Use of a recombinant protein (Harpin αβ) as a tool to improve phenolic composition in wines

Viticulture worldwide is currently affected by the effects of climate change. This set of adverse phenomena lead to a deterioration of functional vine mechanisms, affecting growth, physiology and grape ripening, which may cause severe losses with respect to yield and quality. To prevent water stress and other abiotic factors from severely affecting its physiology, the vine’s response is to reduce transpiration and photosynthesis rates. This response varies depending on the cultivar and its ability to adapt to the environment. The hydroscape method is based on the internal regulation of water status in the plant. It has been recently used to classify grapevine genotypes according to their iso/anisohydric behavior when they are subjected to water stress conditions.

“Sulphites” and mainly sulphur dioxide (SO2) is by far the most widely used additive (E-220/INS 220) in winemaking and likely the most difficult to replace. The well-known antioxidant, antioxidasic and antimicrobial properties of SO2 make this molecule a practically essential tool, not only in winemaking, but also in the production of other food products. The current trend in winemaking is the reduction of this unfriendly additive due to its negative effects on health and environmental. In particular, it could cause headaches and intolerance/allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Wine is considered one of the major contributors of exposure of SO2 in the adult population, when this beverage is included in the diet.

Stomatal traits determine grapevine water use, carbon supply, and water stress, which directly impact yield and berry chemistry. Breeding for stomatal traits has the strong potential to improve grapevine performance under future, drier conditions, but the trait values that breeders should target are unknown. We used a functional-structural plant model developed for grapevine (HydroShoot) to determine how stomatal traits impact canopy gas exchange, water potential, and temperature under historical and future conditions in high-quality and hot-climate California wine regions (Napa and the Central Valley). Historical climate (1990-2010) was collected from weather stations and future climate (2079-99) was projected from 4 representative climate models for California, assuming medium- and high-emissions (RCP 4.5 and 8.5). Five trait parameterizations, representing mean and extreme values for the maximum stomatal conductance (gmax) and leaf water potential threshold for stomatal closure (Ψsc), were defined from meta-analyses. Compared to mean trait values, the water-spending extremes (highest gmax or most negative Ysc) had negligible benefits for carbon gain and canopy cooling, but exacerbated vine water use and stress, for both sites and climate scenarios. These traits increased cumulative transpiration by 8 – 17%, changed cumulative carbon gain by -4 – 3%, and reduced minimum water potentials by 10 – 18%. Conversely, the water-saving extremes (lowest gmax or least negative Ψsc) strongly reduced water use and stress, but potentially compromised the carbon supply for ripening. Under RCP 8.5 conditions, these traits reduced transpiration by 22 – 35% and carbon gain by 9 – 16% and increased minimum water potentials by 20 – 28%, compared to mean values. Overall, selecting for more water-saving stomatal traits could improve water-use efficiency and avoid the detrimental effects of highly negative canopy water potentials on yield and quality, but more work is needed to evaluate whether these benefits outweigh the consequences of minor declines in carbon gain for fruit production.

Water deficit is one of the most important effects of climate change able to affect agricultural sectors. In general, it determines a reduction in biomass production, and for some plants, as in the case of grapevine, it can endorse fruit quality. The monitoring and management of plant water stress in the vineyard

AIM: Cross-over applications are an emerging technological approach in food microbiology where a microorganism from one traditional specific fermentation process is used to improve quality and safety in another agri-food production/chain (Dank et al., 2021). A complex microbial diversity is found in association with fermentation in wine, including Saccharomyces, non-Saccharomyces and malolactic bacteria,  all microorganisms versatile in terms of enological utilisation (Tempère et al., 2018). Here, we propose a systematic literature review highlighting the existing trends and possible future applications related to cross-over exploitation of wine-related microbiota.