Viticulture in the tropical regions of India

Abstract

By an intelligent appreciation of the vine's physiology grapes are being grown successfully in the tropical regions of India, where the vine stays evergreen throughout the year. The vines are pruned twice a year, once in April for vegetative growth and again in October for the fruiting cycle. The canes which bear the fruit al·e less than one year old. But, since the growth is continuous and rapid, the canes are equivalent in development differentiation to one-year-old canes of the warm temperate and sub-tropical grape growing regions. The ever present over-abundant crop potential of the vine has been exploited by separating out the period of maturity of fruit and maturity of the wood for the next crop. The yields are very high as the depressive effects of high crops are eliminated by 1back or foundation' pruning in April and by heavy doses of fertilizers and manures at the time of pruning. The growers have been able to harvest grapes almost the year round of the 'Bangalore Blue' ( V. labrusca type) by staggering the pruning. In the V. vinifera types, the grape season is also extended, within limits, by adjusting the pruning time. Because of shorter period in which the vines come into bearing, ready germination of seeds and the year round availability of flowers, this area is ideal for breeding and genetic studies. As has been shown by the successful grape cultivation in the tropical regions of India, it seems probable that some grapes will do equally well in other tropical regions of the world where the climatological conditions are similar.