Characteristics of White Grape Cultivars of Fars Province, Iran

More than one hundred characteristics of 81 local grape cultivars of Fars province, Iran (Zarghan Grapevine Germplasm Collection) were recorded at different growth stages of plants from 2002 to 2011 using IBPGR descriptor. Fifty one cvs. were white and 26 were color grapes. According to dendrogram of similarity in white grapes, maximum and minimum similarity degrees belonged to “Ghalati Doodej" with “Siah-e-Arsenjan" and “Rajabi Aghighi Zarghan" with “Yaghooti Zarghan", Respectively. All cultivars belonged to Vitis vinifera L. All white cultivars were seeded grapes except “Giehei Zarghan" and "Yaghooti Zarghan". Sex of flower in all cultivars was hermaphrodite except “Mohrsiah Mazayjan”, “Eshkenak Mazayjan Bavanat”, “Aiteh Siah Zarghan” and “Paykomi Doodej” in them flowers were female with descending stamens. Based on budbreak date, four cultivars were late budbreak. “Ghalati Doodej” and “Sezdong Ghalat” cultivars were suitable for juice and verjuice making. “Askari Paykomi Zarghan” and “Najafabadi Zarghan” were autumn frost tolerant cvs. Based on fruit characteristics, all white grape cvs. were classified as table grapes, raisin grapes and juices grapes. “Aiteh Siah Zarghan”, “Rotabi Sefeed Zarghan”, “Najafabadi Zarghan”, “Askari Najafabad Abade”, “Metghali Najafabad Abade”, “Bash Bavanat”, “Keshmesh Sabz Bavanat”, “Rotabi Zarghan”, “Ghalati Doodej”, “Siah-e-Samarghandi Doodej”, Koleheie MohammadAbad” and “Tokhmkabki Mazayjan” were high yielding cultivars. Yield of these cultivars can be due to pruning and high yielding of some cvs, may be due to their adaptation to spur pruning method which is used in head training systems performed in the collection garden.