Quality and yield of grape berries of Kashmir (India) and their relationship with available and petiole nutrient content

Abstract

Soil, plant and fruit samples were collected from 15 representative grape orchards of district Ganderbal, yield was recorded and the berries collected from the selected orchards were processed and analyzed for various quality parameters viz. total soluble salts, total sugars, acidity and anthocyanin. The total soluble salts, total sugars, acidity and anthocyanin content of grape berries varied statistically from 22.06 to 23.12, 13.84 to 14.69, 0.35 to 0.43 and 0.02 to 0.03 per cent with average values of 22.59, 14.27, 0.39 and 0.03 per cent, respectively. The yield of grape orchards statistically showed a variation from 1.80 to 1.84 t ha-1 with an average value of 1.82 t ha-1. Soil potassium, sulphur, iron, zinc and boron and petiole potassium, manganese and boron contents revealed significant and positive correlation with total sugars. Available nitrogen, and petiole nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, iron, manganese, zinc, copper and boron showed positive and significant correlation with acidity. Anthocyanin content indicated positive and significant correlation with available boron and petiole boron and potassium. The fruit yield of grapes indicated a significant and positive correlation with soil available nitrogen, phosphorus, manganese, and petiole nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, manganese and boron contents.