The cheap-change: A new method to change cultivar in vineyards

Cheap-change is a very practical and economical method for changing cultivar in vineyards using chip-budding grafting method. This method has many advantages over other classical grafting applications (cleft, notch and bark). A unique hand machine has been developed and training system is largely preserved in this method. It is seen that it is applied in a very practical way and approximate 2700 grapevines can be grafted daily with a team of 6 people in studies has been observed. In wine grapes (Vitis vinifera L. ‘Chardonnay’, ‘Sauvignon Blanc’, ‘Öküzgözü’, ‘Boğazkere’ and ‘Narince’) and table grapes (Vitis vinifera L. ‘Sultana’ and ‘Superior Seedless’), cheap-change “chip-budding grafting method” has been made in İzmir/Torbali and Halilbeyli regions in 2013 and 2014. Data like grafting take (%), yield (kg vine-1), average shoot length (cm) and grafting number (per day) are recorded. The grafting can be repeated several times in the same season. The grafting takes has ranged from 85.83% to 95.33% in first applications. In this method, there is no grapevine loss and the grape yield continues in the following year. These are the most important advantages of cheap-change method. © 2020 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.