CROP IMPROVEMENT IN GRAPES

HISTORY
• Grape is an important commercial fruit of the world.
• It is one of the most ancient fruit crops known to mankind, even before the wheat and
Barley (> 7000 BC)
• According to De-Condole (1886) the cultivation of grape in Egypt dates back to 4000
BC
• In India, the grape is known since long as mention of fruit is there in several ancient
treaties like Charaka Samhita, Shushruta Samhita between 1356-1220 BC
• Mention of land suitability for grape growing is found in Kautilyas – Arthashastra (4th
century BC)
• Commercial varieties were introduced to India by invaders from Iran and Afghanistan
• Mohmad Bin Tughlaq introduced Bhokri, Fakri, Sahebi varieties in 1338 AD
• Commercial cultivation of grapes in India started in 20th century and South Indian
Viticulture started only around 1940
1. Vitis vinifera: European grape
Origin : Caucasus region between Caspian Sea and Black Sea
This is also known as “Old World Grape”.
2. Vitis labrusca : American grapes
Origin : North America, N-W-Himalaya, South Europe,
Botany:
Vitis vinifera : European grape
Vitis labrusca : American grape
Family : Vitaceae
Genara : Vitis
Sub genera : Euvitis: 60 sps
Muscadinia : 3 sps

Sl. Character Euvitis Muscadinia

No.
1 Bark on the Slips and becomes loose Don’t slip
stem and clears off as it
matures
 2 Tendrils Forked and Bifid/trifid It is not forked
tendrils
3 Fruit Elongated Small and short
clusters clusters
4 Berry Berries do not drop from Berries drop
attachment the clusters even after from the cluster
maturity as and when they
ripe

Other sps:
1. V. vinifera : Wine grape
2. V. labrusca : Fox grape
3. V. aestivalis : Summer grapes
4. V. riperia : Frost grape (widely used as root stock)
5. V. Champini : Calcarie grape
6. V. rupestris : Sand grape (Root Stock)
7. M rotandifolia : Muscadine grape
8. M. munsoniana : Little muscadine grape
9. M. popenoi : Mexican muscadine grape
Muscadania grapes are very hardy and can come up in various soil and climate
Indigenous sps:
• V. barbala
• V. parvifolia
• V. indica
• V. latifolia
Varieties
• There are >10,000 varieties worldwide.
• In India there are >1000 varieties.
Distribution:
Top 10 Grape Producing Countries
Rank Country Production in tonnes
1 China 12,627,999
2 United States of America 7,152,063
3 Italy 6,930,794
4 Spain 6,222,584
 5 France 6,172,557
6 Turkey 4,175,356
7 Argentina 2,635,109
8 India 2,585,340
9 Chile 2,456,629
10 Iran 2,056,689

