to high vigor inducing capacity of Dog
ridge, uneven sprouting and more incidence of inverted bottleneck
was observed after both the pruning, while uniform and quick
sprouting was observed in 110 R. Increased fruitfulness, number of
bunches and yield per vine was observed on 110 R rootstock.

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 Tas-A-Ganesh grafted on 110 R recorded on maximum bud
fruitfulness, yield and improved berry characteristics than on Dog
ridge rootstock

 Highest water use efficiency at single leaf level was recorded in 110
R followed by 99 R, Dog ridge at 50 % moisture stress and least was
in SO-4.

 Increased root to shoot length ratio was recorded in Dog ridge at 50

% moisture stress

 Rootstock 110 R restricted uptake of sodium and chloride, while Dog

ridge and Salt creek were know to restrict the uptake of chloride only.

Thompson Seedless grafted on 110 R rootstock recorded highest

phenols, total flavonoids , flavonols ,and flavon – 3 – ols followed by
those on 99R, 1103 P and Dog ridge. Incidence of powdery mildew
was least in T. Seedless grafted on 110 R and highest in those
grafted on St. George and own rooted vines

 Compatibility of Dog ridge and 110 R rootstocks with Tas-A- Ganesh

and Thompson Seedless was well established through long-term field
studies. Inverted bottleneck symptom at graft joint did not affect
growth and yield of vines even after 9 –10 years after grafting and
thus confirming their compatibility.

 Total phenolic content was least in Degrasette, St. George, Salt

Creek and Vitis champinii while maximum was in 99 R, 1103 P, Dog
ridge and 110R while moderate was in Teleki 5 A and B2 56

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  Maximum proline, proteins and flavonoids was recorded in
Berlandieri × Rupestris crosses followed by Vitis champinii group and
least was in rupestris spp and riparia spp.

 Water use efficiency was maximum in Berlandieri and Rupestris

crosses followed by other species like Champinii, Riparia and
Rupestris.

4.1 Rootstocks suggested based on global data for

different situation
Sr. Situation/problem Rootstock
No.
1. Water shortage 1103 P, 140 RU, 110 R, 420
A, SO 4, 99 R, St. George,
Dogridge
2. Soil EC more than 2 m mohs/cm Ramsey, Dogridge, 140 RU,
and water EC more than 1 m 99 R, 110 R.
mohs/cm
3. Soil ESP more than 15 per cent 140 RU, 1613, Ramsey,
and/or water SAR more than 8. Dogridge.
4. Free calcium content of soil is more 140 RU, SO 4, 420 A.
than 12%
5. Chloride content of water is more Ramsey, Dogridge B, 140
than 4 meq/litre RU. Teleki 5-C
6. Poor vigor of the variety without any Dogridge, St. George, SO 4,
soil/water problem 140 RU.
7. For increased nitrogen, potassium Dogridge, St. George, 34 EM,
uptake. Ramsey.
8. For increased bud break 1613, B2-56.