Flower-Bud Killing in Anab-E-Shahi Grapes; Effect of Different Cultural Practices

Anab-e-Shahi vines show a considerable mortality of its flower and vegetative buds. Samples of canes were collected from a number of vineyards of Punjab given different but known doses of manures and cultural practices. Excessive vigour and over-crowding of shoots due to over manuring or other factors were found to enhance flower and vegetative bud killing and decreased flower bud differentiation. The best maintained vineyards also showed some amount of bud killing. It may be concluded that the problem of barrenness is less of flower bud differentiation and more of the death of flower buds. It is expected that the flower bud killing is caused by some parasitic or associated phyllosphere mycoflora.