Saturday, August 22, 2020

Have you see Neptune and Saturn lately?

 Table Grapes
at Farmington Agriculture Science Center 

Farmington Agriculture Science Center has a sizable planting of table grapes. The Four-Corners region of northwest New Mexico is a challenging environment with winter cold and frequent spring frosts. This year, 2020, there was late spring frost...many varieties were damaged and thus had no crop. Two exceptions are shown here...Neptune (white seedless table grape) and Saturn a red seedless table grape. 

Neptune, essentially seedless table grape, approaching ripeness at  NMSU Farmington Agriculture Science Center, August 21, 2020


Saturn, table grape, approaching ripeness at Farmington Agriculture Science Center, August 21, 2020


What are these small brown dots or structures on these grapes? These are 'lenticels'...similar to stomates early in the season, as the grapes mature, the lenticels are filled with the epicuticular wax that occurs on the surface of the grape berry. The wax oxidizes and turns brown. Nothing to worry about...not a disease or insect...just a sign that the grapes are getting ripe. This is not very noticeable on most varieties...

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