EFFECT OF THREE LEVELS OF WATER APPLICATION DURING POST-SETTING AND POST-VERAISON OVER VEGETATIVE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTIVITY AND GRAPE QUALITY ON CV. CABERNET SAUVIGNON

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of three levels water application during post setting and post veraison over vegetative growth, productivity and grape quality on a vineyard, located in the Pencahue Valley, Maule Region of Chile (35º 22' LS; 71º 47' LW), during the growing season 2000-2001. The cultivar was a 7 year-old Cabernet sauvignon irrigated by drip irrigation and trained in a simple trellis. The irrigation treatments were of 40%, 70% and 100% of the vine evapotranspiration (ETvine) during post setting and post veraison. The results showed that the better combination of quality of grape, yield and vegetative balance was obtained by applying the 40% and 70 % of the ETvine during post-setting and post-veraison, respectively. On the contrary, the worst treatment was obtained with a level of 100% of the ETvine during the whole period, presenting an excessive vegetative growth and low grape quality. Also, a big reduction of grape yield was observed in vines which received an application of 40 % of the ETvine from setting to harvest presented.