Variation in some yield determining components in muscadine grapes and their correlation to yield

Abstract

Six Vitis rotundifolia Michx. (muscadine) grape genotypes were measured to determine variation and simple correlations between flower and fruit number/cluster, fruit cluster and individual fruit weight, fruit set and total vine yield. Significant variation was found for each trait, except fruit cluster weight. Range in mean values across selections for each trait were: 72 to 202 flowers/cluster; 16 to 26 fruit/cluster; 88.1 to 112.2 g/fruit cluster; 3.4 to 7.2 g/fruit; 11.3 to 23.4% fruit set; and 21.0 to 71.0 kg/vine for yield. Simple correlation values ranged from r=0.05 for flower number to cluster number to r=0.69 for fruit number to cluster weight. No trait was highly correlated to total yield. Therefore, to increase yield in muscadines it appears best to select for total yield and not for components contributing to yield.