What weather condition at pollination and fruit set leads to millerandage?

• A. Cold, wet, windy weather at pollination and fruit set.
• B. Hot dry weather at veraison.
• C. Sunny and dry conditions.
• D. Moderate wind and rain.

Answer: (D)

Millerandage results from poor pollination during flowering. When flowering happens in cold, wet, and windy conditions, pollen viability drops and pollen tube growth slows or fails, so many flowers don’t fertilize properly. That incomplete fertilization produces berries with underdeveloped seeds or seed abortion, giving a cluster of uneven, small berries often called millerandage (hens and chicks). This is specifically tied to the pollination and fruit-set window, so weather during flowering is the crucial factor. Conditions described as hot and dry at veraison occur later in development and affect ripening, while sunny and dry weather is generally favorable for pollination, and moderate wind and rain can disrupt them but aren’t the classic trigger in the same way.