Deciphering the function and regulation of VviEPFL9 paralogs to modulate stomatal density in grapevine through New Genomic Techniques

In the context of sustainability, this study evaluated consumer perception regarding the impact of glass bottle weight on wine valuation.

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.

Considering that global warming is changing berry ripening timing and progression, uncovering the molecular mechanisms and identifying key regulators governing berry ripening could provide important tools in maintaining high quality grapes and wine. NAC (NAM/ATAF/CUC) transcription factors represent an interesting family due to their key role in the developmental processes control, such as fruit-ripening-associated genes expression, and in the regulation of multiple stress responses. Between the 74 NAC family members, we selected 12 of them as putative regulators of berry ripening: NAC01, NAC03, NAC05, NAC11, NAC13, NAC17, NAC18, NAC26, NAC33, NAC37, NAC60 and NAC61.

Many high quality Open Source scientific applications have been available for a long time. Some of them have proved to be particularly useful for carrying out the usual activities involved in viticultural research projects, such as statistical analyses (including spatial analyses), GIS work, database management (possibly integrated with statistical and spatial analysis) and even “low-level” often highly time-consuming activities (e.g. repetitive task on text files).

During oak wood contact, wine undergoes important modifications that modulate its organoleptic quality and complexity, including its aroma, structure, astringency, bitterness and color. Vescalagin and castalagin are the two main C-glucosidic ellagitannins found in oak wood used for wine aging wood but lyxose/xylose derivatives (grandinin and roburin e) and dimeric forms (roburins a,b, c and d) are also present. The presence of several hydroxyl groups in the ortho-positions at the periphery of the structure of the ellagitannin isomers allows these molecules to undergo oxidation or condensation reactions with other compounds.