Growth and yield performance of 'Cabernet Sauvignon' submitted to variations of concentration and application techniques of hydrogen cyanamide in the tropical region of Brazil
Wine grape cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.) used in the tropics require special management techniques to regulate the production and to obtain grapes with adequate quality level. The use of chemicals to help in overcoming dormancy and to promote uniform budburst is a wide-spread practice in warm climates regions. In temperate countries grow fruit crops require exposure to chilling to overcome the dormant period of the buds (Erez et al., 2008), that does not happen in tropical conditions. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of the application, painted or sprayed, and the concentration of hydrogen cyanamide on the vegetative and yield performances of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines in the conditions of soil and climate of the San Francisco Valley, Brazil. The experiment was carried out in Lagoa Grande county, Pernambuco, Brazil (9º2?S, 40º11?W), during the 2007 harvest season, when 10, 5 and 2% of hydrogen cyanamide were applied by foam paint roller or by sprayer (this system involved an employee wearing backpack sprayer (model JACTOPJH20) with wands 50 cm in length using a type JA2 nozzle), compared with a control modality (without application)
