Abstract: Land is prepared to get fine tilth before planting of grapes. Before establishing vineyard, the bushes in the fields are cleared, perennial weeds are killed and the ploughing operations are made. Ploughing operations are mainly two types such as primary tillage and secondary tillage. Country plough, disc plough and mould board plough are generally used for deep ploughing (primary tillage) operations and country plough, cultivator, harrows, plank, roller etc.

After completion of tillage operations, the land is prepared according to the requirement. Trenches of about 75 cm width, 75 cm deep and length according to the field slope in a north-south direction with an inter-space of about 3 m between trenches are dug. Required manures and fertilizers are applied and planting of grapes is done. Learning objectives: To learn the various implements used for primary and secondary tillages for vineyard establishment. To study the land modifications required before planting of grapes.

Introduction: Grape (Vitis vinifera) is a deciduous crop. Its natural habitat is temperate climate. Hot and dry climate is ideal. Grapes are grown on a variety of soils. Soil with good drainage and water-holding capacity with a pH range of 6.5–7.5 is ideally- suited for grapes. Ploughing or tillage is mechanical manipulation of soil using different implements, the most important field operation carried out before grapes planting.

Grapes is having deep root system and planting is generally practiced with trenches, deep ploughing is mandatory. There are several machineries or ploughs put in use to prepare the land deep and pulverized manner. Initially, wooden tools and ploughs are used and due to mechanization, many modern tillage implements are being used for ploughing the soil deep (primary tillage), pulverization (secondary tillage) and further field preparations such as layout and trench formation (land modification).

Tillage for grapes Tillage is the first and the most important operation in vineyards. Tillage operations are generally carried out before planting of grape vines. Tillage operations are generally of two stages, viz. primary and secondary tillages. Primary tillage Primary tillage or ploughing is opening of the compacted soil with the help of different tools and implements preferably used for this purpose is ploughs. In addition, primary tillage also aims to inversion (whenever necessary) of soil, uprooting of weeds and stubbles

Deep ploughing results large sized clods, when these exposed to sun and cooling due to summer rains, clods get crumbled and process of gradual disintegration of clods improves soil structure. The rhizomes and tubers of perennial weeds viz., Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus are killed due to exposure to hot sun. Summer ploughing reduces pest incidences by exposing pupae to hot sun. Deep tillage also improves soil moisture content by retaining more moisture in ploughed furrows during rainy period.

In vineyard, in olden days, country plough was the most widely used tillage implement in the developing countries. However, due to the scientific advancement and mechanization, many modern tillage implements have replaced the country plough. Deep ploughing is generally made in vineyards using cultivator (5 tyne), disc plough and mould board plough. Better ploughing and soil inversion is necessary for vineyard establishment and hence, either disc or mould board ploughs usage have an edge over cultivators.

Hard pans may exist in the soil, may be any kind like, silt pans, iron or aluminum pans, clay pans or man-made pans, will hinder the root growth of grapes. Sub-soiling is breaking the hard pan without inversion and with less disturbance of top soil. A narrow cut is made in the top soil, while share of the sub-soiler shatters hard pans. Chisel ploughs are generally used to break hard pans present beyond 50cm deep before vineyard establishment

Harrows are used for shallow cultivation in operations such as pulverization of soil by breaking clods, destroying weeds etc. Harrows are of two types: disc harrow and blade harrow. The discs cut through the soil and effectively pulverize the clods through concave discs of 45 to 55 cm in diameter. Blade harrows are used for different purposes like removal of weeds and stubbles, crushing of clods, working of soil to shallow depth. Plank is a very simple implement and consists of a heavy wooden beam of 2 m in length. Clods are crushed and micro-leveling is also made.

Land modification in grapes After primary and secondary tillage operations, the field is laid into plots according to the slope, water availability, soil type and other management practices. Land within a plot is leveled perfectly to have a gradient of <1.0% in any direction. This ensures better establishment of cuttings of grapes besides uniform discharge of water through the emitters of drip irrigation systems is used for leveling the land perfectly.

Grapes is mainly planted with trench method. Trenches of about 75 cm width, 75 cm depth and with convenient length in a north-south direction are made. The distance between trench is varying according to the variety. The trenches are earlier made using man power but, now machines are put in use to take-up trenches. Trenches are closed with topsoil, up to a height of 45 cm after 15 days exposure to sun. The remaining gap is filled with a mixture of soil, manure and recommended fertilizers.

Pit also can be made to plant the cuttings of grapes. About 75cm deep and 1m wide pits are opened. Pit is filled as like in trenches and planting is followed. Of late, a closer planting of 2.5 x 1.0 m as against the recommended spacing of 3.0 x 2.0 m combined with fertigation is practiced. Staggered trenches are dug-out across the slope in full length or width of the field.

Trenches of 75 cm width, 75 cm depth and length according to the field stretch in a north-south direction with an inter-space of 3 m between trenches are dug. The trenches are filled with top soil up to a height of 30 cm and are then exposed to sun for about 30 days. Then the remaining portion is filled with a mixture of green manures, Calotropis leaves, tank silt and farm yard manure.

Summary: Deep ploughing is mandatory in Grapes, since it is having deep root system. In vineyard, in olden days, country plough was the most widely used tillage implement in the developing countries. Different types of levelers are put in to use in leveling before vineyard establishment.

Summary: Better ploughing and soil inversion is necessary for vineyard establishment and hence, either disc or mould board ploughs usage is necessary. Chisel ploughs are used to break hard pans present beyond 50cm deep before vineyard establishment. Disc harrows, cultivators, blade harrows, country plough etc., are used for secondary tillage in vineyard establishment

Summary: Grapes is mainly planted with trench method. Trenches of about 75 cm width, 75 cm depth and with convenient length in a north- south direction are made. Pit also can be made to plant the cuttings of grapes. About 75cm deep and 1m wide pits are opened. Of late, a closer planting of 2.5 x 1.0 m as against the recommended spacing of 3.0 x 2.0 m combined with fertigation is practiced.

1.Deep ploughing is mandatory in land preparation of grapes (True/False). 2.Disc or mould board ploughs are main primary tillage implements used in grapes (True/False). 3.Country ploughs are used to break hard pans before vineyard establishment (True/False). 4.Disc harrows, cultivators, blade harrows, country plough are used for secondary tillage in vineyard establishment (True/False). 5.Grapes is mainly planted with pit method (True/False). 6.Recently, a closer planting is practiced in grapes with fertigation as against the recommended spacing (True/False).

References: Singh, S.P Commercial fruits. Kalyani Publishers, Ludhiana. Kumar, N Introduction to Horticulture. Rajalakshmi Publications, Nagarcoil, Tamil Nadu. Yellamanda Reddy, T. and G.H. Sankara Reddi Principles of Agronomy. Kalyani Publisher, Ludhiana.