ISLAMABAD, May 2: Scientists at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) here have developed three varieties of high-value grapes having ability to mature before the monsoon season.

The recent introduction and evaluation of the varieties under the fruit and vegetable development programme has discovered that ‘Flame Seedless’, ‘King’s Ruby’ and ‘Perlette’ have the early maturity potential and can be grown on commercial scale in monsoon rainfall region of Punjab.

Grape is one of the most remunerative summer fruit crops, native to warm, temperate zone between 34oN and 49oS latitude.

Mountainous and sub-mountainous areas up to 6,000 feet or more are suitable for its cultivation. In Pakistan, grapes are grown on 13,000 hectares with the total production of about 49,000 tons.

Extensive research has made it possible to grow grapes in the Potohar region on commercial scale. Monsoon rains result in fungal diseases and affect berries. Therefore, it is imperative to select those varieties that could escape the summer rains and mature before the monsoon season, according to the scientists at NARC.

On the basis of encouraging results obtained in terms of fruit production and quality, a complete package of production technology has been developed for production, a spokesman for NARC said on Monday.

The technology developed by the scientists has a special significance because early crop harvest would bring higher returns to farmers.

If the technology is adopted by farmers properly, one can expect that this will help bring radical changes for alleviating poverty in the monsoon rainfall region, he said.

The new varieties of grapes can be harvested by the end of June to escape monsoon rain damage and get higher returns. On the basis of encouraging results obtained in terms of fruit production and quality, a complete package of production technology has been developed for farmers.

The package of production technology includes availability of plants, planting methods and techniques, trellising and training on two parallel wires attached with the pole along with each plant, punning at dormant stage, bunch thinning at flowering stage leaving 25 healthy bunches per plant, irrigation at weekly intervals, fertilization during mid-February, harvesting at fully ripe stage and insect pest and disease management as per requirement.