Grape variety Academician: photo and description

People have been cultivating grapes since time immemorial. The climate on earth changed, and the grapes changed with it. With the development of genetics, amazing opportunities have opened up for creating varieties and hybrids with predetermined traits. New items appear every year. One of them is Academician grapes, a description of this variety will be given below.

Description and characteristics:

The parents of the Academician variety, which also has other names – Academician Avidzba and Memory of Dzheneeva, are hybrid forms: Gift to Zaporozhye and Richelieu. This table grape variety is the result of selection by employees of the Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking “Magarach”, which is located in the Crimea. The variety was created quite recently, it is not yet widely used due to the small amount of planting material. You can buy it only directly at the institute and in some private nurseries. But the reviews of those who were lucky enough to plant it and try it are simply enthusiastic. The Akademik grape variety was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 2014 and recommended for cultivation in the North Caucasus region, but with high-quality shelter it can grow further north.

Varietal features:

• grape variety Academician has an early ripening period, the first berries can be tasted after 115 days;
• the sum of active temperatures for its maturation is 2100 degrees, which allows it to be grown not only in the south, but also in central Our Country;
• the frost resistance of the variety is the same as that of the parents – from -23 to -25 degrees, it makes it possible for the Akademik grapes to winter under the snow even in central Our Country with good shelter;
• grade Academician has a great growth force;
• its leaves are medium or large, strongly dissected and consist of 5 lobes;
• the front side of the sheet is smooth, from the inside there is a slight pubescence;
• The flowers of the Akademik grape variety are bisexual, therefore, it does not need a pollinator.

Characteristics of berries:

• berries of the Akademik variety are collected in large clusters that have a cylindrical shape;

  

• their weight is from 1,5 to 1,8 kg;
• a bunch of Akademik grapes has an average density, sometimes it is loose;
• berry – large, reaches a size of 33 mm in length and 20 mm in width;
• the shape of the berry is elongated-oval, with a blunt tip;
• The fruit color of the Academician grape variety is dark blue with a noticeable prune bloom. Pruinovy, i.e., wax coating helps the berries to protect themselves from pathogens and atmospheric phenomena. Berries with a pronounced prune coating are better transported and stored.
• the skin is dense, which makes the transportation of berries successful;
• Akademik grapes are table grapes, this is due to the highest quality of berries – the taste of crispy pulp is rated at 9,8 points out of 10. It is distinguished by a nutmeg flavor with hints of cherries and an original chocolate aftertaste. Sugar accumulation is high.

At the moment, this grape variety is being tested, but even now it is clear that its cultivation on an industrial scale is cost-effective. It will also be useful in private gardens – the highest quality of berries will not leave anyone indifferent. For completeness of description and characterization, it must be said that resistance to the main diseases: oidium and mildew in the Akademik grape variety is average. Protective preventive treatments will be required.

How to grow

Grapes according to their biological characteristics are intended for cultivation in subtropical and temperate climates. In all other regions, its survival and yield depend only on the efforts and skills of the grower. And the main thing in this is to observe the correct agricultural technology, taking into account all the requirements of the plant.

Site Selection

In the south, grapes grow in conditions of high temperatures, sometimes above 40 degrees, while the optimum temperature for it is considered to be 28-30 degrees. Under these conditions, shading for grapes is highly desirable. In regions located to the north, for Academician grapes, you need to choose places that are illuminated by the sun all day.

It is important that the vine is protected from the prevailing winds. Experienced growers take this into account when choosing a place for a plant:

• plant grapes on the south side of buildings;
• tall trees or hedges are planted on the north side of the plantings;
• build fences or arrange screens from reeds and other improvised materials.

What is it for? Under such conditions, the temperature of the air and soil where the bush grows will be higher.

What is CAT

In order for the grapes to gain the right amount of sugar, and the berries to fully ripen, a certain sum of active temperatures. Grapes begin vegetation when the soil temperature in the root zone is at least 10 degrees. An active air temperature is considered to be above plus 10 degrees. If we sum up all the values ​​of average daily temperatures not lower than this indicator, starting from the moment of vegetation and until the berries are fully ripe, we will get the desired sum of active temperatures. Each variety has its own. In the description of the Academician grape variety, the sum of active temperatures is 2100 degrees. This is the average value at the latitude of the city of Moscow. But summer is not always warm, in some years this grape variety may not fully show what it is capable of.

In order to increase SAT, winegrowers use various tricks:

• plant grapes from the south or southwest of buildings to keep warm longer;
• protect from cold winds that blow from the north;
• they cover the ground around the trunk with dark material – manure or black spunbond, dark-colored stones will do;
• use reflective screens made of foil or white polyethylene film;
• install a translucent visor over the bush in the shape of the letter “g”;
• planting grapes in a greenhouse.

