Aiming to evaluate the bud burst percentage and fruitfulness index of five varieties of seedless grape in five different pruning dates, an experiment was carried out in the Experimental Station of Bebedouro, of Semi-arid Embrapa, in Petrolina-PE. The experimental design was in split plot , constituted by five varieties as main treatments, five different pruning times as secondary treatments and being used ten repetitions (plants). The varieties were Perlette, Thompson Seedless, Marroo Seedless, Catalunha and Superior Seedless, and the pruning times were the following ones: 12/18 to 12/19/2000; 06/18 to 06/21/2001; 10/23 to 10/29/2001; 01/29 to 02/05/2002 and 04/08 to 04/12/2002. The studied variables were the percentage of budbreak and the fruitfulness index, calculated by the ratio number of bunches/number of buds. The fruitfulness was evaluated from the 1st to the 10 th buds of the cane. The best results for budding and fruitfulness were obtained in the Marroo Seedless and Perlette varieties, and pruning in June of 2001 and April of 2002 increased sprouting and fruitfulness in most of the varieties.
grapevine; variety; behaviour; fruitfulness
