INFLUENCE OF CLIMATIC FACTORS ON THE QUALITY OF MERLOT GRAPEVINE VARIETY IN TREBINJE REGION VINEYARDS (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyzed climatic influence on quality of yield of Merlot grapevine variety, in Trebinje region (Entity of Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina) vineyards, during the vegetation 2016 and 2017. We investigated the mechanical properties of bunch and berry (bunch weight, number of berries on the bunch, weight of 100 berries, weight of 100 berries flesh, weight of the berries skin, weight of seeds in 100 berries ) and quality properties of grapes (sugar content and total acid content in the must). The highest bunch weight, as well as the number of berries on the bunch was achieved in 2017 (276.84 g, i.e. 183.03), while the lowest bunch weight (193.6 g) and number of berries on the bunch (158.53) were measured in 2016. Weight of 100 berries, weight of 100 berries flesh, weight of the berries skin, weight of seeds in 100 berries were larger in 2017.
The highest sugar content was measured during 2017 and the highest level of acid in must was measured during 2016. During the years 2016 and 2017 a significant influence of climatic factors on the quality characteristics of the studied variety was
observed. Although both considered years had above average temperature and less precipitation, further analysis of differences in monthly values of climatologically parameters could provide an explanation for differences in mechanical and quality properties of grapes.