Variety traits

Grapevine Winter Hardiness

Vitis vinifera L.

The complex ability of grapevines to withstand adverse winter conditions, including frost, thaws, and desiccation, as measured by the survival of buds and tissues.

In the reference 35 varieties crop Common grape vine, where this is mentioned in the description.

Grapevine winter hardiness encompasses resistance to the entire spectrum of winter stresses, whereas frost resistance is limited to the ability to withstand low temperatures. A critical metric for breeding and cultivar evaluation is LT50, the temperature at which 50% of the vine's primary buds are killed.

Hardiness assessment is conducted through both field observations of bud survival and laboratory freezing of cuttings or electrical conductivity analysis of tissues. Modern multi-resistant cultivars are capable of withstanding frosts down to -22...-27°C, though actual winter hardiness depends heavily on the quality of cane maturation, carbohydrate accumulation, and the overall condition of the vine before entering dormancy.

Low winter hardiness necessitates covering grapevines for the winter to prevent the death of buds and above-ground organs. Poor agricultural practices, including overcropping and untimely fertilization, significantly reduce the plant's resistance to the complex of adverse factors during the winter period.

General information about the subject — on the page Winter hardiness.

Sources8

Varieties of Common grape vine 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.