Botany

Author: Editor-in-Chief: He Puchao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-08-01
Features: Excerpt: Introduction Section 1. The Significance and Characteristics of Grape Production
1. Versatile Uses and Nutritional Value
Grapes have a wide range of applications, primarily used for making various types of wine, as well as for fresh consumption, processing into raisins, grape juice, grape canned goods, and more. Grapes are not only delicious but also one of the most favorite fruits, with the added benefit of being rich in nutrients. Mature grapes generally contain 15%–25% glucose and fructose, 0.5%–1.5% malic acid and tartaric acid, as well as small amounts of citric acid, succinic acid, gallic acid, oxalic acid, and salicylic acid. They also contain 0.15%–0.9% protein and abundant inorganic salts such as potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, and manganese. Consuming 100g of fresh grapes daily can meet 4% of the human body's daily calcium requirement, 1.6% of magnesium, 0.12% of phosphorus, 16.4% of iron, 2.7% of copper, and 16.6% of manganese. Grape juice contains vitamins A, B (B1, B2, B6, B12), C, P, PP (niacin), inositol, and more than 10 types of amino acids. 1L of grape juice is equivalent to the energy of 1.7L of milk or 650g of beef, 1kg of fish, 300g of cheese, 500g of bread, 3–5 eggs, 1.2kg of potatoes, 3.5kg of tomatoes, 1.5kg of apples or pears, or peaches. Raisins contain 65%–77% glucose and fructose, with a caloric output of 13,598–14,225.6J per kg. Brandy, champagne, and various wines made from grapes, in addition to containing a certain amount of sugar (except for dry wines), also contain multiple vitamins, organic acids, and beneficial inorganic salts for the human body.
2. Medical and Health Benefits
Grapes and their products contain various vitamins, especially vitamin B1, vitamin PP, and inositol. Therefore, consuming grapes, drinking grape juice, and moderately drinking wine can help prevent anemia, hepatitis, lower blood lipids, and soften blood vessels. Half of the sugar in grapes is fructose, which can be directly absorbed and utilized by the human body without passing through the stomach. Thus, grapes and their products play an important role in preventing diabetes. Canadian microbiologists have proven that grapes and their products have antiviral activity, with red wine having particularly strong antiviral capabilities, and fresh grapes and grape juice being even more effective. Researchers from the UK Medical Committee, after analyzing the relationship between population death rates and diet in 18 Western countries including the United States, found a "very close relationship" between wine consumption and heart disease-related deaths. Italians and French, who enjoy drinking wine, have lower mortality rates from heart disease, with lower wine consumption correlating to higher mortality rates. However, hard liquor and beer do not offer this benefit. Recent studies further indicate that red wine contains flavonoid compounds, particularly quercetin, which can reduce platelet stickiness. Only by drinking red wine moderately can one protect the heart. Raisins from Xinjiang's grapes have even been found to have a therapeutic effect on measles in children.
3. Early Fruit Production and High Economic Benefits
Grapes are fruit trees that bear fruit quickly. Under good cultivation conditions, seedlings can bear fruit in the second year after planting, and can achieve high yields in the third year. It is not uncommon for 667m2 of land to produce over 500kg in the second year after planting. For example, in 1987, the Science and Technology Commission of Weifang City, Shandong Province, planted 31.33 hectares of Kyoho grapes, which yielded an average of 34,400kg per hectare in 1988, with a selling price of 57,720 yuan and a net income of 47,910 yuan. Grapes also form flower buds on both main and lateral shoots easily, not only allowing for early fruiting but also ensuring continuous high and stable yields year after year, with low investment and high returns. According to Li Qiucai and others' survey, a 40-hectare grape orchard on Fenghuang Mountain in Changli County, Hebei Province, generates an average annual income of 22,500 yuan per hectare, with an output ratio of 1:15–20, demonstrating very high economic benefits.
The pomace left after winemaking grapes is also an important energy and edible oil raw material. According to data from Austria's grape pomace utilization research institute, each ton of grape pomace contains approximately 10,100J of heat, higher than that of wood or brown coal, making it suitable for household and greenhouse heating. After the heat from fermented pomace is exhausted, the seeds, which account for about 60% of the pomace, can be ground into oil, with 1L of seed oil producing heat equivalent to one kilowatt-hour of electricity. Another important use of grape seeds is for processing edible oil. According to Zhang Maoyang and others' research, the oil yield of grape seeds is 10%–12%, meaning a winery producing 10,000 tons of wine annually can produce 40–50 tons of edible oil, with a value of 160,000–200,000 yuan (1988). Grape seed oil contains a high amount of unsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic acid, which accounts for 65%–80%, along with vitamins P and E, offering significant health and medical benefits.
4. Strong Adaptability and Easy Renewal
Grapes are more drought-resistant and salt-tolerant than apple or peach trees and have flexible soil requirements. They can be planted in riverbanks unsuitable for crops, sandy areas, gravel, Gobi, and hilly slopes. Although not cold-resistant, grapevines can be buried in winter easily. For example, in northern Xinjiang and the central and northern parts of Northeast China, where cultivating Western apples is difficult, grapes can be grown on a large scale. Additionally, grapes are suitable for planting near homes and in pots, making them an important fruit for developing household economies and beautifying the environment.
Grapes have many latent buds and long lifespans, with old vines producing new branches annually from their bases. If old vines become senescent or lose their fruiting ability due to natural disasters or mechanical damage, new branches can be used for renewal at any time to restore normal fruiting capacity.