Fruit Quality and Freezing Damage of 'Kyoho' Grapes by Girdling

Abstract

The effects of girdling on fruit quality and cold resistance of 'Kyoho' grapes were investigated. Girdling treatment was conducted on the trunk at 10 cm above ground with 1 cm width and grapes were harvested at 90 and 110 days after full bloom to compare the fruit quality. First harvesting rate in girdling treatment was higher than that in non-girdling treatment and coloration was also higher in girdled vines at the final harvest. In other words, coloring process of grape was promoted and enhanced by girdling, but this effect of coloring improvement was decreased after successive girdling treatment. Fruit quality showed no difference between the treated and non-treated berries, but fruit cracking rate was lower in girdled treated berries. Girdled trees were weakened and suffered from freezing damage. Especially, most grapevines withered up after being girdled for three consecutive years. Although girdling had effect on improving the berry coloring significantly, the effect wore off with continuous girdling. And it was possible that consecutive girdling leaded to wither and growth suppression especially in grapevines. These adverse effects may make the continuous girdling technique unsuitable in practice for 'Kyoho' grape.