- 8 - ［ Technical Brief ］ Growth Characteristics of Shoots and Roots of Wild Grapes Native to Japan Puspa Raj POUDEL 1, 2 **, Ryosuke MOCHIOKA 1 *, and Yuji FUJITA 1 *** 1 University Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Sanuki, Kagawa 769-2304, Japan 2 United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566, Japan Abstract In this study, we aimed to determine the shoot and root growth patterns of five species of wild grapes native to Japan and related hybrids. Ebizuru (Vitis ficifolia var. lobata), Ryukyuganebu (V. ficifolia var. ganebu), Shiohitashibudou (unidentified genotype; tentative name), Shiragabudou (V. shiragai), Yamabudou ( V. coignetiae), ‘Kadainou R-1’ (Ryukyuganebu ×V. vinifera ‘Muscat of Alexandria’), New Hybrid (‘Kadainou R-1’ × V. labruscana ‘Bailey Alicante A’) and ‘Muscat of Alexandria’ were used as plant materials. The root and shoot growth rates of all grapes peaked between full bloom to veraison; however, the specific timing of growth, such as a bud break, differed depending on the species. The shoot and root growths of Yamabudou ceased the earliest among the grapes. Key words: root growth, shoot growth, Vitis, wild grape Introduction Grapes undergo series of phenological stages, namely, bud break, vegetative growth, full bloom, berry set, maturation, leaf fall and dormancy, during each production year. The timing of each phenological stage has important implications in viticulture practices, such as timing of fertilization, and factors affecting carbohydrate content and nutrient sink activity. Hence, such knowledge will enable the establishment of physiology-based criteria for irrigation and *Corresponding author (email: mochioka@ag.kagawa-u.ac.jp) Revised manuscript received Feb. 19, 2010. A part of this paper was presented at the 2008 Spring Meeting of the Japanese Society for Horticultural Science. **Current Address: National Research Institute of Brewing, 3-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-0046, Japan. ***Current Address: Japan Agricultural Cooperatives. Hiroshima Fruits Agricultural Cooperative Association Union, 1-2-17 Tadanoumi-nakamachi, Takehara, Hiroshima 729-2316, Japan. fertilization scheduling. In earlier works, the growth patterns of roots and/or shoots under different environmental and cultivation conditions for several grape cultivars were determined (Comas et al. 2005, McKenry 1984, Morlat and Jacquet 2003, Smart et al. 2006); however, less effort has been made to determine the phenological stages of wild grapes native to Japan and their related hybrids. Hence, in this study, we aimed to determine the seasonal root and shoot growth patterns of potted vines of wild grapes and related hybrids. Materials and Methods Ebizuru (Vitis ficifolia var. lobata), Ryukyuganebu (V. ficifolia var. ganebu), Shiohitashibudou (unidentified genotype; tentative name) (Nakagawa et al. 1991), Shiragabudou (V. shiragai ), Yamabudou ( V. coignetiae), ‘Muscat of Alexandria’ ( V. vinifera), ‘Kadainou R-1’ (Ryukyuganebu × ‘Muscat of Alexandria’) and New Hybrid (‘Kadainou R-1’ × V. labruscana ‘Bailey Alicante A’) were used as plant materials. Self-rooted vines (two years old) grown in 4.5 L transparent plastic boxes were Growth Characteristics of Shoots and Roots J. ASEV Jpn., Vol. 21, No. 1, 8-12 (2010)