Terroir 1996 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 La vinicultura en regiones tropicales Brasileras

La vinicultura en regiones tropicales Brasileras

Abstract

La producción mundial de uvas para mesa es obtenida de viñedos localizados entre los paralelos 30 y 50º Latitud Norte y 30 y 40º Latitud Sur.
En el Brasil, algunos de los principales estados productores (São Paulo, Bahia, Pernambuco y Minas Gerais) están localizados abajo de las latitudes citadas.
Durante las últimas décadas, en cuanto la producción vitícola de las regiones brasileñas tradicionales (Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo, Paraná y Santa Catarina) permaneció estable, las regiones tropicales experimentaron una expansión apreciable en el área cultivada, con destaque especial para el Valle del Rio São Francisco (Bahia y Pernambuco) y el Nordeste Paulista (São Paulo).
En estas regiones el desarrollo de la viticultura fue alcanzado gracias al gran esfuerzo de la investigación y del sector productivo en la generación y adaptación de nuevas técnicas, característica que situó la viticultura tropical entre las tecnológicamente mas avanzadas.
Actualmente, cerca de 10.000 ha de uvas finas para mesa son cultivadas en el Brasil, cuja producción está próxima a los 30 millones de cajas de 7 Kg. Las áreas mas importantes del cultivo se localizan en los estados de São Paulo (2.890 ha), Bahia y Pernambuco (4.000), Paraná (2.600) y Minas Gerais (400).
El Estado de São Paulo concentra su producción en dos zonas, São Miguel Arcanjo y Nordeste Paulista.
La zona de São Miguel Arcanjo, localizada en el sur del estado es la productora más tradicional de uvas finas de Brasil con un área de cultivo estable de cerca de 2000 ha, donde predomina el cultivo de la variedad Itália y sus mutaciones. Aunque con invierno (frio y seco) prolongado que permite una abundante brotación, el verano caliente y húmedo dificulta la cosecha, cujas uvas sin embargo son de buena calidad, lo que permite, inclusive, su exportación para Europa.
La viticultura del Nordeste Paulista, concentrada en la región de Jales, aunque reciente (20 años) ya presenta cerca de 1.000 ha cultivadas con uvas finas para mesa.
El clima de la región (Tabla 1) es de invierno seco y ameno y verano caliente y lluvioso. La tecnología desarrollada para el cultivo de uvas finas, en estas condiciones climáticas, basada en la doble poda anual de ramas leñosas (poda de producción — febrero a junio y poda de renovación — julio a diciembre), origina la producción en la temporada de baja cosecha (junio — diciembre en el hemisfério sur). Con resultados económicos favorables, los vinicultores buscan constantemente innovaciones tecnológicas, con el objetivo de mejorar la calidad de las uvas producidas. La utilización de reguladores de crecimiento, desbaste de frutillos, cobertura de los viñedos con “sombrite”, riego y un intenso programa de control de enfermedades y plagas son prácticas obligatorias.
El cultivo de las uvas finas para mesa implantado en el Valle del Rio São Francisco (Bahia y Pernambuco) es el que presenta mayores posibilidades de expansión. Esta región, la más árida del Brasil, tiene precipitaciones pluviométricas anuales entre 300 y 500 mm, distribuidos normalmente entre los meses de noviembre y febrero.
Gracias a las condiciones climáticas locales (Tabla 1), con calor y sequía durante prácticamente todo el año y con la disponibilidad de agua para riego, es posible producir 5 cosechas en dos años, en una misma área y lo que es más importante, en cualquier día del año.
La tecnología disponible, como muestran muchos proyectos, ha propiciado la producción de uvas de alta calidad que son comercializadas en los mercados europeos principalmente entre los meses de octubre a enero.

DOI:

Publication date: February 24, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2000

Type: Article

Authors

Fernando Mendes Pereira, Aparecida Conceição Boliani

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2000

Citation

Related articles…

Grapevine yield estimation in a context of climate change: the GraY model

Grapevine yield is a key indicator to assess the impacts of climate change and the relevance of adaptation strategies in a vineyard landscape. At this scale, a yield model should use a number of parameters and input data in relation to the information available and be able to reproduce vineyard management decisions (e.g. soil and canopy management, irrigation). In this study, we used data from six experimental sites in Southern France (cv. Syrah) to calibrate a model of grapevine yield limited by water constraint (GraY). Each yield component (bud fertility, number of berries per bunch, berry weight) was calculated as a function of the soil water availability simulated by the WaLIS water balance model at critical phenological phases. The model was then evaluated in 10 grapegrowers’ plots, covering a diversity of biophysical and technical contexts (soil type, canopy size, irrigation, cover crop). We identified three critical periods for yield formation: after flowering on the previous year for the number of bunches and berries, around pre-veraison and post-veraison of the same year for mean berry weight. Yields were simulated with a model efficiency (EF) of 0.62 (NRMSE = 0.28). Bud fertility and number of berries per bunch were more accurately simulated (EF = 0.90 and 0.77, NRMSE = 0.06 and 0.10, respectively) than berry weight (EF = -0.31, NRMSE = 0.17). Model efficiency on the on-farm plots reached 0.71 (NRMSE = 0.37) simulating yields from 1 to 8 kg/plant. The GraY model is an original model estimating grapevine yield evolution on the basis of water availability under future climatic conditions.  It allows to evaluate the effects of various adaptation levers such as planting density, cover crop management, fruit/leaf ratio, shading and irrigation, in various production contexts.

