A field trial was carried out at Jundiaí, São Paulo State, Brazil, in a 'Romana' (A1105) seedless table grape vineyard aiming to evaluate the influence of individual bunch protection on microclimate and bunch quality, mainly for rot control. The different individual bunch protection against rain during the maturation period were: impermeable paper and polyethylene bunch cover. Measurements of temperature and relative humidity in the protected and unprotected bunchs were taken from beginning of maturation process to harvest. The obtained values of mean temperature were: 23.9; 22.9 and 22.0ºC, respectively for the treatments: polyethylene bag; impermeable paper and unprotected bunch environment. The values of mean relative humidity were higher at the bunches without protection (86.1%) when compared to the polyethylene bag (76.0%) and impermeable paper (73.2%). Also, the use of individual grape bunch protection (impermeable paper, polyethylene bag and impermeable paper bag) were effective in controlling bunch rot occurrence.
bunch protection; rain; microclimate; grapevine; table grape
