What’s different between peaches and nectarines?
Previous week Q&A
Question
What do you know about shot berries? What are the causes and corrective measures of the shot berries?
Answer
Shot berries
it is a physiological disorder of grape. The berries that are smaller, round and seedless as compared to normal berries are called shot berries. Shot berries is also known as Millerandage or hens and chicks or pumpkins and peas.
Causes of shot berries
They
are formed due to delay in pollination and fertilization of a few flowers or
due to inadequate flow of carbohydrates into the set berries. Boron deficiency,
incorrect stages of GA application and girdling are the known reasons for
shot-berry formation. In seeded varieties shot berries are seedless and small
whereas in seedless varieties they are smaller than normal berries but, in both
cases, they are sweeter than normal berries. Normally small berries drop after 7-10
days of fruit set due to failure of embryo formation or under nourishment but
some small berries do not drop and get nourishment and develop shot berries.
Shot berries corrective measures
Application
of auxins at blooming stage help to the growth of even unfertilized ovary to
normal size berries. Stop the application of Gibberellic Acid between the fruit
set and shatter stage of the berries. Rectification of the boron and zinc deficiency
control the development of shot berries.
