VDG002

Grapevine

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Pixie'

Summary: The main colour of the woody shoot of 'VDG002' is medium brown whereas the woody shoot of 'Pixie' is light brown. The prostrate hairs between the veins on the lower side of the young leaf blade of 'VDG002' are absent or very sparse whereas the prostrate hairs of 'Pixie' are very dense. The colour on the dorsal and ventral side of the node and internode on the shoot of 'VDG002' is green and red whereas it is only green for 'Pixie'. The petiole of 'VDG002' has a medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration whereas the petiole of 'Pixie' has no anthocyanin colouration. The mature leaf blade of 'VDG002' is circular in shape whereas the leaf blade of 'Pixie' is pentagonal in shape. The teeth along the margin of the mature leaf blade of 'VDG002' are of medium length and shaped with both sides convex whereas the teeth of 'Pixie' are short and shaped with a mixture of both sides straight and both sides convex. The proportion of main veins on the upper side of the mature leaf blade with anthocyanin colouration is low for 'VDG002' whereas it is absent or very low for 'Pixie'. The prostrate hairs between the main veins on the lower side of the mature leaf blade are absent or very sparse for 'VDG002' while the prostrate hairs of 'Pixie' are sparse. The plants of 'VDG002' produce larger bunches of berries than the plants of 'Pixie'. The colour of the skin of the berry is green brown for 'VDG002' whereas the skin of 'Pixie' is black.

Description:

YOUNG SHOOT TIP: closed, very dense prostrate hairs, absent or very sparse intensity of anthocyanin colouration of prostrate hairs
SHOOT TENDRIL: very short, very few, aborts quickly
SHOOT INTERNODE: green dorsal and ventral side
SHOOT NODE: green dorsal and ventral side
WOODY SHOOT: medium brown (RHS 175C)

FLOWER: fully developed stamens and fully developed gynoecium

YOUNG LEAF BLADE: upper side is brown green (RHS 137B), absent or very sparse prostrate hairs between main veins on lower side
MATURE LEAF BLADE: very small to small, circular shape, strong blistering of upper side, five lobes, medium to deep upper lateral sinuses, arrangement of lobes of upper lateral sinuses is slightly overlapped, arrangement of lobes of petiole sinus is strongly overlapped, proportion of main veins on upper side with anthocyanin colouration is low, absent or very sparse prostrate hairs between main veins on lower side, absent or very sparse erect hairs on main veins on lower side, length of petiole is much shorter than length of middle vein
TEETH ALONG MARGIN OF MATURE LEAF BLADE: medium length, medium length in relation to width, shape is both sides convex

BERRY BUNCH: very small to small, dense to very dense, peduncle of primary bunch is medium length
BERRY: small to medium size, globose shape, moderately easy to detach from pedicel; flavour is other than muscat, foxy or herbaceous; seed formation is complete
BERRY SKIN: green brown (RHS 152C), medium thickness
BERRY FLESH: moderately firm, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration

Origin & Breeding History: 'VDG002' (experimental designation 'PxCF.003') originated from a controlled hybridization between the dwarf variety 'Pixie', as the female parent, and the variety 'Cabernet Franc', as the male parent. The original cross was conducted at the Vineland Research and Innovations Centre in Vineland Station, Ontario on October 22, 2010. 'VDG002' was selected on May 7, 2012 for its dwarfism, true hybridity, and attractive ornamental display.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial of 'VDG002' was conducted in a greenhouse during 2013 at the Vineland Research and Innovations Centre in Vineland Station, Ontario. There were 10 plants each of the candidate and reference variety grown on their own roots. Each plant was obtained from single node soft stem cuttings taken in 2012, rooted and planted into black, plastic, 25 cm diameter pots. This dwarf grape variety has indeterminant growth when grown under greenhouse conditions; therefore, seasonal growth characteristics were not assessed. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'VDG002' with reference variety 'Pixie'

Colour of skin of berry (RHS)

Colour of woody stem (RHS)

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Grapevine: 'VDG002' (right) with reference variety 'Pixie' (left)

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Grapevine: 'VDG002' (left) with reference variety 'Pixie' (right)

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Grapevine: 'VDG002' (right) with reference variety 'Pixie' (left)