Definition:

It is a plant growth regulator which contains abscisic acid (ABA 10%) in a powder form  that is used globally in many countries around the world such as (Europe , United States, South Africa , etc.) as the best product for grapes coloring as the color is an essential factor for marketing of colored varieties of grapes whether locally or exported thus modern researches has turned towards producing new products which increase the red color in grapes, these products are natural plant extracts, which can be used at different times of coloring the fruits which gives a greater chance to benefit from coloring so that we get the desired results from using it, in addition, this product does not have residues for more than one day.

Product characteristics:

1. It enhances the color as it helps in increasing the accumulation of anthocyaninpigment in grapes and apple without affecting the fruit quality in terms of color or hardness during transportation and storage and without the risk of residues, as the field of its application or use is wide.
2. It does not affect the hardness of the berry or the clusters and has no effect on sugar.
3. Early ripening, as the product controls stomata closure which pushes the plant to increase the production of ethylene, which accelerates the fruit ripening and thus coincidence of markets with reasonable prices.
4. It does not affect the cluster size and does not help in shattering of clusters.
5. It is registered in many countries of the world for export.
6. It does not have any residues in the fruits as the safety period is only one day and does not have MRL.
7. Its use does not conflict with ethephon, as ethephon can be used first, and then after 1– 4 days, abscisic is used with the recommended dosages.
8. Increases the tolerance of plants and fruits to various stresses of lack of water, salts, water immersion, bacteria and fungi by inducing defense systems inside the plant.
9. It works on prolonging the life of stored seeds as it works on inhibition of germination of stored seeds, and the effect of the abscisic disappears once the seeds are washed, which restore their vitality and ability to germinate, as well as with the stored potato tubers.

Factors affecting the color in grapes:

1. The nature of the variety, there are varieties that can get more color than others.
2. The relationship of origin to taste.
3. The plant density per unit acre and the amount of light on clusters.
4. Crop quantity (number of clusters per vine and number of berries in the cluster)
5. Irrigation management and growth regulators management especially cytokinins and gibberellins.
6. Virus diseases.
7. General management systems inside the farm.

Abscisic acid role in the plant as it works on:

1. Regulating the opening and closing of stomata.
2. It helps in plant growth in addition to fruit coloring and ripening.
3. It affects dormancy, germination, ripening and coloring of fruits.
4. It is used in organic cultivation for grapes.
5. Abscisic acid, which is naturally produced inside the plant, activates UFGT enzyme, which is very important for fixing and improving the color on the fruits.

Optimal time for using Super Abscisic

The beginning of the coloring period should be recognized as it goes through three stages connected with each other:-

1. The production of anthocyanin pigment.
2. The increase of sugar level in clusters with the start of veraison stage.
3. The start of increasing berry size.

Factors that determine the lack of access to full coloring:

1. The temperature difference between night and day, whatever the temperatures are between 15 – 28 °C, we get a better coloring, unlike if the temperatures are between 25 – 35 °C.
2. The light factor on the coloration requires the storage of a light that is not strong, and this can be controlled by the process of pruning or pinching the plant, so we get good clusters, unlike if pruning is neglected.
3. Numerical density of the plant per unit area,stored nutrition in the nutritional system for the plant and all previous factors to obtain a balanced yield.
4. Damage from the use of cytokines (youth hormone) as it is the main enemy for grape coloration.

Usage recommendations:

1. Good coverage of clusters with a spray solution is required as the product works by contact, taking into account not to exaggerate the coverage.
2. Remove any leaves around the cluster to ensure that the spray solution reaches them.
3. Use sufficient water per acre in case of spraying with atomizer (400 – 500 L of water / acre).
4. Dosage rate for Super Abscisic is 1.6 Kg / acre on two treatments:

First treatment: 800 g / acre, quantity of spray solution shouldn’t be less than 500 – 600 L of water / acre.

Second treatment: After two days from the first treatment and it is 800 g / acre.

Important notes:

1. Super Abscisic can be used after 2 – 3 days from treatment with ethephon, at the rates mentioned above.
2. Application or spray should be in the end of the day and not to irrigate for a day or more, depending on the type of soil and to improve coloring.
3. Ensure that the spraying solution reaches all clusters and all parts of the cluster to obtain the desired results as the product is not systemic and does not translocate through the plant thus the best amount of water used for spraying is 700 – 1000 L water / acre.
4. Take into account when preparing the spray solution to be used on the same day and take also into account keeping the bottles away from sunlight and high temperatures.

Application time for Super Abscisic on colored grapes varieties:

We should know that clusters do not come at the same ages, as I have generations (first –second – third) of clusters, and often there are 20% of the total clusters on the vine is the first generation (early) takes a natural color, while the second and third generations of clusters (late) represent 80% of the number of clusters on the vine, and they are the main problem in coloring and determining the right time to spray them, which is the (veraison), which is the freshness degree of berries in clusters, therefore, only the beginning of the descent of water in the clusters determines the timing of the use of Super Abscisic as follows:-

1. In Flame seedless grapes , Super Abscisic is used in veraison time
2. In Crimson grapes, 1– 3 weeks after the veraison stage.
3. In the Red Globe grape variety and red grapes (Romi)after 1-2 weeks veraison stage

PHI: one day.