Selection of beneficial endophytes from Sicilian grapevine germplasm 

Organic wines, although resulting from a production method based on the non-use of synthetic phytosanitary products, are not always free of residues. These residues can result from cross-contamination during production in the field or in the cellar, during the production or aging of the wine. In recent years, with the improvement of analysis techniques, a molecule, phosphonic acid, the main metabolite of fosetyl-al (banned in organic farming) is regularly quantified in organic wines and its origin is not clearly identified.

Soil management through cover crops can influence the cycle of nutrients, promote water infiltration, decrease erosion, and enhance the soil microbiota biodiversity, improving the grapevine performance. However, the area under the vines tends to be left bare by applying herbicides or tillage to avoid competition with the crop in semi-arid climates. Use of covers under-vine might be an alternative to these practices aiming at grapevine quality and soil health improvement. The aim of this research was to study the implications of soil management under the vines (cultivation and cover crops) on growth, yield, berry composition and soil microbial communities. A cover crop composed by a mixture of legumes was sown and compared with a control (cultivation), which includes frequent tillage to keep the soil bare, in three areas characterized by different edaphoclimatic conditions in the region of Navarra.

Aim: Many processes or reactions that occur in plants involved isotopic discrimination. Water availability, for example, affects the isotopic ratio of carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O). In viticulture, δ13C is used in experiments related to water relations and irrigation in vineyards. δ18O is used much less but it could be a good complement to δ13C. The aim of this study was to generate knowledge on how these isotopic ratios, measured in musts, could help to better understand the water behavior of grape varieties. 

Among all pathologies that afflict grapevine, Downy Mildew (DM) is the most important. Generally controlled using Copper (Cu), recently European Commission confirmed its usage but limiting the maximum amount to 28 Kg per hectare in 7 years (Reg. EU 2018/1981).

The quality of wine is difficult to define. This is most certainly accredited to everyone´s different perception of quality. Some of the indicators of high-quality wines are complexity, balance, color and intensity. Color is one of the most crucial attributes of quality, not only for the obvious implications for their perception but also because they are indicators of other aspects related to its aroma and taste. Phenolic compounds are the main responsible for wine color, being anthocyanin and tannins the most determinant compounds in red wines. In addition to color, wine aroma is another important attribute linked with quality and consumer preferences.