GiESCO 2019 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 GiESCO 9 GiESCO 2019 9 To what extent does vine balance actually drive fruit composition?

To what extent does vine balance actually drive fruit composition?

Abstract

Context and purpose of the study ‐ Vine balance is a concept describing the relationship between carbon assimilation (usually estimated using a measure of vine vigour, e.g. pruning weight) and its utilisation for fruit production (usually estimated using harvest yield). Manipulating vine balance through leaf area or crop load adjustments affects the proportion of the vine’s total carbohydrate production required to mature the fruit. It is commonly considered that composition of the berry, and resulting wine, is strongly affected by vine balance.

Material and methods – Field manipulations of vine balance were replicated in three contrasting viticultural regions of Australia, Hilltops, Murray Valley and Langhorne Creek, over three seasons. The manipulations were early defoliation (pre‐capfall), late defoliation (pre‐véraison) and 50% crop removal (pre‐véraison). Fruit were sampled prior to a treatment being applied and then at approximately two‐ week intervals until harvest, where small lot wines were made from each field replicate. The fruit samples were analysed for maturity, basic composition and the expression of key genes that regulate anthocyanin and tannin formation. In addition, the effect of defoliation was simulated, without changing bunch environment, by enclosing whole vines in chambers and supplying them with low CO2 air to reduce photosynthesis.

Results – Changing vine balance consistently altered the rate of ripening, but did not correlate with treatment effects on fruit composition, where they occurred. Late defoliation extended the maturation period, but reduced total anthocyanin content. Crop removal shortened the maturation period, but had little effect on the fruit. Interestingly, early defoliation had no clear effect on vine balance, but resulted in both increased anthocyanin and increased tannin content. The chamber experiment also extended the maturation period, but had no effect on the relationship between sugar and anthocyanins. Overall, there was no conclusive evidence that the changes in vine balance achieved had any significant effect on fruit or wine composition when fruit were harvested at the same sugar ripenesss. 

 

 

DOI:

Publication date: June 19, 2020

Issue: GIESCO 2019

Type: Article

Authors

Everard J. EDWARDS (1), Jason SMITH (2,5), Amanda WALKER (1), Celia BARRIL (2,3), Annette BETTS(1), David FOSTER (2), Julia GOUOT (2), and Bruno HOLZAPFEL (2,4)

(1) CSIRO Agriculture, Locked Bag 2, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia
(2) National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, Wagga Wagga, Australia
(3) School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga, Australia
(4) New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Wagga Wagga, Australia
(5) Current address: Hochschule Geisenheim University, Germany

Contact the author

Keywords

maturation rate, vine balance, Vitis vinifera, wine composition

Tags

GiESCO 2019 | IVES Conference Series

Citation

Related articles…

Rootstock regulation of scion phenotypes: the relationship between rootstock parentage and petiole mineral concentration

Grapevine is grown grafted in most of the world largely because of Phylloxera. Rootstocks not only provide tolerance to Phylloxera, but also ensure the supply of water and mineral nutrients to the scion. Rootstocks are an important means of adaptation to environmental conditions if we want to conserve the typical features of the currently used scion genotypes. To aid this adaptation, we can exploit the large diversity of rootstocks used worldwide. To fully explore this existing rootstock diversity, this work benefits from the unique GreffAdapt vineyard, in which four scion genotypes were studied onto 55 commercial rootstocks in three blocks. The aim of this study was to characterise rootstock regulation of scion mineral status and how it relates to scion development.

Mapping and tracking canopy size with VitiCanopy

Understanding vineyard variability to target management strategies, apply inputs efficiently and deliver consistent grape quality to the winery is essential. However, despite inherent vineyard variability, the majority are managed as if they are uniform. VitiCanopy is a simple, grower-friendly tool for precision/digital viticulture that allows users to collect and interpret objective spatial information about vineyard performance. After four years of field and market research, an upgraded VitiCanopy has been created to achieve a more streamlined, technology-assisted vine monitoring tool that provides users with a set of superior new features, which could significantly improve the way users monitor their grapevines. These new features include:
• New user interface
• User authentication
• Batch analysis of multiple images
• Ease the learning curve through enhanced help features
• Reporting via the creation of colour maps that will allow users to assess the spatial differences in canopies within a vineyard.
Use-case examples are presented to demonstrate the quantification and mapping of vineyard variability through objective canopy measurements, ground-truthing of remotely sensed measurements, monitoring of crop conditions, implementation of disease and water management decisions as well as creating a history of each site to forecast quality. This intelligent tool allows users to manage grapevines and make informed management choices to achieve the desired production targets and remain profitable.

Déterminisme de l’effet terroir: influence de la surface foliaire primaire de la vigne en début de cycle sur le potentiel vendange

ln the Mid-Loire Valley, in France, for the fast twenty years a network of experimental plots has been used to analyse the terroir effect on the behaviour of the Cabernet franc variety of grape. The study of the primary leaf area (SFI) for several vintages shows that it differs greatly from one terroir to another.

Scientific research for an «Ad Maiora 4.1C» application «A step back towards the future universally sustainable EME4.1C». A concrete example of forward-looking and revolutionary entrepreneurial choices in the vine and wine sector

In 1979 an enlightened and farsighted business owner in an area and in an activity unknown to him and in 120 hectares of land cultivated with corn and wheat expressed to one of us that he wanted to start a business in the wine sector. The first innovative “Vigna Dogarina Scientific Applicative Project” has become famous and harmoniously inserted in and with the “Territoir” of eastern Veneto in northeastern Italy. The revolutionary project allowed one of us: 1. to put into practice results of research related to the applied philosophy, vision, methodology of the “Great MetaEthic Chain 4.1C®” algorithm of the “Conegliano Campus 5.1C®” that considers all material, immaterial, spiritual, technical, economic, environmental, social, existential, relational, ethical, MetaEthical factors with basic indexing in a harmonious chain “ 4.1C®” and application “5.1C®”, 2. to implement:

Controlling Wine Oxidation: Effects of pH on Key Reaction Rates

Acidity is often touted as a predictor of wine ageability, though surprisingly few studies have systematically investigated the chemical basis for this claim.