Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease associating demyelination and axonal degeneration developing in young adults and affecting 2–3 million people worldwide. Plant polyphenols endowed with many therapeutic benefits associated with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties represent highly interesting new potential therapeutic strategies. We recently showed the safety and high efficiency of grape seed extract (GSE), a complex mixture of polyphenolics compounds comprising notably flavonoids and proanthocyanidins, in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS.

In wine grape production, canopy management practices are applied to control the source-sink balance and improve the cluster microclimate to enhance berry composition. The aim of this study was to identify the optimal ranges of berry solar radiation exposure (exposure) for upregulation of flavonoid biosynthesis and thresholds for their degradation, to evaluate how canopy management practices such as leaf removal, shoot thinning, and a combination of both affect the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon) yield components, berry composition, and flavonoid profile under context of climate change. First experiment assessed changes in the grape flavonoid content driven by four degrees of exposure. In the second experiment, individual grape berries subjected to different exposures were collected from two cultivars (Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot). The third experiment consisted of an experiment with three canopy management treatments (i) LR (removal of 5 to 6 basal leaves), (ii) ST (thinned to 24 shoots per vine), and (iii) LRST (a combination of LR and ST) and an untreated control (UNT). Berry composition, flavonoid content and profiles, and 3-isobutyl 2-methoxypyrazine were monitored during berry ripening. Although increasing canopy porosity through canopy management practices can be helpful for other purposes, this may not be the case of flavonoid compounds when a certain proportion of kaempferol was achieved. Our results revealed different sensitivities to degradation within the flavonoid groups, flavonols being the only monitored group that was upregulated by solar radiation. Within different canopy management practices, the main effects were due to the ST. Under environmental conditions given in this trial, ST and LRST hastened fruit maturity; however, a clear improvement of the flavonoid compounds (i.e., greater anthocyanin) was not observed at harvest. Methoxypyrazine berry content decreased with canopy management practices studied. Although some berry traits were improved (i.e. 2.5° Brix increase in berry total soluble solids) due to canopy management practices (ST), this resulted in a four-fold increase in labor operations cost, two-fold decrease in yield with a 10-fold increase in anthocyanin production cost per hectare that should be assessed together as the climate continues to get hot.

In recent decades, sustainability has risen to prominence across various industries, including agriculture, spurred by initiatives such as the new common agricultural policy and the farm to fork strategy within the European Union. Among agricultural activities, viticulture stands as a crucial player in sustainability, intertwining environmental, social, and economic dimensions, as exemplified by the OIV general principles of sustainable viticulture. Italy, one of the main players in the global wine market, has long been making efforts towards the introduction of sustainability-oriented practices and certifications.

Bois noir (BN) is a cicada-transmitted grapevine disease that today causes up to 50% yield and vine loss in vineyards. It is caused by the phytoplasma Candidatus Phytoplasma solani (16SrXII-A).

Trichoderma is one of the most widely used fungal biocontrol agents on vineyards due to its multiple benefits on this crop, such as its fungicidal and growth promoting capacity. In this work, we have analyzed the effect on the concentration of nutrients in grapevine leaves and on the quality of the grape must after spraying an autochthonous strain of Trichoderma harzianum and one of the main secondary metabolites produced by this genus, 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (6PP).