Effect of Different Rootstocks Use on Pickling Leaf Quality of Narince (Vitis Vinifera L.) Grape Variety

While grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is predominantly cultivated for its fruit, its leaves constitute a significant component of traditional Turkish cuisine. Among the cultivars used for leaf consumption, Narince, Sultani Çekirdeksiz, and Yapıncak are the most prominent. Leaf quality is strongly influenced by cultivar, but cultural and technical practices, including the choice of rootstock, also play a decisive role. This study investigated the effects of different rootstocks on the quality of pickled grapevine leaves. Narince grapevines were cultivated both on their own roots and grafted onto 11 different rootstocks (110R, 140Ru, 1103P, Rupestris. du Lot, 44-53M, 41B, SO4, 420A, Ramsey, 1613C, and 5BB). Leaves were collected, their physical and morphological traits were measured, and sensory analyses were performed after pickling. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, with mean separation by Tukey’s HSD test (₀. ₀₅). Additionally, Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were employed to evaluate leaf characteristics and sensory responses. Results indicated that grafting onto 420A (151.17 cm²) and 1103P (157.30 cm²) produced the largest leaf areas, while 420A (2.365 g) and Ramsey (2.364 g) yielded the heaviest leaves. Sensory evaluations showed that 1613C and own-rooted vines were superior in terms of color and aroma, whereas 1103P, 110R, and 140 Ru achieved the highest scores in aroma and overall acceptability. Conversely, Ramsey and 41B rootstocks were rated negatively due to fibrous texture and thick veins. In conclusion, rootstocks exert a significant influence on the pickling quality of Narince grapevine leaves. Among the tested rootstocks, 1103P, 110R, and 140Ru were identified as the most suitable for optimizing both morphological and sensory attributes of pickled Narince leaves.