Tskhenisdzudzu Adjaruli
Tskhenisdzudzu – is a commonly used name for grapevine varieties; for example, it can be found in Kakheti, Kartli, Meskheti, Racha, Guria, Abkhazia and Adjara; called so because of the grain’s shape – similar to the breast of a horse. The grapevine varieties in the mentioned districts are not identical, instead they are significantly distinct from each other in their ampelographical characteristics.
Outside of Georgia, Tskhenisdzudzu is described by S. Timofeevi (11), who calls it by a Turkish name „Atmeme“ and classifies as a table grape variety. According to Iv. Javakhishvili (5), the name Tskhenisdzudzu was replaced by „Atmeme“ after the local population converted to the Muslim religion.
The grapevine variety „Atmeme“ described by S. Timofeevi is exactly identical to the Tskhenisdzudzu that is distributed in central and upper Adjara.
Adjara Tskhenisdzudzu, as the name indicates, originates in Adjara and belongs to the high quality table grape varieties (3).
It is thought to have been generated in Ponto by natural reproduction over the centuries, gradually developing adaptive morphological and agro-biological characteristics to the zone and taking its place in the endemic family of grapevine varieties of Adjara.
Local research revealed that Tskhenisdzudzu was widely used and cultivated for table grape in high vineyards in the gorge of the river Adjaristskali, specifically in central and upper Adjara. The local population used it only for a consumption grape and sold it at market places in Batumi city.
Often, they left the grape on the vine without picking until summer.
The high vineyards of Tskhenisdzudzu, like those of many other grapevine varieties, were destroyed by the influence of fungal diseases and phylloxera. Some vines of it remain in central and upper Adjara (in the micro-districts of Kedi, Vaio, Zvare, Sikhalidzeebi. Shuakhevi, Furtio, Chao and Dekanashvilebi). Even though they are not properly cared for or supported by agro-technical activities, in suitable weather conditions they are characterized by strong growth and development, as well as satisfying productivity.
Low vineyards of Tskhenisdzudzu grafts are cultivated in a collective vineyard in Keda. Vines are formed by Georgian rule; hanging on stakes. They are well-cultivated and properly nurtured, so maintaining a higher level of growth and productivity. It provides valuable product for table grape, characterized with beauty of bunches and berries, which are full and long.
Adjarian Tskhenisdzudzu, as a provider of high quality table grape, is prospective for wide cultivation and distribution in central and upper Adjara, as grafts.
სარჩევი |
Botanical description
Adjarian Tskhenisdzudzu was described in Chaio village (Khulo district), and in the villages of Vaio and Kedi for comparison reasons. In Chaio village, Tskhenisdzudzu is formed as high vineyards on its own roots, cultivated on a north-facing slope; in the village of Vaio, it is formed as a high vineyard, on its own roots; while in Keda village it is presented as low vineyards of grafts, cultivated around the river Adjaristskali and slightly inclined to the south.
The young shoot
During the break of buds, the shoots are greenish-violet, slightly reddish and thickly covered with grayishwhite down. The cone of growth is also thickly covered with hairy down. The newly opened first leaf is greenish on the topside, reddish and with a thick coating. The second and third leaves are dark violet on the topside and slightly reddish; the second leaf is covered with quite thick down, while the third has an unnoticeable coating. The underside of the second leaf is more intensively coated, while the third – insignificantly.
The young shoot is bright green and lightly coated, the coating becoming more expressed towards the tips of the shoot.
The one year sprout
The mature sprout is brown and middlesized; the axils are darker and are separated by 8 - 13cm.
The leaf
A completely developed leaf is middle-sized or small and generally roundish or oval, about 15.3cm long and 15.0cm wide.
The incision of a leaf’s petiole is mostly lyre-shaped; the margins of incisions consist of three veins, and arrow-like deep incisions can also be found.
The upper incisions are open and slightly incised, rarely deeply; while the lower incision is insignificantly incised.
The leaf is three-lobed. The margin of a tip creates an obtuse angle to the blade, or rarely – right.
The teeth of margin tips are triangular with sharp tips or convex sides, while saw-like teeth can also be found. The secondary teeth are similar to the major teeth.
The underside of the leaf is less coated; the topside smooth; the blade flat, while funnel-like leaves can also be found. The major veins are lightly coated, bright green and red to the basis.
The proportion of leaf’s petiole to the major vein is 0.8 - 1.0; is bare and bright green is often red wine-colored.
The flower
The flowers are hermaphroditic, consisting of welldeveloped stamens and pistil; there are generally 5 stamens on a flower, rarely – 4 or 6. The number of flowers in an inflorescence comes to 340.
