LEAO, P. C. de S.

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Challenges and opportunities to growing table grapes in sub-tropical/tropical regions.

Tropical and subtropical viticulture can be detined in tive types according the Multicriteria Climatic Classitication (Tonnieto and Carbonneau, 2004): tropical dry, tropical wet, tropical alternatively dry/wet, sub-tropical alternatively dry/wet and sub-tropical dominantly wet. They include a wide range of countries and very particular tropical viticultures in Brazil, Peru,Venezuela, Colômbia, Guatemala, India, Thailand, and others characterised as subtropical in the South of Brazil, Uru guay, Korea,Japan and others. The vine adapts differentially in every climatic condition by imposing a particular management system, resulting in varied yield and quality of grapes. Thus, the focus here is going to be in the dry tropical viticulture, highlighting growing regions like Piura in northern Peru (05° 12'00 "S 80° 38'00"W), Zulia in Venezuela (10° 57 '51 "N, 71° 44 '8" W) and Petrolina and Juazeiro, in the Northeast of Brazil (9° 23' 39 "S,40 ° 30 '35"W). Viticulture in these regions are the nearest of the Equador line in the world and have higher similarities between them. São Francisco Valley can be considered as an example for this group as one of the pioneers and most technically advanced for growing table grapes. The climate presents an average annual precipitation of 505mm, annual average relative humidity of 60.7%, annual average temperature, maximum, and minimum, respectively 26.rC, 32.0°C.and 20.8°(, The main common aspects in viticulture under tropical climate are that vine grows continuously, there is no rest period in winter and can be made up to three crops at any time of year. As the buds do not come into physiological dormancy, they are apt to sprout at any time of year that pruning is performed. This is the main comparative advantage in tropical viticulture, the grower can decide what is the most convenient time of year for pruning and harvesting grapes as a function to achieve better prices in the market

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Session 7. Table grape growing in tropical/subtropical environments anddorniancyKeynote address ~Challenges and opportunities to growing table grapes in sub-tropicalltropical regionsPatricia Coelho de Souza LeãoEmbrapa tropical Semi-Arid, BE428, Cm 152, Box 23, Zip Code 56302-970, Petrolina, PE,Brazil,Tel:+55(87) 3866 3668, Email: patricia.leao@embrapa.brTropical and subtropical viticulture can be detined in tive types according the Multicriteria Climatic Classitication(Tonnieto and Carbonneau, 2004): tropical dry, tropical wet, tropical alternatively dry/wet, sub-tropical alternativelydry/wet and sub-tropical dominantly wet. They include a wide range of countries and very particular tropicalviticultures in Brazil, Peru,Venezuela, Colômbia, Guatemala, India, Thailand, and others characterised as subtropicalin the South of Brazil, Uruguay, Korea,Japan and others.The vine adapts differentially in every climatic condition by imposing a particular management system, resultingin varied yield and quality of grapes.Thus, the focus here is going to be in the dry tropical viticulture, highlightinggrowing regions like Piura in northern Peru (05° 12'00 "S 80° 38'00"W), Zulia in Venezuela (10° 57 '51 "N, 71° 44 '8"W) and Petrolina and Juazeiro, in the Northeast of Brazil (9° 23' 39 "S,40 ° 30 '35"W). Viticulture in these regions arethe nearest of the Equador line in the world and have higher similarities between them. São FranciscoValley can beconsidered as an example for this group as one of the pioneers and most technically advanced for growing tablegrapes. The climate presents an average annual precipitation of 505mm, annual average relative humidity of 60.7%,annual average temperature, maximum, and minimum, respectively 26.rC, 32.0°C.and 20.8°(,The main common aspects in viticulture under tropical climate are that vine grows continuously, there is no restperiod in winter and can be made up to three crops at any time of year. As the buds do not come into physiologicaldormancy, they are apt to sprout at any time of year that pruning is performed. This is the main comparativeadvantage in tropical viticulture, the grower can decide what is the most convenient time of year for pruning andharvesting grapes as a function to achieve better prices in the market.To produce table grapes in these conditions, it is possible to list the main technical challenges, as follows:• Breaking dormancy and reducing apical dominance;• Controlling of vigour and vegetative growth;• Rational water and nutrients management;• Management of clusters for growth and colouring of berries;• Phytosanitary control;• Controlling of ripening and ideal time to harvest. .In addition to these challenges in the tield is also necessary to ensure post-harvest conservation of grape throughappropriate methods and practices during packaging, storage and transportation to markets.Ali the above mentioned challenges are associated with a major challenge that is to achieve sustainability, wherethe technical challenges are aligned to the use of efficient methods of business management in order to reduceproduction costs and ensure economic viability.In conclusion, tropical viticulture is developing fast in the world and presents some comparative advantages. Thebetter comprehension of the vine physiology to adapt in these environmental conditions and the advancing of newresearch approaches can be the key to obtain high quality grapes for the more strict markets and sustainability bycombining yield stability and low production costs.ReferenceTonietto J and Carbonneau A. 2004. A multicriteria climatic classitication system for grape growing regionswordwide. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 124(1-2): 81-97.84 7th lnternational TableGrape Symposium

Challenges and opportunities to growing table grapes in sub-tropical/tropical regions.

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