Late frost protection in Champagne

Probably one of the most counterintuitive impacts of climate change on vine is the increased frequency of late frost. Champagne, due to its septentrional position is historically and regularly affected by this meteorological hazard. Champagne has therefore developed a strong experience in frost protection with first experiments dating from the end of 19th century. Frost protection can be divided in two parts: passive and active. Passive protection includes all the methods that do not seek to modify the vine’s environment or resistance at the time of frost. The most iconic passive protection in Champagne is the establishment of the individual reserve. This reserve allows to stock a certain quantity of clear wine during a surplus year to compensate a meteorological hazard like frost during the following years. Other common passive methods are the control of planting area (walls, bushes, topography), the choice of grape variety, late pruning, or the impact of grass cover and tillage. Active frost protection is also divided in two parts. Most of the existing techniques tend to modify vine’s environment. Most of the time they provide warmth (candles, heaters, windmills, heating cables…), or stabilise bud’s temperature above a lethal threshold (water sprinkling). The other way to actively fight is to enhance the resistance of buds to frost (elicitors). The Comité Champagne evaluates frost protection methods following three main axes: the efficiency, the profitability, and the environmental impact through a lifecycle assessment. This study will present the results on both passive and active protection following these three axes.

Making sense of available information for climate change adaptation and building resilience into wine production systems across the world

Effects of climate change on viticulture systems and winemaking processes are being felt across the world. The IPCC 6thAssessment Report concluded widespread and rapid changes have occurred, the scale of recent changes being unprecedented over many centuries to many thousands of years. These changes will continue under all emission scenarios considered, including increases in frequency and intensity of hot extremes, heatwaves, heavy precipitation and droughts. Wine companies need tools and models allowing to peer into the future and identify the moment for intervention and measures for mitigation and/or avoidance. Previously, we presented conceptual guidelines for a 5-stage framework for defining adaptation strategies for wine businesses. That framework allows for direct comparison of different solutions to mitigate perceived climate change risks. Recent global climatic evolution and multiple reports of severe events since then (smoke taint, heatwave and droughts, frost, hail and floods, rising sea levels) imply urgency in providing effective tools to tackle the multiple perceived risks. A coordinated drive towards a higher level of resilience is therefore required. Recent publications such as the Australian Wine Future Climate Atlas and results from projects such as H2020 MED-GOLD inform on expected climate change impacts to the wine sector, foreseeing the climate to expect at regional and vineyard scale in coming decades. We present examples of practical application of the Climate Change Adaptation Framework (CCAF) to impacts affecting wine production in two wine regions: Barossa (Australia) and Douro (Portugal). We demonstrate feasibility of the framework for climate adaptation from available data and tools to estimate historical climate-induced profitability loss, to project it in the future and to identify critical moments when disruptions may occur if timely measures are not implemented. Finally, we discuss adaptation measures and respective timeframes for successful mitigation of disruptive risk while enhancing resilience of wine systems.

VineyardFACE: Investigation of a moderate (+20%) increase of ambient CO2 level on berry ripening dynamics and fruit composition

Climate change and rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is a concern for agriculture, including viticulture. Studies on elevated carbon dioxide have already been on grapevines, mainly taking place in greenhouses using potted plants or using field grown vines under higher CO2 enrichment, i.e. >650 ppm. The VineyardFACE, located at Hochschule Geisenheim University, is an open field Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experimental set-up designed to study the effects of elevated carbon dioxide using field grown vines (Vitis vinifera L. cvs. Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon). As the carbon dioxide fumigation started in 2014, the long term effects of elevated carbon dioxide treatment can be investigated on berry ripening parameters and fruit metabolic composition.
The present study aims to investigate the effect on fruit composition under a moderate increase (+20%; eCO2) of carbon dioxide concentration, as predicted for 2050 on both Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Berry composition was determined for primary (sugars, organic acids, amino acids) and secondary metabolites (anthocyanins). Special focus was given on monitoring of berry diameter and ripening rates throughout three growing seasons. Compared to previous results of the early adaptative phase of the vines [1], our results show little effect of eCO2 treatment on primary metabolites composition in berries. However, total anthocyanins concentration in berry skin was lower for eCO2 treatment in 2020, although the ratio between anthocyanins derivatives did not differ.
[1] Wohlfahrt Y., Tittmann S., Schmidt D., Rauhut D., Honermeier B., Stoll M. (2020) The effect of elevated CO2 on berry development and bunch structure of Vitis vinifera L. cvs. Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Applied Science Basel 10: 2486

Soil, vine, climate change – what is observed – what is expected

To evaluate the current and future impact of climate change on Viticulture requires an integrated view on a complex interacting system within the soil-plant-atmospheric continuum under continuous change. Aside of the globally observed increase in temperature in basically all viticulture regions for at least four decades, we observe several clear trends at the regional level in the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration. Additionally the recently published 6th assessment report of the IPCC (The physical science basis) shows case-dependent further expected shifts in climate patterns which will have substantial impacts on the way we will conduct viticulture in the decades to come.
Looking beyond climate developments, we observe rising temperatures in the upper soil layers which will have an impact on the distribution of microbial populations, the decay rate of organic matter or the storage capacity for carbon, thus affecting the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and the viscosity of water in the soil-plant pathway, altering the transport of water. If the upper soil layers dry out faster due to less rainfall and/or increased evapotranspiration driven by higher temperatures, the spectral reflection properties of bare soil change and the transport of latent heat into the fruiting zone is increased putting a higher temperature load on the fruit. Interactions between micro-organisms in the rhizosphere and the grapevine root system are poorly understood but respond to environmental factors (such as increased soil temperatures) and the plant material (rootstock for instance), respectively the cultivation system (for example bio-organic versus conventional). This adds to an extremely complex system to manage in terms of increased resilience, adaptation to and even mitigation of climate change. Nevertheless, taken as a whole, effects on the individual expressions of wines with a given origin, seem highly likely to become more apparent.