II. Water Management

a. Number of days after fruit pruning: 90

b. Expected Pan evaporation: 3.5 to 4mm

Amount of irrigation advised (Dr. A.K. Upadhyay):

a. In case the soil is under wapsa (field capacity) condition, donot irrigate the vineyard.

b. During Shoot growth stage, apply irrigation through drip @ 6000- 6800 L/ acre/ day.

c. Practice mulching to keep the bunds moistened. This will reduce the salinity build up in the root zone due to evaporation of the moisture from the surface of the bund.

d. During Flowering to setting stage, apply irrigation through drip @ 2000 to 3400L/ acre/ day.Further, in case vigour is more than desired, then reduce irrigation water application by half.

e. During Berry development stage till harvesting, apply irrigation through drip @ 6000- 6800 L/ acre/ day.

Nutrient management

1. Inflorescence necrosis could be a issue in dense canopy. Remove side shoots and reduce canopy to allow penetration of the sunlight for proper aeration.Manage canopy for adequate sunlight and air movement within the canopy for avoiding/ minimizing problems of kooj (inflorescence necrosis).

2. In early maturing and coloured varieties with possible reduction in temperature, possibility of berry cracking/ cracking of berries near the pedicel cracking can be there.If the harvesting is scheduled with in 30 days, do not go in for application of boron and calcium.This will be waste of money and time.The application should be subject to deficiencies observed in the vineyard.Focus on canopy density and regulate accordingly.If cracking is there, then control secondary infections (disease and fruit flies).

3. If SOP not applied, then apply 15 kg SOP and follow it up with SOP spray for building up the potassium levels in the vines. This will be especially beneficial during low temperature and rainy conditions.

Shoot Growth stage

1. Inflorescence necrosis could be a issue in dense canopy. Remove side shoots and reduce canopy to allow penetration of the sunlight for proper aeration.Manage canopy for adequate sunlight and air movement within the canopy for avoiding/ minimizing problems of kooj (inflorescence necrosis).

2. Donot apply any nitrogen based fertilizer just before Flowering to Setting stage to avoid problems of kooj (inflorescence necrosis).

3. If soils are calcareous, spray Sulphate of potash and Magnesium sulphate @ 2-3g/L depending upon leaf age during prebloom stage.

Flowering to setting stage:

1. Donot apply any nitrogen based fertilizer just before Flowering to Setting stage to avoid problems of kooj (inflorescence necrosis).

2. Apply 3-4 kg Phosphoric acid in two to three splits this week.Remember that the pH of the irrigation water should be near 6.0. OR apply SSP @ 125kg/acre as basal application.SSP should be mixed with FYM/Compost before application to minimize phosphorus fixation.

3. If SOP not applied, then apply 15 kg SOP in case low temperature and cloudy conditions forecasted during flowering stage.

4. Petiole nutrient testing: At 70% capfall stage, petiole samples should be taken for nutrient analysis. The leaf opposite the bunch should be removed for sampling.

Berry Development stage:

1. After Berry setting, continue initially with Phosphoric acid application @ 2 kg followed by 5 kg 12-61-0/acre.

2. If the berry size is from 2-4mm, spray calcium @ 2g Calcium Chloride or 0.5 g Ca chelate per litre.Target sprays immediately after GA application (preferably next day) for better absorption.

3. If the berry size is from 5-8mm, spray calcium & 2g Calcium Chloride or 0.5 g Ca chelate per litre.Target sprays immediately after GA application (preferably next day) for better absorption.

4. Apply magnesium sulphate through drip @ 10kg/acre from 8-10mm berry size.

5. Foliar spray of sulphate of potash @ 3g/acre at 8-10mm berry size.

6. After 8-10 mm berry size, start application of nitrogen in the form of ammonium sulphate @ 25kg /acre in 4 splits in calcareous soil and as urea @ 15 kg/acre in other soils in 3 splits.Follow this up with Sulphate of potash or 0-0-50 @ 25 kg/ acre in 3-4 splits for next two weeks.

7. If soils are calcareous, then apply zinc sulphate and ferrous sulphate @ 5-10 kg/acre at 65-70 days after pruning.

8. Possibility of powdery mildew infection.Build up potassium levels in grapevine either through foliar spray @4-5 gm SOP/L and drip @ 15 kg SOP/L if not applied since last 20 days.

Ripening to Harvest stage:

1. Apply Sulphate of potash or 0-0-50 @ 25 kg/ acre in 3-4 splits for next two weeks.Follow this up with Magnesium sulphate @ 10 kg/acre in two splits.Spray Magnesium sulphate @ 4g/L in calcareous soil.

