Caracterização fenológica de cultivares de videira utilizada na fabricação de vinho no Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

The vegetative cycle of the vine (Vitis vinifera) in temperate regions extends from budding to leaf fall, while the same cycle in tropical regions differs by the non-existence of falling leaves and vegetative dormancy. In this case, the water deficit induces the dormancy after fruits harvest. We aimed to describe the phenological behavior of five grapevine cultivars. We carried out an experiment between May and September 2015, in the municipality of Martins, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, with the following five cultivars of European vines: Malbec, Merlot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications, each plot with five plants. Phenological observations were carried out during the entire cycle, from pruning to harvesting. The cultivar Syrah showed a lower pruning cycle with 98 days, followed by cultivars Malbec, Merlot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay which showed cycles of 101, 103, 105 and 110 days respectively