Genetic identification of 200-year-old Serbian grapevine herbarium

The recovery of ancestral or minority vine varieties has been gaining great interest in recent years, among other reasons because it is likely that some of these varieties, due to the fact that they are found in relict areas, have a greater potential for adaptation to external factors (biotic or abiotic) and can minimize the effects that climate change is causing in viticulture. Varieties that can be grown at altitude are currently being sought to combat rising temperatures and prolonged extreme drought conditions. In Catalonia, the Pyrenean expansion of vineyard cultivation is documented from the 10th century and has been related to the “small climatic optimum” (9th-12th centuries) and also to seigniorial power.[1] But different adverse climatic periods and the arrival of Phylloxera by the late 19th century made many of these crops disappear.[2]

The impact of climate change is noticeable in the present weather, making water scarcity the most immediate mediator reducing the performance and viability of crops, including grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.). The present study developed a system (hardware, firmware, and software) for the determination of plant water use through changes in weight through a period. The aim is to measure the differences in grapevine water consumption in response to climate change (+4oC and 700 ppm) under controlled conditions. The results reveal a correlation between daily plant consumption rates and reference evapotranspiration (ETo).

In contrast to fruit and grape berry ripening, the biological processes causing ripening disorders are often much less understood, although shriveling disorders of fruits are manifold and contribute to yield losses and reduced fruit quality worldwide. Shrinking berries are a common feature for all shriveling disorders in grapevine although their timing of appearance during the berry ripening process and their underlying induction processes distinct them from each other. The sugar accumulation disorder Berry Shrivel (BS) is characterized by a suppression of sugar accumulation short after veraison resulting in berries low in sugar content and anthocyanins in berry skins, while the organic acid content is similar. Recent studies analyzed the biochemical, morphological and molecular processes affected in BS berries and linked early changes to the period of ripening onset [1,2].

The increasingly frequent heat waves during grape ripening pose challenges for premium wine grape production. This makes the development of irrigation and canopy management techniques of great importance to maximize yield and grape quality. A field experiment was carried out during 2021 and 2022 using Manto negro wine grapes to study the effect of two irrigation strategies and different light exposure levels on grape quality.

Recently, there has been a shift toward sustainable wine production, according to EU policy (F2F and Green Deal), to reduce pesticide usage, improve workplace health and safety, and prevent the impacts of climate change. These trends have gained the interest of consumers and winemakers. The cultivation of disease resistant hybrid grape cultivars (DRHGC), known as ‘PIWI’ grapes can help with these objectives [1]. This study aimed to profile white and red wines produced from DRHGC in South Tyrol (Italy). Wines produced from DRHGCs were compared with conventional wines produced by the same wineries. The measured parameters were residual sugars, organic acids, alcohol content, pigments and other phenolics by LC-QqQ/MS, colorimetric indexes (CIELab); and volatile profiles (HS-SPME-GCxGC-ToF/MS [2]).