III. Canopy Management

Based on the weather conditions and the present growth stages, following suggestions are offered. 

1. Berry thinning should be undertaken on priority in the vineyard at berry setting stage. This will support for maintaining the balance between source-sink. 

2. With the change in weather like cloudy conditions, the growers may experience flower drop. Under such conditions, shoot pinching should be done immediately. 

3. The vineyard should be irrigated with field capacity so that the vine will come out of stress. This will help to stop the flower drop.

4. The vineyard at the stage of veraison may suffer with pink berry (if the minimum temperature drops down below 6 to 7 degrees). Under such situation, irrigation in the vineyard to increase temperature, fire in between the vineyard and covering the bunches with paper will help to reduce the pink berry. 

5. During morning hours, the dew is experienced. The earlier inoculam of diseases like downy mildew may get activated. Under the condition of high humidity, the spray of biologicals will help to control the disease. 

6. Tidings the shoots on foliage wire will help for aeration and formation of open canopy. This condition will provide proper utilization of sunlight required for berry development and changes required in berry composition. 

IV. Disease management

Due to some rains and hailstorms in Nashik region, there can be an attack of downy mildew in the region. For downy mildew control application of fungicides like Amisulbrom @ 0.375g/L+mancozeb 75WP@2g/L(tank-mix) or Dimethomorph@1g/L+mancozeb 75WP@2g/L(tank- mix) or Iprovalicarb+propineb @ 2.25g/L or Mandipropamid@ 0.8g/L may be done. For grapes of export purposes, where the crop is in berry set stage, potassium salt of active phosphorus@4g/L+ metiram@2g/ L may be used. However, no application is to be done if the leaves are wet. Efforts should be made to dry the leaves first and then application of fungicides can be done. If there is water within the bunch, application of horticulture grade mineral oil @1.5-2ml/L may be used to drain off the water. If there is an occurrence of berry cracking, application of chitosan @2ml/L may be given. Cracked berries should be removed to prevent saprophytic growth which in turn might lead to bunch rot. In 40-45 days old crop one round of Polyoxin D zinc salt @ 600g/ha or cyflufenamid @ 0.5 ml/L or metrafenone @ 250ml/Ha of Fluxapyroxad+difenoconazole @800ml/Ha may be given to control powdery mildew. Application of sulfur @2-2.5g/ L may be given along with systemic fungicides for the control of powdery mildew. Application of Trichoderma@2-3ml/L and Ampelomyces quisqualis @ 5ml/L should be done at an interval of 7-10 days in all rain-affected fields.

V. Insect and Mite management

1. Aphid incidences may be notices in Sangali area. Imidacloprid 17.8 SL@ 0.4 ml per litre water or entomogenous fungus Lecanicillium can be used in case infestation is heavy.

2. Caterpillar and mealybug population may increase in Karnataka grape areas due to increase in relative humidity and mealybug population in other grape areas as temperatures are suitable.

3. Emamectin benzoate 5 SG @ 88 gram per acre or cyantraniliprole 10 OD @ 0.7 ml per litre water is effective against Spodoptera caterpillars.

4. Buprofezin 25 SC @ 1.25 ml per litre water or spirotetramat 15.31 OD @ 280 ml per acre are effective against mealybugs. Soil drenching with clothianidin 50 WDG may also be given for mealybug management. Entomogenous fungus such as Metarhizium, Beauveria and Lecanicillium can be used for plant wash to reduce mealybug populations.

5. Bunch webbing caterpillars may start damaging bunches in most of the grape areas where humidity is high. The most effective way to control them is to collect and kill them by hand as insecticides may not reach inside the bunch. The caterpillars on leaves are also needs to be killed as they can go inside the bunch later. Spraying of emamectin benzoate 5 SG @0.22 gram per litre water or cyantraniliprole 10 OD @ 0.7 ml per litre is effective to manage them.

6. Sulphur 80 WDG @ 1.5-2.0 g/L water may be applied if mite infestation is observed.

7. All the cracked/damaged berries should be removed from the grape bunches and vineyards. Collect these berries in a container and place this container about 100 feet away from the vineyards. The vinegar flies will get attracted towards these rotting berries. Spray spinosad 45 SC @ 0.25 ml per litre water over the container to kill them.

8. Incidences of new species of stem borer (red colour larva) may be noticed under bark in Sangali, Solapur, Nashik, Pune, Bijapur grape areas. Remove the loose bark and give good plant wash mainly targeting cordons and main trunk Metarhizium anisopliae @ 2.5 ml/l (water volume 1.5 litres per plant).