Optimization of the ripening time of new varieties descendants of Monastrell

Implementing alternative grapevine systems that incorporate sustainable strategies and innovative farming practices is essential. However, we lack tools for measuring the impact of these new practices on the overall sustainability of vineyards. DEXi PM Vigne (Gary et al., 2015) is a tool developed for ex ante assessment of the sustainability of grapevine cropping systems, from the plot to the farm scale. In the present study, we focused on implementing new strategies of integrated crop protection management with limited pesticide use in vineyards.

Despite the numerous research studies carried out in recent years, the study of wine aroma remains of great interest due to its complexity. Wine maturation in oak barrels is described as an important step in the production of quality wines. In fact, oak wood develops several aromatic nuances through its toasting which can be released into the wine. A great deal of work has been performed in order to identify the wood-derived volatile compounds that contribute to wine aroma (e.g., whisky-lactone, maltol, eugenol, guaiacol, vanillin).

Antagonistic yeasts applied to wine grapes must be compatible with the thereafter winemaking process, avoiding competition with the fermentative Saccharomyces cerevisiae or affecting wine flavour. Therefore, fifteen epiphytic yeasts (6 Metschnikowia sp., 6 Hanseniaspora uvarum, 3 Starmerella bacillaris) previously selected for its biocontrol ability against Alternaria on wine grapes were evaluate for possible competition with S. cerevisiae by the Niche Overlap Index (NOI) employing YNB agar media with 10 mM of 17 different carbonate sources present in wine grapes (proline, asparagine, alanine, glutamic acid, tirosine, arginine, lisine, methionine, glicine, malic acid, tartaric acid, fructose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, sucrose, glucose).

Each grapevine variety has a specific water use regulation response under drought, and it is still unclear whether this regulation results from innate genotypic behavior (iso- and anisohydric), or is a response to environmental factors, namely recurrent water stress priming effects. In the present work, we explored the influence of the field-grown genotypes’ drought memory in the drought-response phenotype of their vegetative progenies, in Trincadeira (isohydric) and Castelão (anisohydric) varieties under a drought event followed by recovery in a glasshouse. Cuttings from both cultivars subjected to full irrigation (FI) and non-irrigation (NI) treatments for 5 consecutive years were used.

Grapevine resilience to climate change has become one of the most pressing topics in the Viticulture & Enology field. Vineyard health demands understanding the mechanisms that explain the direct and indirect interactions between environmental stressors. The current climate change scenario, where drought and heat-wave are more frequent and intense, strongly demands improving our knowledge of environmental stresses. During a heatwave, the ambient temperature rises above the plant’s average tolerance threshold and, generally, above 35 oC plant’s adaptation to heat stress is activated.