Effect of two water deficit regimes on the agronomic response of 12 grapevine varieties cultivated in a semi-arid climate

The use of barrels is a practice that improves the quality of wines. The porous structure of wood favors the accumulation of microorganisms that can deteriorate the quality of wines so that barrel cleaning and sanitizing treatments are essential. The burning of sulphur discs has been the most common practice in winemaking because ots biocide effect. Nevertheless, its effectiveness is still insufficient and it is harmful for human health.

Recently, foliar treatments with mineral-based compounds have shown positive effects on grapevine production by protecting grape from thermal excesses and reducing the decoupling between technological and phenolic maturity caused by climate change. Unraveling the effect of mineral particle applications on grape-associated microbes is pivotal for successful wine processing, due to the influence of the microbiota on wine composition and stability. To our knowledge, this is the first work that comprehensively studied the effects of kaolin and chabasite-rich zeolitites treatments on grape-related microorganisms (by real-time PCR quantification of total fungi, Hanseniospora uvarum, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, plant-associated bacteria and lactic acid bacteria), the expression of genes related to the flavonoid biosynthesis (PAL1, CHS1, F3H2, DFR, LDOX, UFGT, MYBA1, GST4, FLS4 genes) and the berry composition (°Brix, pH, acidity and anthocyanin concentrations) in cv. Sangiovese during ripening in two growing seasons (2019 and 2020).

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).

Climate change is expected to provoke an increase in the frequency and intensity of drought events and water scarcity that will have detrimental effects on photosynthesis and plant yield. To sustain an appropriate plant yield under sub-optimal conditions, a common practice is the application of high amounts of fertilizers with negative environmental consequences. The present study aims at evaluating the interplay between water and nutrient availability, namely nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), in two grapevine cultivars with a different sensitivity to water shortage stress. Two-year-old Vitis Vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache grapevine plants grafted on SO4 rootstock have been transferred in pots under semi-environmental conditions.

This study presents an investigation based on sensory analysis data of Spanish wines with geographical indications collected over a three-year period. Sensory analysis plays a crucial role in assessing the quality, characteristics, and perception of wines. The trained tasting panel at Dolmar Laboratory, accredited for objective sensory evaluation of wines since 2016, has been tasting over 5000 wines. However, it is since 2021, when a computer application for tastings was developed, that the digitalization of data allows for detailed statistical analysis of the results.