Grape variety Citron Magaracha. Description and photo

Breeding history

The grape variety Citronny Magarach was bred by the Crimean National Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking "Magarach" in the 1970s. To obtain it, the method of generative hybridization of varieties Madeleine Anzhevin, Magarach (No. 124-66-26) and Novoukrainsky Early was used. P. Ya. Golodriga was engaged in breeding, thanks to whom other varieties, famous all over the world, were created during this period of time. The mass distribution of the new variety did not happen due to the tough anti-alcohol campaign of the 1980s, but later Citron Magaracha still took an honorable place among the best technical varieties and is still popular for the production of high-quality white wines around the world.

Did you know? The variety became famous thanks to the wine "Muscatel White" produced from it in 1998, which was evaluated with the highest points at international competitions in 1999-2001.

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The most suitable type of grapes "Antey Magaracha" for making wine

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On the market for horticultural crops, the number of interesting grape varieties is increasing every year, but the popularity of long-bred varieties does not decrease from this. Often, gardeners are in a difficult situation, trying to determine the best option. If you want to plant a dark-colored technical variety, you should pay attention to one of the oldest grape varieties - Early Magaracha.

Description of grape variety Citronny Magaracha

Citron Magaracha belongs to the medium-ripening variety, the fruiting period of which falls on the 125th day of the growing season. The vine can have a high or medium vigor, the shoots are characterized by good maturity. Leaves are small, smooth on both sides, green in color, have 3 or 5 lobes. The flowers of the variety are bisexual, which ensures good pollination. The bunches of Citronny Magarach, as for a technical variety, are quite large, have a conical or cylindrical shape.

Yield

For the Early Magaracha variety, the main breeding characteristic is the early ripening of berries - in the last third of August. From the moment the leaf appears until the fruit is ready, it takes about 120 days, provided that the total active temperature is not less than 2300 ° C.

The number of brushes on the shoots will differ by 1.5 times, depending on whether this shoot is fruiting (1.3) or developing (0.8). As a rule, fruitful shoots of the Early Magaracha variety are formed from replacement buds. The number of fruiting shoots is 60-70%.

So, for example, in the Odessa region this figure averages about 120 c / ha, while on the southern coast of Crimea it can give up to 200 c / ha.

Photo gallery

Many small or medium-sized green grapes are planted on the bunches, which acquire a golden hue during the period of technical maturity. Usually the berries are slightly covered with a characteristic "waxy" coating. The grape is covered with a dense but thin skin. Each grape contains 2-3 oval seeds.

Characteristics of the variety

When choosing varieties for cultivation, the main attention is paid to the characteristics of the variety, which allow to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the grapes.

Drought resistance and frost resistance

Citron Magaracha grapes are characterized by moderate drought resistance, therefore, in a hot dry period, it needs regular watering.

The frost resistance of the variety is good, adult specimens are able to withstand frosts down to –26 ° C, this is due to the deep bedding of the main mass of the root system, therefore, when young roots in the upper layers of the soil freeze, the plant quickly recovers in the spring.

Important! The frost resistance of young specimens is much worse, therefore it is recommended to cover them for the winter.

Disease and pest resistance

The Citron Magaracha grape variety is protected against fungi, viruses and bacterial infections at the genetic level, therefore, common diseases affecting other grape varieties are not afraid of it. Garden pests also rarely affect grapes; wasps and birds can be distinguished from common crop destroyers.

Productivity and fruiting

Depending on weather conditions, the harvest is harvested in late August - mid-September, when the berries reach technical maturity. High self-pollination provides good yield indicators - at least 9 kg of berries from one bush. Grapes can ripen unevenly, then the bunches that ripen earlier are used to make table wines, and which later are used for dessert. It is important to harvest on time so as not to lose valuable raw materials, since the usual signs of overripe fruits in the form of shattering are not observed.

Scope of the fruit

The berries are sweet and juicy, have a pronounced aftertaste of citrus fruits and nutmeg, which even bad weather conditions cannot spoil. Due to such characteristics, Citron Magaracha is grown on an industrial scale, so that it can then be used as a raw material for making high-quality dessert and table wines. Grapes have also become popular for the production of sparkling wines.

Learn how to properly prepare white grape wine.