The bunch
The pedicel of a bunch is 2.5 - 4cm long; a bunch is 11 - 17cm long and 5.5 - 8.5cm wide. The bunch is mostly cone-cylindrical, while cylindrical bunches can also be found. Bunches are quite dense. The pedicel and shoot are grass-like, green colored.
The grain
The pedicel of the berry is 4 - 5mm long, is green, wrinkled and wide-cone shaped. The berry is tightly attached to the pedicel.
Grains are nearly black, middle sized or larger, about 16.5 - 20mm long and 13.2 – 15.5mm wide. They are oval or longish in shape, widening in the middle, with rounded ends and are generally symmetrical. Grains are less juicy, but are fleshy with a pleasant sweet taste. They are thick-skinned and easily separate from the flesh. The berry is significantly covered with wax.
The seed
There are one to four seeds in a grain, mostly two. Seeds are about 6.5 - 7mm long and 3.5 - 4mm wide. The seed is bright brown and slightly reddish; the inside veins are yellowish-straw colored. The basis is placed around the back nearly in the middle of the seed, is longish-oval, rarely roundish or quite depicted. The tip is yellowish and often reddish.
Agro-biological description
The phenological description of the vegetation period and sequence of its phases was carried out in the villages of Chaio (Khulo district), Vaio and Kedi. Below is presented the 1945-1949 data (see Table 1).
The village of Chao is situated on a northern slope 1000m above sea level where the spring arrives late- the exact reason for the lateness of the first bio-phase, while in the following phases the situation improves and normalizes, as the warmth progresses. The grape comes into ripening towards the end of August or the first half of September, while massively reaches full ripening from the third part of October.
The location and ecological conditions of the villages of Vaio and Kedi are quite suitable and supportive for viticulture and enology development.
Tskhenisdzudzu starts awakening at the end of March. The grape goes into ripening from the end of August and starts mass ripening from 20 October. The leaf-fall lasts from the second half of November to the first half of December. The leaves of high vines generally fall earlier, caused by the impact of fungal diseases, while in low vineyards (in the collective vineyard of Keda) the situation is superior because of proper cultivation and care; the vegetation period produces more successfully, is longer and ends by the flower-fall of 4-6 December.
In central Adjara, due to warm and moist conditions, the vegetation period of the vine is lengthened. Nevertheless, the sprouts reach the full ripening period normally as much in the case of high as in low vineyards; whereas in the village of Chao (upper Adjara)- where the vineyards are situated in high places and on inconvenient expositions for vine (the northern slopes) -the sprouts can reach ripening only at the end of the vegetation period of the vine.
Occasionally, sprouts do not achieve full ripening as a result of lack of proper cultivation and care because of the height of the formed vines. Consequently, these vines receive greater damage from winter frosts.
The growth of the vine
Tskhenisdzudzu, with its characteristic growth and development, belongs to the middle ranked group of grapevine varieties. In the high vineyards, without any care or cultivation, the length of particular sprouts can come to 3 - 3.5m. Without doubt, it is clear that, in conditions of proper cultivation, this grapevine variety will grow and develop more successfully, as it does, for example, in Kedi village, where it is cultivated as low vineyards of Tskhenisdzudzu; its vines are very well growing and are characterized by high productivity and quality.
The productivity
The productivity of Tskhenisdzudzu is very diverse nowadays because of improper cultivation and the impact of fungal diseases. It is very productive some years (with 40 - 50kg of grape), when the natural conditions are supportive. Properly cared for, low vineyards of Tskhenisdzudzu, systematically maintain high productivity, with characteritic bunches and very beautiful berries.
Below are presented 5 year mean characteristics of the productivity of Tskhenisdzudzu (see Table 2).
Because of technical difficulties, the number of productive sprouts on a vine in high vineyards of Tskhenisdzudzu could not be determined. In Kedi, in a low-formed vineyard, productive sprouts make up 78%, and the coefficient of productivity is 1.8.
As much in high as in low-formed vineyards, Tskhenisdzudzu generally develops two bunches, rarely one. The weight of a bunch of high formed vines is 123.5g, while of low-formed vines bunches weighing 152.5 can be maintained with proper cultivation and care.
As is noted above, in suitable weather conditions, one root of high formed Tskhenisdzudzu can be 40 - 50kg; that is 45 - 55 centners per hectare. In low-formed vineyards the weight of one vine’s production is 2.0 - 2.9kg; that is 80 - 90 centners per hectare.
Observation confirms that the pruning of Tskhenisdzudzu by Georgian one-way method is not appropriate for its complete loading. This, as a strongly growing grapevine variety, requires heavier loading by leaving 20 - 24 buds on a vine as well as more professional cultivation and care.
