How to Pollinate Grape Flowers
The period when grape flowers bloom is the golden stage for fruit formation. Scientific pollination and meticulous management directly affect the fruit setting rate and quality. Mastering the biological characteristics and growth patterns of grape flowers, combined with artificial intervention methods, can significantly increase grape yields. This article will systematically analyze the key technical points of the grape flowering period from pollination principles to environmental control.
Core Techniques for Pollinating Grape Flowers
Analysis of Natural Pollination Mechanism
About 85% of grape varieties have complete flower structures, and the distance that pollen can be spread by wind can reach 200 meters. The pollination efficiency of insects like bees is 3-5 times higher than that of wind, and it is recommended to place 5-8 hives per hectare. For cross-pollination varieties like Jufeng, 10% of pollination trees need to be configured, with the best results when the male and female flowers open within a 48-hour time difference.
Artificial Auxiliary Pollination Operations
Use the vibration method during cloudy and rainy weather: from 9 to 11 a.m., use an electric pollination device to vibrate the flower clusters at a frequency of 300 times/minute for three consecutive days to increase the fruit setting rate by 25%. The glove dot method requires the use of cotton gloves, and the contact surface needs to be changed after every 20 male flowers to maintain pollen activity. It is recommended to spray with a 0.3% borax solution to enhance the elongation speed of the pollen tube.
Precise Management During Grape Flowering
Microenvironment Control Standards
Maintain a temperature gradient of 25-28°C during the day and 16-18°C at night during the flowering period, with humidity strictly controlled at 50±5%. In facility cultivation, CO₂ concentration should be monitored every hour, maintaining it at 800-1000ppm to enhance photosynthetic efficiency. Temporary rain shelters should be set up in open cultivation during consecutive rainy days to prevent pollen clusters from breaking.
Nutrition Management Plan
Apply high-phosphorus water-soluble fertilizer (N-P₂O₅-K₂O=10-50-10) 7 days before flowering, combined with chelated calcium-magnesium fertilizer. Spray 0.2% boric acid + 0.1% amino acids on the leaves, twice at 5-day intervals. Maintain the soil EC value at 1.2-1.8mS/cm and the pH value at 6.0-6.5 for the highest nutrient absorption efficiency.
Light Optimization Strategy
Ensure a daily effective lighting duration of ≥7 hours, with the greenhouse film maintaining a light transmission rate of over 85%. Using reflective film can increase the light intensity of the lower leaves by 40%, combined with tying the new shoots at a 45-degree angle to ensure uniform light exposure to the flower clusters. During consecutive cloudy days, supplemental lights should provide an intensity of 200μmol·m²·s for 4 hours daily.
Through the innovation of pollination technology and meticulous management during the flowering period, the grape fruit setting rate can be increased to over 75%. The key is to grasp the development patterns of the flower organs and establish a coordinated control system for temperature, light, water, and fertilizer. It is recommended to combine IoT monitoring equipment to achieve precise control of environmental parameters, laying the foundation for abundant grape production.