Vineyard yield estimation using image analysis: assessing bunch occlusions and its dependency on fruiting zone canopy features

‘Tempranillo Tinto’ is a black-berried Iberian cultivar that originated from a hybridization between cvs. ‘Benedicto’ and ‘Albillo Mayor’ [1]. Today, it is the third most widely grown wine grape cultivar worldwide with more than 200,000 hectares of vineyards mostly distributed along the Iberian Peninsula, where it is also known as ‘Cencibel’, ‘Tinta de Toro’, ‘Tinta Roriz’, and ‘Aragonez’, among other synonyms. Here, we quantified the intra-varietal genomic diversity in this cultivar through the study of 35 clones or ancient vines from seven different Iberian wine-making regions. A comparative analysis after Illumina whole-genome sequencing revealed the presence of 1,120 clonal single nucleotide variants (SNVs).

Light is a fundamental part at sales points which influences in the conservation of wines, particularly in those that are sold in transparent glass bottles such as rosé wines and increasingly white wines. The photochemical effect known as “light-struck taste” can cause changes in the aromatic characteristics of the wine. This “light-struck taste” is due to reactions triggered by the photochemical sensitivity of riboflavin (RBF).

Climate changes have important consequences in viticulture, heat waves accompanied by periods of drought are encountered more and more frequently. This study aims to evaluate the single and combined effect of water deficit and high temperatures on the thiol precursors biosynthesis in Sauvignon blanc grapes. For this purpose, a protocol has been developed for the cultivation of berries on a solid substrate. The berries, collected at three different times starting from veraison and grown in vitro, were subjected to 4 different treatments: control (C), water stress (WS), heat stress (HS), combined water and heat stress (WSHS). Water stress was simulated by adding abscisic acid to the culture medium, while different temperatures, respectively 25°C and 35°C, were managed with two illuminated climatic chambers.

Global warming and increased frequency and/or severity of drought events are among the most threatening consequences of climate change for agricultural crops. In response to drought, grapevine (as many other plants) exhibits osmotic adjustment through active accumulation of osmolytes which in turn shift the leaf turgor loss point (TLP) to more negative values, allowing to maintain stomata opened at lower water potentials1. We investigated the capacity of Pinot noir leaves to modulate their osmotic potential as a function of: (i) time (seasonal osmoregulation), (ii) growing temperatures, and (iii) drought events, to enhance comprehension of the resilience of grapevines in drought conditions. We performed trails under semi-controlled field conditions, and in two different greenhouse chambers (20/15 °C vs 25/20 °C day/night). For two consecutive vegetative seasons, grafted potted grapevines (Pinot noir/SO4) were subjected to two different water regimes for at least 30 days: well-watered (WW) and water deficit (WD).

Biostimulants and biofertilizers are considered environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternatives to synthetic fertilizers, plant growth regulators and crop improvement products. Broadly, plant biostimulants are expected to improve nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, quality traits and availability of nutrients in the soil or rhizosphere. Currently, seaweed extracts account for more than 33% of the total plant biostimulant market. Within this category, Ascophyllum nodosum (AN), is the most widely studied and applied in biostimulant formulations.