Detailed Explanation of Key Cultivation Techniques for Zui Jin Xiang Grapes

AbstractBefore flowering, Zui Jin Xiang grapes can be sprayed with mepiquat chloride to control shoot growth and improve the fruit-setting rate. After fruit set, thinning should be done appropriately. When the berries grow to the size of soybeans, a swelling agent can be sprayed. Pinching: about 10 days before flowering, when there are 8 leaves, prune them all off; when flowering and fruiting at 12 leaves, perform light pinching, and all secondary shoots above the flower cluster should be removed entirely. Water and fertilizer: throughout the entire growth process, fertilization is needed about 5 times, namely base fertilizer, bud-promoting fertilizer, fruit-swelling fertilizer, color-changing fertilizer, and post-harvest fertilizer. After each fertilization, water promptly.

I. Key Cultivation Techniques

1. Before flowering, Zui Jin Xiang grapes can be appropriately sprayed with mepiquat chloride to control shoot growth, which helps improve the fruit-setting rate.

Generally, from 2 days before flowering until flowering, a foliar spray of 500-675 milliliters of mepiquat chloride per liter can be applied, which is actually about 15 milliliters of 25% mepiquat chloride diluted in 5-7.5 kilograms of water. In this way, during the flowering and fruit-setting period, new shoots will stop growing, thereby improving the fruit-setting rate and increasing cluster weight by about 100-200 grams.

2. A swelling agent can be appropriately used on the fruit.

After fruit set, thin the fruit appropriately. When the berries grow to about the size of soybeans, a grape-specific swelling agent can be used, appropriately diluted with water and sprayed on the fruit clusters, which helps improve fruit firmness and increase berry weight by about 1 gram.

II. Targeted Cultivation Techniques

1. Pinching

For SO4 rootstock and Beta rootstock, shoot pruning can generally be carried out twice. Usually about 10 days before flowering, when there are 8 leaves, prune them all off; when flowering and fruiting at 12 leaves, light pinching can be appropriately carried out in batches. For Red Fuji rootstock and cutting seedlings, pinching should be appropriately carried out at about 11-12 leaves before flowering.

2. Handling secondary shoots

All secondary shoots above the flower cluster should be removed entirely, or one leaf should be left and the growing point removed.

3. Apical secondary shoots

After the plant is pinched at 11-12 leaves, the apical secondary shoots can appropriately be pinched leaving 3-5 leaves, and then strongly controlled.

4. Cluster setting and fruit thinning

With 10 canes bearing 8 clusters, about 2000 clusters are set, and the yield is about 1250-1500 kilograms. After fruit set, appropriate fruit thinning is needed, appropriately retaining fruit per cluster, and removing smaller berries and seedless berries.

5. Reasonable water and fertilizer management

(1) Fertilization amount: During plant growth, water and fertilizer should be applied promptly. Generally, the fertilization amount can be appropriately adjusted according to tree age, rootstock, fruit load, soil quality, and plant growth conditions. Usually about 1 ton of chicken manure, about 10-15 kilograms of urea, about 50 kilograms of potassium fertilizer, about 50 kilograms of phosphorus fertilizer, and about 50-60 kilograms of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer can be applied each year.

(2) Fertilization frequency: Generally, the plant needs fertilization 5 times throughout the entire growth process, such as base fertilizer, bud-promoting fertilizer, fruit-swelling fertilizer, color-changing fertilizer, and post-harvest fertilizer.

(3) Timely watering: After each fertilization, be sure to water promptly. During the fruit-swelling period, if drought occurs, water should be supplied promptly. Do not overwater, otherwise it can easily cause leaves to turn yellow and fall.