Good indicators of preservation and transportability make it possible to grow grapes on plantations located far from wine production, which is also very much appreciated by winemakers. The variety is also popular for home cultivation, due to the versatility of the taste of berries, grapes are consumed fresh, and also used to make juice and wine.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The Citronny Magaracha variety is characterized by a large number of positive qualities and a minimum number of negative ones, so we will consider each of them in more detail.

• The advantages of the variety include:
• stable yield that does not depend on the weather;
• high taste, which are not influenced by external factors;
• good frost resistance;
• resistance to sunburn and crop shedding;
• disease and pest resistance;
• unpretentious care;
• good preservation and transportability of fruits.

Among the disadvantages of the variety, one can be distinguished - unstable ripening times, which affects the profitability of the wine business. If the main part of the grapes ripens early, then it will turn out to produce more budget table wine and get less profit, and if the ripening time is shifted and the late harvest is more abundant, it will be directed to the production of expensive elite dessert wine, which will allow you to get a good profit.

Testimonials

Ivan from Kemerovo region

“I bought the seedlings 3 years ago, now their height is about 5 meters. The berries ripened by mid-September. I treated the grapes in the spring with a 3% solution of Bordeaux liquid, the plants did not hurt. Before flowering, it was still processed with Topaz. The inflorescences are intertwined, be sure to plant the vine and unwind the bunches, otherwise it is almost impossible to do this later. "

Marina from Krasnodar region

“The Magarachi fruit is well suited for making homemade wine. There is not a lot of sugar in the berries, the first fruits ripen the sweetest. The berries that are picked last taste sour. Wasps love the Magarachu, so that insects do not fly in, use insecticides such as Chlorophos, Delta Zone or special traps for insects. "

Features of planting grapes

For abundant fruiting, Citron Magaracha needs a correctly selected planting site and suitable soil characteristics. In addition, you should purchase healthy young seedlings and observe the subtleties of planting.

When to plant the Citron Magarach?

Planting seedlings can be done in the spring and autumn. If planting will be carried out in the fall, it is better to use annual cuttings or stock as planting material. It should be planted in late October - early November, so that the bushes have time to take root before frost. In spring, young green cuttings are used, which are planted in warmed-up soil in early May.

Choosing a place for a bush

Citron Magaracha, like any grape variety, should grow on well-lit plantations, does not react well to planting in the shade. You should not practice planting a bush in a lowland, as waterlogging of the soil often becomes the main growth problem or the cause of plant death. It is better to plant grapes on a hill so that the groundwater does not damage the roots.

Important! It is forbidden to plant Citron Magarach next to other varieties, as it may lose resistance to diseases and pests.

Soil requirements

For planting varieties, chernozem and loam, which are characterized by fertility and have high aeration properties, are considered suitable soil. The soil on which the white grape variety is planned to be planted must be enriched with potassium and phosphorus. Good soil warming is also an essential feature for obtaining a high-quality harvest.

The choice of planting material

When buying planting material for planting, you must first pay attention to its appearance. For autumn planting, choose even seedlings, without damage or signs of disease. The bark on mature shoots of one year old should be tough, light, the root system should be developed, not have damaged, rotten or diseased parts.

In the spring, it is necessary to plant a young last year's seedling, on which at least 4 fruit buds are well defined.

Planting grapes

Before proceeding with the planting of the acquired planting material, it is necessary to prepare the site: loosen the soil, remove weeds, apply suitable fertilizers in accordance with the type of soil.

The disembarkation process is as follows:

1. In the prepared area, dig a hole 60 cm deep, 40 cm wide.
2. At the bottom of the pit, pour a drainage layer (15–20 cm) in the form of crushed stone, broken brick or building pebbles.
3. Drive a high, strong wooden stake (or metal) into the center, which will serve as a support for the bending vine of grapes.
4. On top of the drain, pour a little (up to 10 cm) of previously dug soil, mixed with a nutrient mixture based on phosphorus and potassium, according to the instructions on the package for the ingredients used.
5. Place a seedling in the center of the pit, gently spreading the roots to the sides, cover it with the rest of the soil on top. When planting, the root collar should be immersed in the ground by 6 cm.
6. Water the plant abundantly with warm water (10 liters under 1 bush).
7. When planting, maintain an interval of 2.5 m between rows and 2 m between bushes.

