terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 EFFECTS OF LEAF REMOVAL AT DIFFERENT BUNCHES PHENOLOGICAL STAGES ON FREE AND GLYCOCONJUGATE AROMAS OF SKINS AND PULPS OF TWO ITALIAN RED GRAPES

EFFECTS OF LEAF REMOVAL AT DIFFERENT BUNCHES PHENOLOGICAL STAGES ON FREE AND GLYCOCONJUGATE AROMAS OF SKINS AND PULPS OF TWO ITALIAN RED GRAPES

Abstract

Canopy-management practices are applied in viticulture to improve berries composition and quality, having a great impact on primary and secondary grape metabolism. Among these techniques, cluster zone leaf removal (defoliation) is widely used to manage air circulation, temperature and light radiation of grape bunches and close environment. Since volatiles are quantitatively and qualitatively influenced by the degree of fruit ripeness, the level of solar exposure, and the thermal environment in which grapes ripen, leaf removal has been shown to affect volatile composition of grape berries [1].

The aim of this research was to assess the impact of vine defoliation on free and glycosylated VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) of two Italian red grapes: Nebbiolo (neutral) and Aleatico (semi-aromatic). Defoliation was performed at fruit set phenological stage for Aleatico grapevines, and for Nebbiolo also at berries touch.

Solid Phase Extraction/Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (SPE/GC-MS) was carried out to ana-lyse free and glycoconjugates VOCs isolated from skins and pulps as separate portions of the berries [2].

The results showed that defoliation had an almost negligible effect on free and glycosylated volatiles of Aleatico grapes, thus suggesting that defoliation at fruit set did not change the volatile composition of this grape variety. A different behaviour was observed for Nebbiolo grapes, on both free and bound VOCs, with a greater impact on the first. Indeed, all the 30 free VOCs identified were significantly (ANOVA; p<0.05) affected by defoliation and by the time at which it was carried out, with a greater influence on the skin components. Early defoliation at fruit set did not favour the accumulation of free VOCs in Nebbiolo skins, significantly reducing the content of several VOCs, such as n-butyl acetate, terpenes (α-terpineol, and nerol) and aldehydes (hexanal, and 2-hexanal). On the other hand, late defoliation performed at berries touch, reduced n-butyl acetate, but increased alcohols content (i.e., 3-methyl-1-butanol, 1-pentanol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, benzyl and phenylethyl alcohols), nerol, aldehydes (i.e., 2-hexanal), and vanillin.

Results suggest that the effects of defoliation at fruit set on the VOCs pattern is cultivar dependent and almost ineffective on Aleatico grapes. Moreover, early defoliation at fruit-set seems stressful for Neb-biolo grapes and its odorous and potentially secondary metabolites. These results can be useful to improve canopy and winemaking precision practices.

 

1. Poni et al., 2006. DOI: 10.5344/ajev.2006.57.4.397
2. Piombino et al., 2022. DOI: 10.1111/ajgw.12521

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Poster

Authors

Paola Piombino¹, Elisabetta Pittari¹, Alessandro Genovese², Andrea Bellincontro³, Osvaldo Failla⁴, Luigi Moio1, Fabio Mencarelli⁵

1. Department of Agricultural Sciences, Division of Vine and Wine Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Avellino 83100, Italy
2. Department of Agricultural Sciences, Division of Food Science and Technology, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), 80055, Italy
3. DIBAF, University of Tuscia, Via De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
4. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy
5. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, Pisa 56124, Italy

Contact the author*

Keywords

defoliation, secondary metabolites, aromas

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

WHAT’S FUTURE FOR SANTORINI’S VITICULTURE IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

The own-rooted vineyard of Santorini is a unique case of vineyard worldwide that is been cultivated for thousands of years. On the island’s volcanic soil, the vines are still cultivated with traditional techniques, which are adapted to the specific and extreme weather conditions that prevail on it. While climate change is a reality in the Mediterranean region, will Santorini vineyard endure its impact? The study of the traditional training systems, techniques and vine density, as well as the application of sustainable solutions (cover crops and use of kaolin etc.) revealed sustainable methods for the adaptation of the local viticulture to new climatic phenomena that tend to be more and more frequent in the region due to climate change.
Read More

IMPACT OF HARVEST DATE ON THE FINE MOLECULAR COMPOSITION OF MUST AND BORDEAUX RED WINE (VAR. MERLOT, CABERNET SAUVIGNON). FOCUS ON ACIDITY AND SENSORY IMPACT AFTER FIVE YEARS OF AGING

Climate change has brought several impacts that are becoming increasingly intense during the last few years and put at risk the quality of the berries or even the plant’s sustainability. Such extreme climatic events impact the composition of the wine while modulating its quality and the consumer preferences (Tempère et al., 2019). The three most important changes that take place in the must are: 1) decrease acidity, 2) increase of the concentration of sugar, hence increase of alcohol in the wine, and 3) modification
of the sensory balance and the development for example of cooked fruit aromas.

Read More

IMPACT OF MANNOPROTEIN N-GLYCOSYL PHOSPHORYLATION AND BRANCHING ON WINE POLYPHENOL INTERACTIONS WITH YEAST CELL WALLS

Yeast cell walls (CWs) may adsorb wine components with a significant impact on wine quality. When dealing with red wines, this adsorption is mainly related to physicochemical interactions between wine polyphenols and cell wall mannoproteins. However, mannoproteins are a heterogeneous family of complex peptidoglycans including long and highly branched N-linked oligosaccharides and short linear O-linked oligosaccharides, resulting in a huge structural diversity.

Read More

SUB-CRITICAL WATER: AN ORIGINAL PROCESS TO EXTRACT ANTIOXIDANTS COMPOUNDS OF WINE LEES

Wine lees are quantitatively the second most important wine by-product after grape stems and marc [1]. In order to recycle, distilleries recovered ethanol and tartaric acid contained in wine lees but yeast biomass is often unused. It has already been demonstrated that this yeast biomass could be upcycled to produce yeast extracts of interest for wine chemical stabilization [2]. In addition, it is well known that lees, during aging, release compounds that preserve wine from oxidation.

Read More

AROMA ASSESSMENT OF COMMERCIAL SFORZATO DI VALTELLINA WINES BYINSTRUMENTAL AND SENSORY METHODOLOGIES

Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG is a special dry red wine produced from partially dehydrated Nebbiolo wine-grapes growing in the Rhaetian Alps valley of Valtellina (Lombardy, Italy). Valtellina terraced vineyards are located at an altitude of 350–800 m according to ‘heroic’ viticulture on steep slopes. The harvested grape bunches are naturally dehydrated indoors, where a slow and continuous withering occurs (about 20% w/w of weight loss), until at least 1st December when the grapes reach the desired sugar content and can be processed following a normal winemaking with maceration.

Read More