MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SEVERAL LOCAL AND INTRODUCED GRAPE VARIETIES: RESEARCH AND EVALUATION OF THEIR TECHNOLOGICAL SUITABILITY.

The article presents the findings from a study evaluating the morphological, biological and technological characteristics of various table and technical grape varieties cultivated in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The research adhered to the descriptors of the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV). The study reveals a wide range in the size of grape bunches, with medium, large and small bunches being predominant. Notably, the local and introduced varieties Arna-grna, Khindogny, Hamashara, Shirvanshahy and Moldova exhibited superior morphological traits such as mass, volume and size of bunches. Juice yield, a key indicator of technological suitability, ranged from 45.5% to 80.0%. The Shiraz variety had the lowest juice yield (45.8%), whereas the Moldova (76.8%) and Uni Blanc (80.0%) varieties had the highest. Most varieties had small berries, but Arna-grna (481 g), Gyanjavi (341 g) and Moldova (317 g) were considered medium. The sugar content in the berries was categorized as average, high or very high, with Shirvanshahy having the highest sugar content (25.0 g/100 cm³). The titratable acidity of the varieties was low to average, while the active acidity was mainly low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]