The effect of number of buds per vine and cane on the yield and productivity coefficient of perlette grape cultivar

Background and Objectives Grape is one of the fruit trees that need to well management to produce economical production. Farmers often do not properly prune vine grape. Grape cultivars show different response to pruning severity. Perlette cultivar cultivation is increased recently. The main objective of this research was to determine the severity and number of buds per shoot on yield and productivity coefficient of perlette grape cultivar. Materials and methods A factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted with three charges levels 42, 60 and 72 and three buds number per shoot include (6-2 buds), (5-2) and (4- 2) during 2012 in Garaban agro industrial complex. Some different traits on flower and fruit quantity and quality were measured. Results Results of mean comparison showed that Charge, number of buds per shoot and their interaction effects were significant on number of cluster, cluster weight, yield and productivity coefficient. The interaction effect between charge and the number of buds on the yield per plant showed that the highest yield (about 12 kg) was obtained by charge 60 and long pruning with 6 buds and the lowest yield (about 5.6 kg) was in charge 42 with 4 buds on the branches. The highest cluster weight of about 250 grams was obtained in charge 60 with 4 buds on the branches and the lowest cluster weight (182 g) found in charged 72 and 4 buds on the branches. The interaction effect of charge and the number of buds per shoot was significant on productivity coefficient at 1%. The highest productivity coefficient (0.9833) was found in the charge 42 and 5 buds per shoots and the lowest was in charge 60 with 4 buds per shoots. Generally 60 charge was recommended for this cultivar as mixed pruning with two replacing buds and a shoot with 6 bearing buds. Discussion Increasing the number of clusters possibly depend on increasing the charge level, which is one of the yield increasing factors. Berries weight loss and berries abscission lead to cluster weight reduction and yield was affected. Thus, the high charge of 72 buds per plant caused yield loss due to small clusters. This phenomenon is possibly due to lack of adequate nutrition by the vine for cluster growth. Yield reduction in 42 charges was due to a reduction in the cluster production number. Yield was increased with a decrease in pruning intensity, which represents an increase in the number of buds on the fruiting branches. The long pruning with 6 buds per cane and 60 charges was superior to the others. This pruning severity was determined based on fruit yield and quality. Proper pruning lead to balance on vegetative and reproductive growth and quantitative and qualitative yield will be increase.