Long-term impact of deficit irrigation on the physical quality of berries in ‘Crimson Seedless’ table grapes

A 3-year study examined the effects of DI strategies on some physical quality attributes of 'Crimson Seedless' table grape following harvest, after 28 days of cold storage at 0ºC and after an additional shelf life period of 3 d at 15ºC.Control vines were irrigated to ensure non-limiting water conditions (110% of crop evapotranspiration, ETc), whereas RDI and PRD treatments received 35% less water during post-veraison.The null irrigation treatment (NI) only received natural precipitation (72 % less water than the Control).Total yield and physical quality at harvest were not significantly affected by RDI or PRD.Only the NI treatment, with the worst sensory scores, decreased berry size.After cold storage, increased berry shattering within the PRD treatment was correlated with the lower ABA at the time of harvest.Neither RDI nor PRD had a significant effect on berry quality at the end of cold storage and retail period.Sensory results were similar in RDI and PRD, both providing grapes more acceptable to consumers than the control.Thus, it is possible to decrease irrigation amount by ~30 % of table grapes without adversely affecting berry physical quality.