Table Grapes: Quality as the Objective

The Fomet strategy with foliar application products.

In table grape cultivation, market demand is increasingly oriented toward a high-quality final product. Parameters such as berry crispness, size, and color are of fundamental importance for grape marketability.

In this regard, Fomet has developed a fertilization strategy with foliar application products, to supplement basal fertilization and fertigation.

To promote balanced crop development and improved photosynthetic efficiency at vegetative resumption, Fomet’s proposal is Vigoramin® Power, which contains three essential components in its formulation: amino acids from enzymatic hydrolysis, fluid yeast extract rich in vitamins, ribonucleic acids and beta-glucans, and finally two different types of algae, Ascophyllum nodosum and Ecklonia maxima, particularly rich in polysaccharides and polyphenols. The recommended dosage for foliar application on table grapes is 3 kg/ha, starting from the second unfolded leaf stage.

To improve berry crispness and increase shelf life, the proposed product is Baseball®, which includes calcium, magnesium, and Ascophyllum nodosum algae in its formulation, which promote and enhance the absorption of these two mesoelements. It contains no nitrogen, as excessive nitrogen inputs can increase fruit susceptibility to cracking. On table grapes, application is recommended from the 4 cm visible cluster stage, at a rate of 3 kg/ha by foliar application.

Finally, to promote berry enlargement and improve resistance to abiotic stress, the proposal is Biokelp®, a formulation containing Ecklonia maxima algae, cold-extracted to preserve their bioactive molecule content, together with zinc and manganese, elements that support the synthesis of enzymes fundamental to the most important metabolic processes of the vine. The recommended dosage on table grapes is 3 kg/ha per application, from pre-flowering.

This strategy was tested in Sicily at an accredited trial center, performing five foliar treatments at the following phenological stages:

• 2nd unfolded leaf Vigoramin® Power (3 kg/ha)
• 4 cm visible cluster Vigoramin Power® + Baseball® (3 kg/ha + 3 kg/ha)
• Pre-flowering Biokelp® + Baseball® (3 kg/ha + 3 kg/ha)
• Berry enlargement (8-10 mm) Biokelp® + Baseball® (3 kg/ha + 3 kg/ha)
• Berry enlargement (12-15 mm) Biokelp® + Baseball® (3 kg/ha + 3 kg/ha)

The results obtained were very interesting. In particular, the application of Vigoramin® Power in the initial stages improved the chlorophyll content of the leaves, promoting development in the early phases. The earlier treatment with Baseball® in the pre-flowering stage had a positive influence on berry firmness. Overall, the complete set of Fomet treatments made it possible to achieve better results on the characteristics of interest for the marketability of the final product: size, firmness, color.

The team of technicians and agronomists at Fomet is at your disposal for further information.