EFFECTS OF FILMS ON TABLE GRAPES: ITALIA AND RED GLOBE CULTIVARS.

The new cultivations of table grape are conducted in protected conditions under plastic films, which enable early or delayed harvesting. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of three coloured plastic films (white, yellow and red) on vegetative and productive behaviour of two cultivars of table grapes, Italia and Red Globe. The study was carried out in Turi (BA) on vineyards in full production. The parameters evaluated were: PPFD and temperature under the films, index of Huglin, length of shoot, number of leaves/shoot, leaf area yield per vine, cluster and berry weight, soluble solids content, pH, titratable acidity, polyphenols, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid content and total antioxidant activity. The lower transparency to sunlight of yellow and red plastic films caused a slight reduction of light intensity. In both cultivars the reduction of light intensity did not significantly affect vegetative growth and yield. The grapes grown under the yellow and red coloured films had a much higher total antioxidant activity with respect to those grown under the white one (+86 and +91% respectively for cultivars Italia and Red Globe under yellow film and +72 and +48% respectively for cvs Italia and Red Globe under red film). Highlights Table grapes of cv Italy and Red Globe were grown under colored plastic films Plastics films have led to less transparency of light The colored films did not have negative effects on growth and yield of the two cultivars The grapes grown under coloured films had higher values of total antioxidant activity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]