Building a consistent grape crop from the start

Conocimiento

Early season development is one of the most important stages in grape production.

Weak or uneven sprouting can create variability within a crop and influence how uniformly vines develop during the early part of the season.

A trial conducted in Spain on the Cotton Candy grape variety assessed the impact of Maxstim Agriculture+ on early vine development. The comparison evaluated standard grower practice alongside a Maxstim treated area.

Maxstim Agriculture+ was applied twice at 5 L/ha, with applications made in late March and early April.

The trial highlighted several differences between treatments:

More homogeneous development
Fewer chlorotic leaves
Improved plant uniformity and growth
More intense green colour
More consistent development across the crop
A more even canopy

Early April Trial Visit

After the second 5l/ha application, treated vines showed markedly greater development, more uniform growth, and deeper colour than the control.

Early April Grapes

Following the second application, treated vines displayed visibly greater development and stronger growth than the untreated area. By late April, treated plants showed no visible signs of chlorosis and exhibited a healthier appearance with more consistent colour and development.

The trial also recorded greater early-stage resilience.

Late April Trial Visit

Visually, the treated plants show no signs of chlorosis, exhibiting a healthier appearance with consistent colour and more uniform, even development across the canopy.

Commercial adoption following the trial

Uvas Doce initially introduced Maxstim to support grape establishment, crop quality, firmness and disease management. Following the trial, the business expanded its use of Maxstim across additional grape varieties.

As the grower explains:

“Our trials confirmed better calcium assimilation, longer shelf life, less disease pressure and much higher yields. Following this commercial confirmation we quickly expanded our use of Maxstim across different grape varieties and the return on investment has been huge.”

These observations from Spain demonstrated more uniform development, reduced chlorosis and stronger early growth following treatment with Maxstim Agriculture+.

ogether with the grower’s decision to expand use across additional grape varieties, the trial provides further evidence of the role Maxstim Agriculture+ can play in supporting early crop development.