Study on colour improvement in Crimson Seedless grapes under tropical conditions of India

India is known for table grape production under tropical conditions. Quality table grapes produced in India is exported to more than 50 countries. Among the coloured varieties, Crimson Seedless is gaining popularity in domestic as well as export markets. Non-development of good colour in tropical regions is a major constraint for expansion of coloured grapes in these regions. In order to produce grapes with attractive and uniform color, treatments of ethrel, abscisic acid (ABA) and inactivated yeast product namely LalVigne Mature (LVM) along with control were imposed. Data on TSS, acidity and pH in juice, anthocyanins, phenolics and tannins in berry skin, skin thickness, berry firmness and shelf-life related parameters were recorded. Improvements in quality parameters of grapes obtained from treated vines over control were observed. Anthocyanin content in berry skin, which is directly related to colour development, was also improved. The application of LVM showed better results than ethrel or ABA applied alone.