Due to favorable climatic conditions for the occurrence of fungal diseases in table grapes, technologies that provides the reduction of production costs have been persuaded, and an alternative for it is the cultivation of grapes under plastic cover. The aim of this study was to evaluate the production and the bunches physico-chemical characteristics of the 'BRS Clara' grapevines grafted on IAC-766 'Campinas' rootstock, in protected cultivation during out of season crop, in order to reduce the application of fungicides to control downy mildew. The experiments were performed in commercial vineyards located at Uraí and Marialva, PR. The vines were trained in an over-head trellis system, in a spacing of 4.0 x 4.0 m in Uraí, and 2.0 x 5.0 m in Marialva. The randomized design was used as a statistical model, consisted of two protected cultivation (under plastic cover and under plastic screen) with seven replications. In the experiment conducted in Uraí, it was not verified difference between the protected cultivation systems regarding the grapevine production characteristics and chemical characteristics of the berries, such as soluble solids content, maturation index and pH. It was verified the occurrence of downy mildew just on leaves, which the incidence and severity was lower in vines under plastic cover (0.5 and 0.02% respectively). In Marialva, the plastic cover had no influence on grape production characteristics as well. However, the soluble solids content of berries under plastic cover was higher in relation to those under plastic screen (19.6 and 17.2ºBrix, respectively). It was not detected the occurrence of downy mildew in any of the systems of protected cultivation in this location. It was concluded that the use of plastic cover allows the reduction of the number of fungicide applications to control downy mildew, with no change on production characeristics of 'BRS Clara' grape.
Viticulture; seedless grape; protected cultivation; ripening; production