Colour:
• Yellow : Quercetin
• Red : Anthocyanins
• Blue/black/Purple: Anthocyanins
Flavor:
• Muscat / Foxiness flavour due to the presence of Methyl anthranilate.
• Resveratrol : Active component having anti carcinogenic property, Present in red
grapes
FLORAL BIOLOGY
• The genus Vitis produces three types of flowers i.e., male, female and hermaphrodite.
• V. rotundifolia is dioecious in nature.
• Type of inflorescence – cyme.
• The perfect flowers open from the base through its detachment as a result of outward
pressure exerted by stamens and pistil at the time of blooming termed as calyptras.
• Self-pollination is common in most of the varieties. However cross pollination is
required in reflexed anthers cultivars.
• E.g.: Hur, Katakurghan, Angur Kalan
FLOWER MORPHOLOGY:
• The cultivated species of Vitis vinifera has two types of hermaphrodite flowers:
• One with upright stamens and fertile pollen.
• Other one with reflexed stamens and mostly with sterile pollen
• Exclusive male or staminate and female or pistillate flowers are also present
depending upon the variety.
• The bisexual flower consists of a single slender necked pistil and two chambered
enlarged ovary each with two ovules.
• There are usually 5 stamens, (the No. may vary from 4-8). The sepals are five and
reduced to a ring at the base of the flower.
 • Five petals fused at the top form the calyptras or cap which gets detached at the base
and drops off at the time of flowering.
• Five petals joined at their tips which alternate with the sepals and a two loculed
superior ovary with four ovules.
ANTHESIS:
• Time of anthesis is also influenced by the environmental factors; hence varied reports
are available with anthesis.
• North India – 7.00 to 9.00 am
• South India – 8.00 to 10.00 am
• Pollination, fertilization and seed development results in the good berry set. In most
of the seedless cultivars of grape, pollination is followed by the fertilization but
subsequently the embryo gets aborted and leads to seedlessness. This is termed as
stenospermocarpy
• E.g., Perlette, Beauty seedless, Pusa seedless, Delight, Thompson seedless.
• Cultivar Black Corianth – requires stimulus from pollen for berry set.
• Self-pollination is the rule in most of the members of V. vinifera, however, cross
pollination is reported in varieties with reflexed anthers.
• E.g., Hur, Katakurghan, Hybrid No.1613, V. parviflora, V. champinii, Angoor Kalan
BREEDING METHODS AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
• Grapes are reported to have been introduced in tropical India about 2600 years ago
i.e., in 620 B.C. commercial cultivation started in 20th century. The commercial
cultivars / varieties of grapes were introduced in India by invaders from Iran,
Afghanistan.
• Mohd. Bin Tughlaq introduced Bhokri, Fakhri and Sahebi cultivars in Aurangabad –
1338 AD
• Large scale introduction in planned manner were initiated at Lyallpur – (west Punjab
– Pakistan) – 1928 by S B S, Lal - Introduced 116 cultivars from different countries.
Some of the promising introductions were:
• Thompson seedless, Perlette, Beauty seedless, Pearl of casaba, Black Muscat, Delight,
Himrod, Hur – USA.
• Kishmish Beli and Kishmish Charni – Russia
• Ruby seedless, Gordo Blano, Wortly hall hybrids – Australia
• Tottacha – Brazil
• Flame seedling 1281, Dogridge, Pride, Dixie, Black Corianth – USA
• Douro, Boal De Alicante, Preta, Jampal – Portugal.
 • Leon Swanson – Canada
• Anab-e-Shahi – Introduced from middle east by Abdul Baquer Khan – Nizam of
Hyderabad (1890)
Different species: introduced from USA:
• V. gigas
• V. caribea
• V.munsoniana
• V. smalliana
• V. cineraria
• V. shuttleworth
• V. monticola
• V. cineraria
• Recent in introductions – French hybrids – wine grapes
• Shiraz, Zinfandel, Cabernet Savignon, Pinot Noir
SELECTION:
• Most of commercial cultivars are seedling selection from open pollinated population.
• Cheema Sahebi (selection – 7)
• Sel – 49
• Pandhari Sahebi
• Kabul Monukka
Clonal selections
• Clones of Thompson seedless
• Tas-e-Ganesh
• Sonaka
• Manik Chaman
• Monika
• Pusa seedless
• Sharad Seedless from Kishmish Cherni
• Dilkush is a bud sport of Anab-e-Shahi
• Manjira Naveen from Centennial seedless
HYBRIDISATION:
 • Hybridization programme was initiated both at IARI in 1958 and IIHR in 1968 with
different objectives. The objectives are:
• Develop varieties showing early maturity
• High yielding, better quality.
• Seedless variety with resistance to biotic and abiotic stress.
• Resistance / tolerance to fruit cracking.
• IARI – Hybrids:
• Pusa Navrang (1996) – Madeleine Angevine x Ruby red
• Pusa Urvashi (1997) – Hur x Beauty seedless.
HYBRIDS
IIHR, Bangalore
• Arkavati : Black Champa x Thompson seedless
• Arka Kanchan : Anab-e-Shahi x Queen of Vineyard
• Arka Thrishna : Bangalore blue x Convent Large black
• Arka Shyam : Bangalore Blue x Black Champa
• Arka Majestic : Angur Kalan x Black Champa
• Arka Hans : Bangalore Blue x Anab-e-Shahi
• Arka Neelmani: Black Champa x Thompson Seedless
• Arka Chitra : Angur Kalan x Anab-e-Shahi
• Arka Sweta : Anab-e-Shahi
• Arka Krishna : Black Champa x Thompson Seedless
• Arka Som : Anab-e-Shahi x Queen of Vineyards
IARI, New Delhi
1. Pusa Navrang : Madeleine Angevine x Rubired
2. Pusa Urvashi : Hur x Beauty seedless
MUTATION BREEDING:
• It has been used to develop new varieties; both physical and chemical mutagens are
used.
• New Perlette – (loose bunch, self-thinning) – evolved from Perlette
• Red Niagra – (red berry) – evolved from Niagra
• Robin cardinal – early maturing – evolved from Cardinal.
POLYPLOIDS:
• Marvel seedless from Delight
• Early viable from Campbell x Niagra
• Lonetto / Early Giant from Campbell
• Wallis giant from Concord
• Case from Sultana
Varieties
Coloured seedless
• Sharad seedless
• Beauty seedless
• Flame seedless
• Crimson seedless
Coloured seeded
• Bangalore blue
• Gulabi
• Black Champa
• Cardinal
• Black muscat
• Kali Sahebi
White seeded
• Anab – e – Shahi
• Dil Khush
• Bhokri
• Cheema Sahebi
• Panderi Sahebi
White seedless
• Thompson seedless
• Sonaka
• Tas-e-Ganesh
• Manik Chaman
 • Pusa seedless
• Perlette
Wine varieties:
Red Wine White Wine
• Cabernet Sauvignon Chardonnoy
• Shiraz Sauvignon Blanc
• Zinfandel Chenin Blanc
• Merlot Ugni Blanc
• Pinot Noir Cleirette
• Cabernet Frank Vermantino