PIWIs’ variation in drought response under semi-controlled conditions 

Viticulture is a key economic sector in the mediterranean region. However, climate change is affecting global viticulture, increasing the frequency of heatwaves and drought events.

The yeast Metschnikowia pulcherrima is a microorganism of great biotechnological interest, both for improving winemaking processes and for other applications outside the wine supply chain.

Wine is an intrinsically complex aromatic product. To formalize this aromatic diversity and the hierarchical structure of the aromas, it is common to present them in the form of a wheel of aromas. These are used for learning and communication purposes but never for the acquisition of sensory characteristics.

Wine grapes breeding has been concentrating a lot of efforts within the grape research community over the last decade. The quick phenotyping of genotype quality traits including aroma composition remains challenging. Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS), a technology first available in 2008 and developing rapidly, could be particularly valuable for this usage. The aims of this study were i) to use SIFT-MS, to analyze the whole volatilome from different grape varieties, ii) to assess the ability of this technology to discriminate varieties according to their grape aroma composition, and iii) to study the stability of SIFT-MS signal over maturation to define a sampling strategy.

Current climatic challenges in the wine sector require innovative solutions to maintain the quality of wines while adapting oenological practices to changing conditions. This article presents the detailed study of a lachancea thermotolerans strain on matrices typical of the French mediterranean area.