الفهرس 
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Abstract
This study was carried out during two consecutive 2013/2014 and 2004/2015 experimental seasons in a private vineyard at El-Nubaria, Behaira Governorate, Egypt on two grapevines cultivars ”Superior” and ”Flame seedless”. Such two investigated cvs. Plants were grafted on freedom rootstock and grown in a sandy soil under drip irrigation systems. Vines aged 5 years old, planted at (2.0 x 3.0) meters apart for the two studied grapevines cvs.
The ”Flame seedless” grapevine pruning was carried out as usual as it done in the Farm, in the last week of December during both seasons of study to be ready for carrying out the second experiment. Meanwhile, ”Superior” grapevines cv. were subjected to three pruning levels (8, 10 and 12 buds/cane) in the last week of December during both seasons of study.
Thus, two experiments were conducted whereas the first was devoted for Superior, while the second for Flame seedless cv.
V. I. The first experiment
Three pruning treatments i.e., 8, 10 and 12 buds per cane were investigated on superior grapevines cv. and each treatment was replicated 3 times and each replicate was represented by three vines.
V. II. The second experiment
Four manual cluster thinning treatments i.e., removal 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 of each apical fruit cluster after two weeks of fruit set and control (without thinning) were investigated on Flame seedless grapevines cv. and each treatment was replicated 3 times and each replicate was represented by three vines.
The most important results can be summarized as follows:
V. I. The first experiment: Effect of pruning treatments (number of buds/cane) of Superior grapevines
V.1.1. Vegetative growth vigour
V.1.1.a. Shoot length (cm) and No. of leaves/shoot
It was found that there were insignificant differences among the investigated treatments in relation to shoot length and number of leaves/shoot, during both seasons of study.
V.1.1.b. Shoot diameter (cm) and leaf area (cm2)
It was observed that 8 buds/cane treatment was the superior treatment in this respect as it enhanced shoot diameter and leaf area as compared with the other two investigated treatments.
V.1.2. Yield and fruit quality
V.1.2.a. Yield
V.1.2.a.1. No. of clusters/vine and average yield/vine (kg)
The highest number of clusters and average yield/vine were achieved with the highest load of buds/cane (12 buds/cane) at the two seasons of study.
V.1.2.a.2. Cluster weight (g)
The greatest clusters weight was recorded in Superior grapevine which had 8 buds/cane treatment, followed by 10 and 12 buds/cane during the two seasons.
V.1.2.b. Fruit quality
V.1.2.b.1. Physical characteristics
V.1.2.1.a. No. of berries/cluster
It is obvious that 12 buds/cane scored the highest number of berries/cluster, while the pruning treatment of 8 and 10 buds/cane came in the second rank during both seasons of study.
V.1.2.1.b. Weight (g) and volume (cm3) of 100 berries
It was found that 8 buds/cane treatment produced the heaviest weight and highest volume of 100 berries, descendingly followed by 10 and 12 buds/cane treatments respectively, during both seasons of study.
V.1.2.2. Chemical characteristics
It is quite clear that the highest value of total soluble solids content (%),total acidity content and T.S.S/Acidity of Superior berries were achieved with the lowest bud load/cane (8 buds/cane) in the two seasons.
V.1.1.2. Leaf mineral composition
V.1.2.1.2.a. Leaf blades mineral content
It was found that the highest values of leaf blade nitrogen, Zn, and Mn contents were scored by 8 buds/cane treatment, while the highest values of leaf blade potassium and phosphorus contents were recorded by 12 buds/cane treatment in the two seasons. Moreover, the greatest leaf blade Ca, Mg and Fe contents were registered by 10 buds/cane treatment in the two seasons.