Comparative Growth and Development of Vines and Fruit of Red Globe Table Grapes On Harmony and On Its Own Roots

The use of rootstock for grape vines is recently in Chile, since it is one of the few countries filoxera-free, and also due to the prohibition of introduction to the country of vitis wood from 1894 until 1978. In the last 25 years, different root stocks have being introduced and studied in different areas of the table grapes production zones.
A trial was conducted during the 2007/8 season on the comparative growth and development of vines and fruits on Red Globe table grapes on Harmony roots (21 years old) and on its own roots (19 years old plants) established on the Chilean parron system (trellis) 4x3 m.
In general, there were no perceptible differences in most of visual parameters checked (berry polar and equatorial diameter, berry weigh and volume, number of seeds, trunk diameter). Nevertheless, vines on Harmony presented longer shoots (average 125 cm length) which gave a slight apparent bigger canopy to the vine, the titratable acidity was always higher during the whole period of growth and fruit harvest was a week earlier.
Foliar (blade) analysis at veraison showed higher levels of K, Ca, Zn and Mn and lower B in vines on Harmony than on its own roots. No signs of incompatibility were noticed on vines of this age.