To increase the productivity and improve the quality, forming Tskhenisdzudzu by cordon is also recommended- on both sides, with forming rings left on each, and by loading up to 36 - 40 buds. Such loading can also be used for canopies of Tskhenisdzudzu, but in place of wire should be used 1 - 1.5m hangers to support it and a 6m2 feeding area dedicated. These measures will increase the productivity of Tskhenisdzudzu without decreasing the quality of its production and growth of vines.
Resistance to fungal diseases and pests
Tskhenisdzudzu is very vulnerable to fungal diseases, particularly to downy mildew. For this, it requires additional spraying with Bordeaux mixture 1 - 2 times during the generation and arising of berries.
A specific observation of Tskhenisdzudzu’s resistance to phylloxera has not yet been conducted but experience identifies its high sensitivity as it is due to the impact of phylloxera that such massive destruction of Tskhenisdzudzu vineyards has occurred in the mountainous districts of Adjara.
Response to environment
Observation shows that in lowland, moist places, where the ground water is close to the surface and the air is also damp, Tskhenisdzudzu provides low quality production, because a lot of water is accumulated in berries, eliminating and worsening the grape’s taste and other values. In such places, the impact of fungal diseases is also more prevalent and stronger.
To get higher productivity and better quality production, Tskhenisdzudzu requires cultivation on southern and south-eastern, sunny slopes. Such kinds of places are helped by the grape’s storage ability and transportability. In bad weather conditions, Tskhenisdzudzu experiences extensive flower-fall of about 10%. The number of small berries on a bunch is from 7 to 10%.
In Adjara, the influence of winter frosts (-8o, -10o and sometimes -12o) and spring frosts is not significant. The vine survives and comes through all vegetation phases properly.
Agro-technical characteristics
By use, Tskhenisdzudzu belongs to the high quality table grape varieties. It develops high productive, beautiful bunches and pleasant-tasting, delicious berries. In sun-lit places its production is quite satisfactory.
Grape samples of Tskhenisdzudzu for mechanical and chemical analysis were taken from the vineyards cultivated in the villages of Chaio, Vaio and Keda (see Table 3).
In high vineyards of Tskhenisdzudzu, the structure of a bunch, as it is indicated in Table 3, is the following: the berry – 94.0 - 95.4%; the shoot – 4.5 - 5.5 %; the skin – 22.0 - 22.9%; the seed – 5.1 - 5.4%; and juice – 69.8 - 70.1%. In case of low vineyards, this picture is slightly different: the berry is 94.2%, the shoot – 5.2%; the skin – 22.5%; the seed – 5.4%; and juice – 71.4%. Therefore, the pomace, consisting of scion, skin and seeds, totals 28.6 - 29.9%. The weight of a large bunch is from 180 to 185g, while of a small – 90 - 95g. A large bunch, in the case of high vineyards, weighs 270g, while a small bunch weighs 110g. The number of berries on a bunch can be from 47 to 80, with the average – 54. Generally on a bunch there are 13-15 small berries; small berries ripen together with normal-sized berries and often do not contain seeds.
The weight of 100 berries is 212 - 224g, the average – 217g. In 100 berries there are 203 seeds, weighing 10.2g; berries containing one seed make up 29%, two seeds -45%, three seeds – 20 % and 6% of berries containing four seeds.
In spite of late picking, grapes do not contain a large amount of sugar, determined by the increasing hydro-thermal coefficient during the ripening period of the grape. The indicated proportions of sugar and acidity in given samples should be considered as quite satisfying for quality table grape. However, after selecting more suitable expositions and supportive locations, the production of Tskhenisdzudzu will improve in quality and in all values.
Grape left on the vine can last, without drying, until January, then loses its freshness, but after picking can last until spring.
General evaluation and distribution by district
AAdjarian Tskhenisdzudzu should be classified as a table grape variety because of its characteristic valuable qualities of taste and structure; it has beautiful, well-structured bunches and longish beautiful berries. In addition, Tskhenisdzudzu of Adjara is not significantly sensitive to environmental changes and can successfully adapt to nearly all kinds of ecological conditions- if it is properly cultivated and cared for, it will be strong in growth and productivity.
To supply the local population and resorts with table grape, Tskhenisdzudzu should be widely cultivated and distributed in central and upper Adjara. In the future, its distribution should be maintained by the use of phylloxera resistant grafts.
Bibliography
1. Ketskhoveli N., Zones of Cultural Plants in Georgia. Tbilisi, 1957.
2. Kvaratskhelia T. Vine Varities of Western Georgia, Kutaisi, 1936.
3. Cholokhashvili S., Guide Book for Viticulture. Book II, Amphelography. Tbilisi, 1938.
4. Javakhishvili Iv. Economic History of Georgia. Vol. II. Tbilisi, 1934.
5. Jorjadze L., Viticulture, Wine-making and Improvement. Tbilisi, 1876.
6. Orbeliani Sulkhan Saba. Georgian Dictionary. Tbilisi, 1928.
