Solute Accumulation by Grape Pericarp Cells

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Abstract
We have studied the accumulation of water, dry matter (DM) and glucose and fructose (G + F) in selected grape berries cv. Dolcetto of varying initial size growing on leafed and defoliated vines. The first measurements at 2 d after veraison were obtained non-destructively from correlations with linear dimensions and deformability; the final measurements were made when the berries were harvested 13 d later. The increments in DM and G + F per pericarp increased with initial berry size thus discounting an hypothesis of an equal amount of solutes supplied to all berries. The increments in weight of DM and G + F per increment of pericarp volume were constant in berries of different size, supporting an hypothesis of a control determined by concentration in the solution available for accumulation in all berries. Defoliation reduced the increments per pericarp and per g fr. wt. by about the same proportion and its effects were consistent with the above interpretations.