Water is the main limiting factor for yield in viticulture. Improving drought adaptation in viticulture will be an increasingly important issue under climate change. Genetic variability of water deficit responses in grapevine partly results from the rootstocks, making them an attractive and relevant mean to achieve adaptation without changing the scion genotype. The objective of this work was to characterize the rootstock effect on the diurnal regulation of scion transpiration. A large panel of 55 commercial genotypes were grafted onto Cabernet Sauvignon. Three biological repetitions per genotype were analyzed. Potted plants were phenotyped on a greenhouse balance platform capable of assessing real-time water use and maintaining a targeted water deficit intensity. After a 10 days well-watered baseline period, an increasing water deficit was applied for 10 days, followed by a stable water deficit stress for 7 days. Pruning weight, root and aerial dry weight and transpiration were recorded and the experiment was repeated during two years. Transpiration efficiency (ratio between aerial biomass and transpiration) was calculated and δ13C was measured in leaves for the baseline and stable water deficit periods. A large genetic variability was observed within the panel. The rootstock had a significant impact on nocturnal transpiration which was also strongly and positively correlated with maximum daytime transpiration. The correlations with growth and water use efficiency related traits will be discussed. Transpiration data were also related with VPD and soil water content demonstrating the influence of environmental conditions on transpiration. These results highlighted the role of the rootstock in modulating water deficit responses and give insights for rootstock breeding programs aimed at identifying drought tolerant rootstocks. It was also helpful to better define the mechanisms on which the drought tolerance in grapevine rootstocks is based on.

Downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, is the most economically impactful disease affecting grapevines. This polycyclic pathogen triggers both primary and secondary infection cycles, resulting in significant yield losses when effective disease control measures are lacking. Over the winter, the pathogen survives by forming resting structures, the oospores, derived from sexual reproduction, which produce the inoculum for primary infections. To optimize grapevine downy mildew control and obtain the desired levels of production while minimizing chemical inputs, it is crucial to optimize the timeframe for fungicide application. Disease forecasting models are useful to identify the infection risk.

Wine grape production is increasingly vulnerable to freeze damage due to warming climates, milder winters, and unpredictable late spring frosts. Traditional methods for assessing frost damage in grapevines which combine fieldwork and meteorological data, are expensive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive. Remote sensing could offer a rapid, inexpensive way to detect frost damage at a regional scale. Remote sensing approaches were used to assess freeze damage in grapevines by evaluating satellite-derived vegetation indices (VIs) to understand the severity and spatial distribution of damage in several New York vineyards immediately after a frost event (May 17th-18th, 2023). PlanetScope 3m satellite images acquired before and after the freeze were used to map damage and measure changes in VIs for vineyards in the Finger Lakes region.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the variability of ripening characteristics of the Tempranillo variety within the Ribera del Duero Designation of Origin (Spain) and it relationships with soil characteristics

In the past, the contribution of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in winemaking has always been considered negative for their limited enological attitude if compared with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In recent decades there has been a reevaluation of the role of non-Saccharomyces wine yeasts especially when used in combination and in support with S. cerevisiae (mixed fermentation). In this regard, selected non-Saccharomyces yeasts could be profitable used to give distinctive features, to enhance flavor and aroma complexity and to reduce the ethanol content of wines. Further emerging trends in the use of these yeasts are related to their role as bioprotectants and producers of health promoters compounds.