Role of nutrients in grapevines by growth stage
Grapevine nutrient requirements vary depending on the crop growth stage. Find out which nutrients are most important and the roles of nutrients at different grape growth stages.
Winter Rest – Budbreak
- Nitrogen and Potassium – promote strong early growth and maximize leaf area
- Phosphorus – maintain long-term productivity
- Calcium - boost new leaf and bud growth
- Magnesium – maximize photosynthetic activity and early growth
- Sulfur and Manganese – maximize photosynthetic activity
- Iron – strengthen leaf development and vine productivity
- Boron and Zinc – ensure good shoot growth and strong fruit set
- Molybdenum – maximize floral development
Berry Set - Veraison
- Nitrogen – ensure strong set and early grape growth
- Potassium – maximize growth potential
- Calcium – maintain healthy vine growth and grape production
- Magnesium – maintain growth and berry development
- Boron and Zinc – maximize healthy berry development
Veraison – End of Harvest
- Nitrogen – foliar forms to maximize crop potential and improve grape color
- Potassium – ensure good, strong fruit-fill, increase grape sugars, and provide a high K:N ratio to minimize botrytis
- Calcium – ensure strong skins and minimize fruit disorders and diseases
- Magnesium – minimize bunch stem necrosis
- Boron – improve berry shape, size and sugars
- Zinc and Iron – increase grape sugars
Post Harvest
- Nitrogen – build vine reserves before dormancy
- Phosphorus – build root system after harvest
- Calcium - boost root development and wood maturity (winter hardiness) after harvest
Related articles
Influencing grapevine yield
High grapevine yields are obtained on the most freely drained soils where water is not limiting. Vines will grow across a wide range of soil pHs, but extremes will render many nutrients unavailable and thereby restrict yield.
Managing grape sweetness
The amount of sugar in the grape influences potential alcohol content after fermentation, and the amount of residual sugar remaining in the wine.
Increasing grape berry size
While smaller grapes may produce a more intensely flavoured, quality wine, the grower needs to balance this with the need for a high yield from well-sized berries on his vines.
Influencing grape health
Grapes need to be free of the different disorders and rots in order to meet market requirements. The extent of these varies according to environmental conditions, varietal susceptibility and crop nutrition.
Minimising bunch stem necrosis in wine grapes
Bunch stem necrosis (water berry) in grapes affects fruit set and fruit ripening. It can occur around the bloom, in which case it is called early bunch stem necrosis, at veraison or later. The occurrence of it is associated with weather conditions and...
Nutrient deficiencies-Wine Grape
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