Study of diversity of Azerbaijan local grape varieties basing on OIV ampelographic descriptors

In this article is given results of study for the cultivars grown in the ampelographic collection of the Azerbaijani Scientific - Research Institute of Viticulture and Wine-making. The description of their ampelographic characters is based on the OIV list of descriptors. Comparing cultivars, it has been found that though there are similarities in various descriptor traits, most of characteristics are distinctive for specific cultivars. A considerable polymorphism was found concerning the botanical features of leaves, clusters, berries, as well as some biological and technological characteristics. In more details, these genotypes differ each other by the morphological features of leaves; the shape, size and structure of clusters; the shape, color and flavor of berries; the productivity indices; the length of their vegetative period; the sugar and acid contents; and the number of seeds in the berry. This study was carried out on the grape cultivars originated from the regions of Azerbaijan like Garabagh, Ganja-Gazakh, Shirvan, Nakhchyvan and Absheron in 2008–2015. 25 grape cultivars, belonging to V. vinifera L. were investigated. Ampelographic characteristics of these grape cultivars were determined according to the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine) Descriptors for Grapevine. Analyses of the ampelographic features of the studied grape varieties showed that the genotypes considerably differ by their main morphological, biological and technological characteristics