What triggers the decision to ripen 

The wine and distillery industries are among the most prominent sectors in EU agriculture, where 75% of grape production is dedicated to winemaking.

Methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) induces the production of at least 25 compounds with sesquiterpene- like mass spectra in ‘Cabernet sauvignon’. Tost effective concentration of MeJA in stimulating the production of sesquiterpenes was found to be 500 µM if added when the cell suspensions had a PCV of 35 %, and 1000 if added when the cell suspensions had a PCV of 70 %.

The designations of origin of the Loire Valley wine have been recognized according to customs and notoriety established over the centuries since the Middle Ages. There are four main production basins going up the Loire, from Nantes to the Sancerrois region: Nantes, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine and the vineyards of the Centre. In each of these basins, there is a wide range of appellations of origin which has been established according to a logic which may not seem obvious to the uninformed.

In Douro Region, vineyards are usually planted on hillsides with steep sloops. The models currently used for planting those vineyards are, depending on the initial slope of the hillside, vertical planting or terraces.

Grapes (Vitis sp.) are considered a major source of phenolic compounds such as flavonols, anthocyanins and stilbenes. Studies related to the beneficial effects of these compounds on health have encouraged research aimed at increasing their concentration in fruits. On this behalf, several plant growth regulators such as jasmonic acid and its volatile ester, methyl-jasmonate (MeJa), have demonstrated promising results in many fruits. However, Brazilian subtropical climate might interfere on treatment response. The present study aims to evaluate the application of MeJa in the pre-harvest period in Concord and Isabel Precoce grapes (Vitis labrusca L.).