Landing

The comfortable existence of Academician grapes largely depends on which planting method is chosen. You can plant it both in spring and autumn. It is better to choose a seedling in a container for this, then its survival rate will be one hundred percent if it is planted correctly.

Landing algorithm:

• We dig a hole, the diameter of which should correspond to that of the root system of the Academician grape variety,
• at the same time, we put aside the upper fertile layer of soil;
• mix it with humus and complete mineral fertilizer;
• we arrange drainage from gravel and small twigs at the bottom of the pit;
• we strengthen the pipe made of asbestos cement or plastic, designed for applying liquid fertilizers;
• we place a seedling in the pit, fill it with a fertile earthen mixture and water it;
• we cut off the shoots of the grapes, leaving only 2 buds. To prevent the cut from drying out, it is treated with melted paraffin.

  

• mulch the hole with humus or compost.

When planting several bushes of Akademik grapes, a distance of 1,5 m or more must be left between them, so that each vine is given a sufficient feeding area. If a full-fledged vineyard is laid, the rows should be oriented from south to north, so they are better illuminated by the sun.

Vineyard care

The newly planted bushes of Akademik grapes need the tireless care of the grower, adult bushes of this grape variety should also not be left unattended.

Watering

Academician grapes belong to table varieties, so they need to be watered regularly, unlike technical varieties.

• The first watering is carried out after the final opening of the bushes and garter vines on the trellis. An adult bush needs up to 4 buckets of warm water, to which a half-liter jar of wood ash is added. It is very good if a pipe for fertilization and irrigation is installed next to the bush, then all the water will go directly to the heel roots.

  

• The next watering will be required for the vine a week before flowering. During flowering, the grapes cannot be watered – because of this, flowers may crumble, the berries will not grow to the desired size – that is, peas will be observed.
• Another watering is carried out at the end of flowering.

  

• As soon as the berries begin to color, the bushes cannot be watered, otherwise the grapes simply will not pick up the right amount of sugar.
• The last watering is water-charging, it is carried out a week before the final shelter of the bushes for the winter.

Feeding

Grape variety Academician responds well to both root and foliar top dressing. How to feed:

• the first top dressing is carried out immediately, after removing the winter shelter; each bush will require 20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of ammonium nitrate and 5 g of potassium salt, all this is dissolved in 10 liters of water;
• 2 weeks before flowering, top dressing is repeated;
• before the grapes begin to ripen, they must be fertilized with superphosphate and potassium salt;

  

• after the crop is harvested, potash fertilizers are applied – they increase the winter hardiness of the bushes.

Every three years in autumn, the vineyard is fertilized with manure, adding ash, superphosphate and ammonium sulphate at the same time. Fertilizers are applied in dry form for digging. If the soil is sandy, digging should be done more often, and on sand – every year.

The first foliar top dressing with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer with microelements is carried out before flowering. The second – when the bushes fade, the third – during the ripening of berries. The last two top dressings should not contain nitrogen.

Formation

Without formation, we will get high vines loaded with stepchildren, but with a small number of clusters on the bush. Since our task is the opposite, we will form the Akademik grape bush according to all the rules. If there are no frosty winters in your area of ​​​​residence, you can form a bush on a high trunk. Grapes of the Academician variety are not distinguished by high frost resistance, therefore, in the northern regions it is grown in a stemless culture. All pruning is carried out only in the fall, in the spring it can be carried out before the start of sap flow.

• spring pruning – revision, you need to remove weak shoots and form a stem of the sleeve, on which vines will then grow, bearing fruit;
• in June, the plant is finally formed – about 5 leaves are left above each brush, the top of the shoot is pinched;
• regulate the load on the bush – depending on the strength of growth, one or two brushes are left on the shoot, the berries at this time reach the size of peas, remove extra brushes;

  

• carry out chasing – on each shoot leaves from 13 to 15 leaves, pinch the top;
• all summer remove extra stepchildren;
• about 20 days before harvesting, the bushes are thinned out, removing the leaves on their lower part, and those that interfere with the ripening of the clusters, covering them from the sun;
• autumn pruning is carried out after leaf fall at temperatures close to zero degrees, all unripened shoots are removed, weak ones, all non-flying leaves are removed.

  

Preparation for winter

The grape variety Academician has an average frost resistance, therefore, in most regions it needs shelter for the winter. The vines must be removed from the trellis, carefully tied into bundles, and covered with earth or peat. You can arrange a dry-air shelter: wrap bunches of vines with several layers of spandbond, and then put low arcs and cover them with a film. Leave small gaps in the bottom for ventilation.

More information about the unusual way of sheltering grapes is described in the video:

Reviews

Conclusion

A new worthy grape variety – Academician will delight not only amateur growers, it can be used for industrial cultivation.