Pre-breeding for developing heat stress resilient grape varieties to ensure yield 

Sémillon is a cultivated grape variety known for contributing to dry and sweet white wine production. However, only seven approved clones have been officially recognized in France[1]. In this study, we aimed to characterize the genetic diversity and metabolomic profiles of a Sémillon clonal population, shedding light on the potential variations within this important grape variety.

Climate change is resulting in more dry and hot summers, accelerating grape ripening and increasing berry sugars concentration. This results in wines with a higher alcohol content, which has a negative impact on wine quality, as well as, on consumer health. Agronomic practices that minimize these effects on berry composition and, consequently, on wine quality must be defined. In this work, different management practices have been assessed on rainfed ‘Monastrell’ grapevines in Jumilla (Murcia, Spain) from 2021 to 2023 vintages. Mulching, shading, application of kaolin and different types of pruning were evaluated, among others field adaptation practices.

Wine is one of the most representative components of Mediterranean diet. Moderate wine intake together with food, has been positively correlated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases. This beneficial effect seems to be ascribed to elevated polyphenolic content of wine [1]. Traditional approaches for the identification of wine biomarkers consumption include targeted metabolomics that focuses on the quantification of well-defined metabolites, losing a valuable information about a massive number of compounds. On the other hand, untargeted metabolomics can disclose a large quantity of signals corresponding to potential biomarkers in a single analysis with high sensitivity and resolution.

Esca, a severe trunk disease affecting vineyards, is caused by fungal pathogens that induce wood necrosis and decay, leaf symptoms, yield losses, and potentially a rapid death of the vine. The prevalence of this disease varies across years, regions, cultivars, and plot ages. Despite its significance in understanding and predicting dieback risk in different vineyards, the role of climate in trunk diseases remains a relatively unexplored research area. While some studies have demonstrated the impact of certain climatic conditions on the prevalence of the disease, they often focus on a limited number of plots and yield conflicting results.We conducted a statistical analysis, using a Bayesian approach on a national database comprising prevalence data of esca from over 500 different plots in France, spanning the years 2003 to 2022 and encompassing various cultivars.

The effects of climate change in viticulture are currently a major concern, with heat waves and drought affecting yield, wine quality, and in extreme cases, even plant survival. Ancient grapevine varieties have high intravarietal genetic variability that so far has been explored successfully to improve yield and must quality. Currently, there is little information available on intravarietal variability regarding responses to stress. In the current work, the intravarietal genetic variability of several Portuguese varieties was studied for yield, must quality, and tolerance to abiotic stress, through indirect, rapid, and nondestructive measurements carried out in the field.