Basal Scarification: A Technique for Improved Grapevine Rooting and Propagation

Background: Grapes are a potentially valuable crop for the Philippine economy, providing income to farmers and contributing to the country’s agricultural sector. Grape propagation is a crucial practice in grape production as it improves yield, disease resistance and high-quality grapevines. This practice is critical for commercial grape production for developing new grapevine varieties, desirable traits and helping preserve genetic diversity, ensuring the long-term sustainability of grape production. Methods: Thus, this study was conducted to explore the enhanced propagation of grape cuttings through basal scarification techniques. Research evaluated seven (7) basal scarification techniques of grape “catawba” cuttings (T1- control/ without basal scarification, T2- 1 slit basal scarification, T3- 2 slit basal scarification, T4- 3 slit basal scarification, T5- 4 slit basal scarification, T6- 5 slit basal scarification and T7- 6 slit basal scarification) with 10 samples per treatment laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated four (4) times. Result: Results revealed that slit basal scarification enhances growth and rooting response of grapes cuttings. Six slit basal scarification techniques on grape cuttings obtained the highest in terms of the number of leaves (5.87), percentage of survival (76.67%), rooting percentage (60.1%) and the longest length of shoots (9.07 cm). No significant differences were observed among other data parameters evaluated. By applying basal scarification to grape cuttings, growers can improve the chances of successful propagation and establish healthy, productive grapevines.