Grapevine Variety and Number of Canes Affect Dry-on-Vine (DOV) Raisin Production on an Overhead Arbor Trellis

Abstract

Making raisins (dried grapes) is a laborious process and grape growers around the world are increasingly interested in adopting mechanized methods, especially dry-on-vine (DOV). The DOV method entails severing canes bearing mature fruit, causing them to DOV, after which they may be harvested by machine. The overhead arbor is an important DOV raisin trellis system, but basic agronomic performance of raisin varieties on that system are scant. Therefore, a three-year experiment was conducted to compare the performance of several raisin grape varieties (Vitis vinifera L.), on an overhead arbor trellis, for production of DOV raisins. Grapevine variety, ‘DOVine’, ‘Fiesta’, ‘Selma Pete’, or ‘Thompson Seedless’, was the main-plot factor, and number of canes, six or eight, was the sub-plot. ‘Fiesta’ produced the highest yields, averaging about 12.24 Mg/ha raisins. However, ‘Fiesta’ generally had the lowest soluble solids and among the lowest raisin grades. The later ripening of ‘Fiesta’ fruit delayed harvest pruning to initiate fruit drying compared to the other varieties. Therefore, its raisins did not dry sufficiently to meet industry standards. ‘Selma Pete’, ‘DOVine’, and ‘Thompson Seedless’ had similar yields, generally about 20% less than ‘Fiesta’, but ‘Selma Pete’ produced fruit that were the largest in size, with the highest soluble solids, and that produced raisins of the highest grades, compared to the other varieties. Vines pruned to eight canes produced higher yields without sacrificing raisin quality. In conclusion, ‘Fiesta’ was notable for its high productivity, and ‘Selma Pete’ for its earliness and high quality, and both varieties had sufficient capacity to carry eight 15-node canes.