Compositional Changes During Grape Berry Development in Relation to Abscisic Acid and Salinity

Changes in the chemical composition of developing Cabernet Sauvignon berries from salt-treated and low-salt vines were followed. Although salinity advanced the timing of veraison, the sequence of changes in the salt-affected berries remained the same as in berries from control plants, viz. concentrations of abscisic acid and reducing sugar increased before proline, arginine, potassium and chloride increased, and before acidity declined. The contribution of these substances to osmotic changes within developing grape berries is discussed.