Variety traits

Grape Berry Cracking

Vitis L.

A physiological disorder involving the loss of skin integrity in grape berries during ripening, caused by a mismatch between pulp growth and skin elasticity. It is a key varietal trait of resistance, assessed on a point scale as part of the ampelographic description.

In the reference 57 varieties crop Grapevine, where this is mentioned in the description.

Resistance of varieties to cracking is evaluated through field observations during the fruit ripening period. In breeding and variety testing, international OIV ampelodescriptors are used, allowing the classification of varieties as either prone to cracking or resistant, based on the skin's ability to stretch as the pulp volume increases.

Cracking is triggered by a moisture imbalance, where rapid water uptake by the roots causes the pulp to expand quickly. Additional factors include calcium deficiency, which affects cell wall strength, and excessive nitrogen fertilization, which makes the berry tissues more watery and susceptible to damage.

Berry damage results in a loss of produce marketability and creates conditions for secondary infections, particularly gray mold. The breach in skin integrity also attracts insect pests, necessitating labor-intensive efforts to remove damaged berries from the clusters to preserve the remainder of the yield.

General information about the subject — on the page Fruit cracking.

Sources8

Varieties of Grapevine mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.