Vision 2025 - National Research Centre for Grapes

associations of various states, especially Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil
Nadu besides state departments of agriculture/horticulture and other grape stake holders.
The Scientists of the Centre are actively interacting with the grape growers during their field
visits, seminars organized by the State Government and growers' associations, farmers fairs
etc. and also during the visit of the growers to the Centre. Scientists participate in about 20-
25 such seminars in a year in different grape growing areas. Scientists share the latest technical
information on various aspects of grape enterprise and also try to understand new problems
faced by this sector and effectively disseminate technologies through various other media also.
The Centre also has been conducting various training programmes on different aspects of
viticulture. In association with State Bank of India, Pune the Centre has also adopted growers
in different grape growing regions of Maharashtra to advice them on means to increase the
production of quality grapes.
To educate grape growers on newly emerging technologies / problems the Centre has
published popular articles, research articles and technical bulletins and other institute
publications. Till now, the Centre has generated 23 research articles, 110 popular articles, 5
technical bulletins, one video CD and 5 other publications on various aspects of grape
cultivation.
So far the Centre has transferred the following technologies to the growers and these have been
accepted well.
• Irrigating grafted Thompson Seedless vines based on pan evaporation and growth stages.
• Application of nutrients through drip in grafted Thompson Seedless vines.
• Correction of nutritional disorders viz. Inward leaf curl (Potassium deficiency) and Bunch
stem necrosis (Calcium and Magnesium deficiency) by appropriate nutrient application.
• Moisture conservation techniques like mulching, subsurface irrigation and use of
antitranspirant.
• Use of Trichoderma for improving the post-harvest shelf life of grapes. The field results
with Trichoderma are very encouraging especially in preventing decay occurring after preharvest
rains. The technology is well accepted by the grape growers. The technology for
commercial production of Trichoderma suitable for spray in vineyards has been given to
'MAHAGRAPES', a grape growers' cooperative society.
• Disease forecasting technique developed by the Centre is being used by the leading grape
growing and processing societies, besides the Govt. of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh in
their package of practices for disease management.
• Harvesting, handling and other post-harvest practices to improve the shelf life of grapes is
regularly taught to grape growers in training programmes, seminars, etc.
• Other areas of management of canopy, diseases, insects, herbs, and quality of fruits have
been covered in technology transfer including Integrated Pest Management (IPM),
Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) etc.
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