Home winemaking

Self-preparation of tasty and healthy wine from Citron Magaracha grapes is carried out using the following technology:

• the grapes should be harvested at the stage of the presence of sugars in the berries no more than 24% and the level of wort ph 3.4;
• cool the grapes in the basement and carefully separate the berries from the combs;
• place the berries in a crusher and add potassium pyrosulfite to the resulting grape pulp in an amount of 2.5 g per bucket;
• place the resulting wort with pulp into a press, after pressing, pour into a container where the wort will settle at a temperature not higher than + 16 ° С;
• for every 100 liters of the resulting wort, add 2 g of the Lalzyme enzyme, and after 12 hours add bentonite to the wort (at the rate of 2 g per 1 liter);
• after two days, it is required to carefully drain the wort without sediment formed at the bottom into the fermentation vessel and add wine yeast according to the attached instructions. For Cryarome yeast, the amount is 12.5 g per 50 L of wort;
• install a water seal and periodically monitor the wort fermentation process. After two days from the moment of the active process, you need to add alcohol to the wort (at the rate of 7 liters per 50 liters of wort);
• after 24 hours, 0.5 g of bentonite is required through the fermenter for each liter of wort.

At a temperature of + 18 ° C, after 14-20 days, young wine is obtained, which should be carefully drained from the sediment, add 0.3 g of pyrosulfite per 1 liter of wine and put under the gate for a month. Then you should drain the wine again and add 15 g of Siha Optipur for every 50 liters of wine. After the tartar has fallen out, the wine can be poured into prepared clean and dry barrels. After 2 months, the wine is filtered and bottled for further storage.

Follow-up care of grapes

For growth and fruiting, grapes need care, the features of which we propose to consider in more detail.

Pruning grapes

It is necessary to prune the vine after the grapes have dropped all the leaves - in late autumn (early November). At this time, sap flow stops, and the plant normally tolerates such an intervention. It is necessary to remove all shoots extending from the central one, leaving the 3 thickest and strongest ones, which will definitely survive the winter.

Read on for how to properly prune grapes in the spring.

Pay attention to the number of fruit buds on the shoots that you plan to leave, there should be at least 8. A similar pruning procedure should be carried out annually. A sharp pruner is used for it, cutting off excess shoots at the bottom point of their growth.

Protection of grapes from birds and insects

The sweetness and aroma of grapes attracts insects and birds, so the harvest is often attacked, after which the number of suitable berries for further use decreases.

Consider the popular and simple crop protection products:

• the use of special fabric mesh bags that are worn on bunches of grapes;
• for birds, homemade ratchet repellers are suitable, which, when the wind blows, make rumbling sounds. For this, any light bells, cut cans, which, when rubbed against each other, create a characteristic noise, are suitable;
• a tape-recorder placed on the vines of grapes scares away not only birds, but also insects, preventing them from sitting on the berries;
• for insects on vines, traps with sweet contents (compote, honey water) are hooked.

When growing grapes on large plantations, special bioacoustic devices are used to scare away birds, and the crop is protected from insects with toxic baits.

Preparing for winter

To prepare the grapes for wintering, after pruning, they are freed from the support and carefully laid on the ground, after having been watered abundantly with warm water. On top of the vines are well sprinkled with straw. A film is laid on top of the straw, pressing it from all sides with bricks. If there is a risk of lowering the temperature to -25 ° C, the structure is sprinkled on top with soil.

Diseases and pests: methods of control and prevention

Fungal infections are not terrible for the variety, but sometimes Citron Magaracha can infect anthracnose - convex spots on leaf plates, in the place of which holes appear over time. For treatment, use soda ash (solution 5%).Anthracnose prophylaxis is not carried out; drug treatment is carried out only during the period of illness.

In addition, the cultivar sometimes suffers from mildew, which manifests itself as brown spots on the leaves and stains the vine in a burgundy hue. It is necessary to treat the plant by spraying with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid. As a preventive measure, copper sulfate is used, which is prepared and used according to the instructions on the package.

Among the pests of the Citronny Magaracha variety, only insects and birds are distinguished, the control measures for which were described above.

Did you know? To obtain high-quality wine, raw materials based on the Citronny Magaracha variety are aged in oak barrels for one and a half years.
The Citronny Magaracha variety is recommended for planting in small household plots for home use and on large plantations for industrial purposes. To make it easier to grow bushes and get a large harvest, it is necessary to observe the subtleties of planting and care.