Vegetative and yield component characteristics of micropropagated muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.)

SUMMARY

Evaluations were made of the field performance of micropropagated (tissue cultured axillary buds) versus conventionally rooted softwood cuttings of muscadine grape, Vitis rotundifolia Michx. Trunk cross-sectional area did not differ between treatments during three years of field evaluation following planting. There were no differences in leaf area and dry weight or shoot number in the two propagation types; leaf morphology was normal with no apparent juvenile characteristics. Yield components including flower number per shoot and inflorescence, fruit number, total fruit weight and yield efficiency were greater in micropropagated plants during the second year, the first year of cropping; differences diminished and yield components were not different in year three. Performance of tissue cultured plants was therefore as good as, or surpassed, conventionally propagated plants during early vine establishment.