Grapevine winter bud dissection

This video tutorial demonstrates how to dissect a winter bud of grapevine. First, the external bud scales are removed with dissecting forceps to reveal the three internal buds. The secondary and tertiary buds are then removed to isolate the primary bud. Then, the leaf primordia are removed one by one, alternating with trichome removal. The dissection proceeds from the outer to the inner tissues to preserve the inflorescence primordia. Close to the center of the bud, trichomes are delicately removed with a needle to avoid damaging the inflorescence primordia. As we approach the central region, the leaf primordia are gently displaced rather than removed. Once the inflorescence primordia are exposed, the surrounding tissues are cleaned to enable them to be counted. The central organ corresponds to the apical meristem and should not be mistaken for an inflorescence primordium.