From genes to vineyards: system biology and new breeding technologies for water stress tolerance in grapevines

Fresh-Mushroom Off-Flavour (FMOff) is a recurrent wine defect associated with fungal alteration of grapes 1-3.

The perception of wine quality is determined by the assessment of multiple sensory stimuli, including aroma, taste, mouthfeel and visual aspects. With so many different parameters contributing to the overall perception of wine quality, it is important to consider the contribution of all metabolites in a wine when attempting to relate composition to quality.

Bioprotection is emerging as an innovative technique for preserving grape health contrary to traditional approaches based on the addition of external chemical agents (1).

Physiological measurements are the most accurate way of assessing plant water status. However, they are time-consuming, costly and invasive for the plant. Visible to shortwave infrared imaging spectrometers can be used to detect and monitor several biochemical variations in the leaf offering a faster, cheaper and non-destructive alternative to the traditional methods. In this study, hyperspectral images were used to obtain the spectral signatures of grapevine leaves (Vitis Vinifera L. cv. Shiraz) under different water conditions.

Usually the winemaker consider polyphenols from the grape berry as an actor of the wine quality. There are frequently consider as a marker of grape maturity. It is commonly known that winemaker consider tannins and anthocyanins as main polyphenol actors for winemaking practices and wine quality. Here we will focus on the characterisation of lignins in grape seeds. Previous studies suggest that the seed is lignified [1], which could explain the change in colour of the seed when it reaches maturity and thus provide a reliable indicator for describing the maturity stage in the seed.