Sprouting regulators, alternatives to hydrogenated cyanamide, to compensate for the lack of chilling hours in tropical vineyards of the Ecuadorian coast.

Abstract

Hydrogen cyanamide (CH) is an effective stimulant bud breaking usually used in tropical viticulture, but handling this active substance carries a high risk because of their high toxicity. According to some studies alternative treatments could potentially produce a similar effect on the buds to CH, offset the lack of chilling hours in vineyards located in areas without a sufficient period of chilling hours, such as those located on the southern coast of Ecuador. Among all treatments evaluated the effects include direct application to the buds of hydrogen peroxide 5%. This treatment gets stimulate bud breaking of almost all of the buds, advancing and increasing vegetative growth and doubling the performance of the strains, without compromising the quality of the grapes produced. Therefore we can say that the hydrogen peroxide treatments are a viable, economical and sustainable, alternative to CH applications in these culture conditions.