Estudio de la adaptación y del comportamiento productivo y enológico de variedades blancas foráneas en la zona vitícola del Penedés

Anthocyanins and phenolic compounds play a crucial role in winemaking, contributing to the profile, flavor, color, texture, and stability of wine. Grape clusters, specifically Vitis vinifera L. cv. Grenache, were handpicked from a commercial vineyard sited in Tudelilla, La Rioja, Spain (42°18′ 52.26″, Long. -2°7′ 59.15″, Alt. 582 m) on five distinct dates from veraison to harvest during the 2015 season. Non-contact spectral measurements were conducted on intact grape berries using a VIS-NIR spectrometer operating in the 570 – 1000 nm spectral range under controlled laboratory conditions, positioned at a distance of 25 cm from the berries. The quantification of 16 anthocyanins and phenols in 120 grape clusters was performed using HPLC, established as the reference method for validating the spectral tool.

Mediterranean viticulture is increasingly exposed to more frequent extreme conditions such as heat waves. These extreme events co-occur with low soil water content, high air vapor pressure deficit and high solar radiant energy fluxes and result in leaf and berry sunburn, lower yield, and berry quality, which is a major constraint for the sustainability of the sector. Grape growers must find ways to proper and effectively manage heat waves and extreme canopy and berry temperatures. Irrigation to keep soil moisture levels and enable adequate plant turgor, and convective and evaporative cooling emerged as a key tool to overcome this major challenge. The effects of irrigation on soil and plant water status are easily quantifiable but the impact of irrigation on soil and canopy temperature and on heat convection from soil to cluster zone remain less characterized. Therefore, a more detailed quantification of vineyard heat fluxes is highly relevant to better understand and implement strategies to limit the effects of extreme weather events on grapevine leaf and berry physiology and vineyards performance. Low-cost sensor technologies emerge as an opportunity to improve monitoring and support decision making in viticulture. However, validation of low-cost sensors is mandatory for practical applicability. A two-year study was carried in a vineyard in Alentejo, south of Portugal, using low-cost thermal cameras (FLIR One, 80×60 pixels and FLIR C5, 160×120 pixels, 8-14 µm, FLIR systems, USA) and pocket thermohygrometers (Extech RHT30, EXTECH instruments, USA) to monitor grapevine and soil temperatures. Preliminary results show that low-cost cameras can detect severe water stress and support the evaluation of vertical canopy temperature variability, providing information on soil surface temperature. All these thermal parameters can be relevant for soil and crop management and be used in decision support systems.

Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is a bioactive phenolic compound with antioxidant activity. Yeast synthetise tyrosol from tyrosine by the Ehrlich pathway which is subsequently hydroxylated to HT. The aim of the present work is to develop and validate an UHPLC–HRMS method to assess the metabolites involved in this pathway as well as to screen Spanish commercial wines for HT bioactive compound.

Grapevine is a plant that holds significant socioeconomic importance due to its production of grapes for fresh consumption, wines, and juices. However, climate changes and susceptibility to diseases pose a threat to the quality and yield of these products. The breeding of new genotypes that are resistant/tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses is essential to overcome the impact of climate changes. In this regard, Marker-assisted selection (MAS), which uses DNA markers, is a crucial tool in breeding programs. The efficiency and economy of this method depend on finding rapid DNA isolation methods.

The accession Criolla Chica Nº2 (CCN2) is catalogued as a floral mutation of cultivar Criolla Chica (synonym for cv. Listán Prieto). Contrary to what is observed in hermaphrodite-cultivated varieties like Criolla Chica, CCN2 exhibits a prevalence of masculinized flowers. Aiming to study the incidence and phenotypical implications of this mutation, CCN2 plants were deeply studied using Criolla Chica ‘Ballista’ (CCBA) as control plants. For each CCN2 plant, two inflorescences per shoot were sampled and segmented into proximal, mid and distal positions, relative to the pedicel. Flowers were observed through magnifying lens and classified according to OIV151 descriptor.