Aim: Leaf removal around clusters and cluster thinning are techniques usually applied in cool-climate vineyards in order to achieve optimal grape maturity. However, the impact of the timing of these two operations differs across varieties. Thus, the aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of cluster thinning and leaf removal timing (performed at three specific time points) on grape quality and monomeric anthocyanins in the wines of Cabernet-Sauvignon and Probus (Kadarka × Cabernet-Sauvignon, Vitis vinifera L.)Methods and results: The experiment was conducted in Sremski Karlovci (Northern Serbia) in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Leaf removal was applied on six basal nodes of each shoot at three time points, 7 days after flowering, 30 days after flowering, and at veraison, i.e., at the onset of berry ripening. After cluster thinning, which was performed 7 days after flowering, one cluster per shoot was retained. On the treated vines, leaf removal treatment and cluster thinning were applied only once. Leaf removal was more effective than cluster thinning in respect to grape quality. Leaf removal, applied 7 and 30 days after flowering, decreased titratable acidity in Cabernet-Sauvignon, while in Probus an interaction of leaf removal and year was observed. Moreover, early leaf removal decreased the incidence of Botrytis sp. in Probus. The varieties reacted differently to cluster thinning in respect to grape quality: cluster thinning increased total soluble solids in Probus and lowered titratable acidity in Cabernet-Sauvignon. In 2015, both cluster thinning and leaf removal yielded changes in the anthocyanin ratios in the wines. Cluster thinning increased total and acylated anthocyanins in the wine of Cabernet-Sauvignon compared to wine derived from unthinned vines. The peonidin content was 40 % higher in the Cabernet-Sauvignon wine if the vines were subjected to leaf removal treatments.Conclusions: Cluster thinning and leaf removal affected both Cabernet-Sauvignon and Probus (Vitis vinifera L.) grape quality and wine composition. Early leaf removal was the most effective treatment in both varieties. Therefore, combined application of cluster thinning and early leaf removal is highly recommended in the production of high-quality red wines in Serbia.Significance and impact of the study: Timing of leaf removal application was usually investigated around flowering and veraison. Our results suggested that leaf removal between these two phenological stages also improves grape quality and changes the ratio of the monomeric anthocyanins in the wine.

Minor grapevine varieties represent enormous value in terms of cul­tural heritage, diversification of products with higher economic value and adaptation to environmental conditions. This paper presents the results of research on certain production and technological characteristics (mechanical composition of clusters and berries, as well as chemical composition of grape must) of a local, i.e. minor white wine variety Sremska Zelenika examined in the agro-ecological conditions of the Fruška Gora wine-growing sub-region (Srem wine-growing region) in the locality of Sremski Karlovci. In the two-year research (2020 and 2021), without any yield reduction, it was determined that the average mass of the cluster was 266.5 g. The average sugar content in the grape must of the tested variety was 19.8%, the average content of total acids was 6.75 g/l and the average pH of the grape must was 3.27. Comparing the results of previous researches conducted in the same locality, it is concluded that in this research the minor variety of Sremska Zelenika has some better production and technological characteristics.

After harvest, table grape berries undergo physical and chemical changes even with optimal storage conditions, and postharvest fruit quality retention varies among varieties. This study evaluated four varieties over a two-year period: Lasta, Lyana, recently released seedless variety Nada, and the widely cultivated Muscat Hamburg. At harvest, variety x year interaction affected yield, berry weight, and berry size, while differences among varieties were observed for rachis weight (p < 0.001) and the number of berries per cluster. During storage and shelf life, analyzed separately by experimental year, no berries with mechanical disorders or decay incidence were observed. Weight loss increased during storage in all the varieties, and this was particularly pronounced during the shelf-life period. Berry firmness ranged from 5.7 to 27.8 N/mm² depending on variety and storage duration. After 28 days of cold storage, increased berry firmness compared with harvest was recorded only in variety Nada. In 2024, Nada exhibited the highest total soluble solids content at harvest and, after 28 days of cold storage, reached 28.2%, significantly exceeding its harvest value and the SSC of the other varieties at the same evaluation time. Varieties showed different potential for cold storage. After 28 days in cold storage, sensory acceptance scores for Lasta and Nada decreased significantly compared to harvest, mainly due to increased rachis browning and berry skin shriveling. Muscat Hamburg showed the lowest rachis browning during storage. This study demonstrates the importance of selecting table grape varieties adapted to diverse environmental conditions and capable of maintaining postharvest quality during cold storage and shelf life.

Summary: The Serbian fungus-tolerant grapevine cultivar ‘Morava’ has been recognized by both wine producers and consumers, resulting in increased areas devoted to the cultivar. ‘Morava’ (‘SK 77-7/4’ x ‘Bianca’, released in Sremski Karlovci) is a popular cultivar for white wines, particularly in the central part of Serbia, because of the interesting aroma profile of its wine. The objective of this research was to investigate the yield, grape quality and wine sensory characteristics of the ‘Morava’ grapevine cultivar grown under organic and conventional management. The experiment was conducted at an experimental field for viticulture in Sremski Karlovci (Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad) during the period 2015-2018. The grape yields produced under organic management were found lower than those under conventional management. The chemical composition of organic grapes was on par with that of conventional grapes, whereas the wine sensory characteristics of organic grapes were scored higher than those of conventional grapes.

The aim of this work was to investigate the differences in yield and grape quality among three grapevine cultivars Dionis, Morava and Panonia during the period 2015-2022. The results suggest that season highly affects grape quality of all tested cultivars. Among the all tested cultivars, Morava had the lowest variation in bunch weight, while the lowest variation in acidity was demonstrated by Panonia. On average, these cultivars had satisfying yield (0,91-1,41 kg/m2) and even the production was performed according to ecological principles, without the use of pesticides. Colored cultivar Dionis and its parent Panonia, showed high sugar content in the grape must. Panonia and Morava had significantly higher acidity of the must (8.4 and 7.8 g l-1), compared to Dionis (6.30 g l-1).