Effects Of Substrate Culture On Plant Growth And Fruit Quality Of Grapes

Two grape varieties ’Muscat of Alexandria’(Vitis vinifera) and’Pione’(Vitis vinifera×Vitis labrusca) were used in this experiment. Two kinds of substrate were carried out:one was organic substrate(peat:compost:vermiculite=4:1:1), the other was mixed substrate(soil:organic substrate=1:1), and soil was taken as control. In the second year, two types of fertilizer (fruit release fertilizer, ordinary release fertilizer) were used in’Pione’grape which was cultivated in organic substrate. Vine growth, phenology and berry quality was investigated, the results are shown as follows:(1) The timing of budding and flowering in organic substrate of two grape cultivars was1to2days earlier than those cultivated in soil, and the ripening period of’Pione’grape was21days earlier in organic substrate than in soil.(2) The vine shoot length, diameter, leaf area and leaf greenness at different times have been measured in this study. Compared with soil,’Muscat of Alexandria’ grape in organic substrate had longer branch, smaller leaf area, and smaller leaf greenness from young fruit to hardcore period.’Pione’ grape in organic substrate had smaller leaf area, thicker branch, and bigger leaf greenness at harvest time.(3) Oganic substrate improved the content of sugar and acid in flesh, total phenolics in peel, resveratrol in peel and flesh of two cultivars; the content of volatile aroma components was obviously increased in’Muscat of Alexanderia’ grape, the size of berry has no difference between soil and organic substrate. As to ’Pione’ grape, the fruit color was improved by organic substrate, but the size of berry was smaller than those growing in soil.(4)The content of anthocyanin and total phenolics in peel were improved separately by fruit release fertilizer and ordinary release fertilizer in organic substrate of’Pione’grape. The content of soluble solids of must was higher by using fruit release fertilizer than ordinary release fertilizer, but the content of titratable acid was lower by using ordinary release fertilizer. Compare with ordinary release fertilizer, the grape with fruit release fertilizer have a larger berry size and earlier harvast time. In summary, organic substrate raised the root temperature increasing the amount of absorbing roots and fertilizer efficiency, and improving the quality of the berries. However, the pH of the organic substrate declined obviously, and its performance on water retention capacity is not good. We suggest that the integrated management of fertilization and irrigation should be applied to solve these problems.