The devastating consequences of large cuttings to the trunk flowing vessels and grapevine roots

Abstract

The research was conducted at the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture Novi Sad, Department of fruitgrowing, viticulture, horticulture and landscape architecture, Serbia, during 2014. In previous studies (Kuljančić at al. 2001) vines deterioration caused by pruning large cuttings was identified. These pruning cuttings of trunks and arms caused the decay of a large part of flowing vessels. New research, conducted in 2014, was aimed to determine the degree of deterioration of vessels of xylem and phloem, and the activity of the root system. The study included 1,067 vinestocks. Detailed recording of vines has found that only 1% of vines has no large cuttings. The number of vines in which the large cuttings were made and the xylem and phloem were alive was 63% of the total number of analyzed vines. The number of vines with a partially damaged phloem and the active xylem was 7% and the number of vines where there has been a deterioration of xylem and phloem was 27%. Five vines per examined cultivar, from the last category of observated grapevines were selected for excavation to determine the relationship between the vascular tissue deterioration and the deterioration of the corresponding roots. Individual and double planted vines were excavated. The recording showed that at 100% of vines, with phloem and xylem deterioration, deterioration of corresponding roots on that side occurred. As in the previous research dealing with this issue, it has been proven that large pruning cuttings have a devastating impact on the flowing vessels and root system of the grape vine.