DNA-Free genome editing confers disease resistance in grapevine

Aims: The Barossa wine region in South Australia comprises six sub-regions and is renowned for its Shiraz wines. However, there is no comprehensive documentation of the distinctive sensory characteristics of wines from these sub-regions.

Stomatal traits determine grapevine water use, carbon supply, and water stress, which directly impact yield and berry chemistry. Breeding for stomatal traits has the strong potential to improve grapevine performance under future, drier conditions, but the trait values that breeders should target are unknown. We used a functional-structural plant model developed for grapevine (HydroShoot) to determine how stomatal traits impact canopy gas exchange, water potential, and temperature under historical and future conditions in high-quality and hot-climate California wine regions (Napa and the Central Valley). Historical climate (1990-2010) was collected from weather stations and future climate (2079-99) was projected from 4 representative climate models for California, assuming medium- and high-emissions (RCP 4.5 and 8.5). Five trait parameterizations, representing mean and extreme values for the maximum stomatal conductance (gmax) and leaf water potential threshold for stomatal closure (Ψsc), were defined from meta-analyses. Compared to mean trait values, the water-spending extremes (highest gmax or most negative Ysc) had negligible benefits for carbon gain and canopy cooling, but exacerbated vine water use and stress, for both sites and climate scenarios. These traits increased cumulative transpiration by 8 – 17%, changed cumulative carbon gain by -4 – 3%, and reduced minimum water potentials by 10 – 18%. Conversely, the water-saving extremes (lowest gmax or least negative Ψsc) strongly reduced water use and stress, but potentially compromised the carbon supply for ripening. Under RCP 8.5 conditions, these traits reduced transpiration by 22 – 35% and carbon gain by 9 – 16% and increased minimum water potentials by 20 – 28%, compared to mean values. Overall, selecting for more water-saving stomatal traits could improve water-use efficiency and avoid the detrimental effects of highly negative canopy water potentials on yield and quality, but more work is needed to evaluate whether these benefits outweigh the consequences of minor declines in carbon gain for fruit production.

Viura is a synonym for Macabeo and currently it is the most widely planted white grape variety in D.O.Ca. Rioja, with 3,569 ha, representing 84% of the white grape cultivated area. It is a generous-yielding grape, presenting low values of titratable acidity and with large and compact clusters which makes it susceptible to Botrytis cinerea. Thus, this variety not always satisfies the wine grower’s prospects. Nowadays, the available plant material is scarce, moreover, it was selected on the basis of other quality criteria, not currently requested.

Aim: Under the effects of climate change it is becoming increasingly common to observe excessively fast sugar accumulation while anthocyanin and flavour development are lagging behind. Understanding the impact of different leaf removal techniques on ripening will provide vineyard managers with a canopy management strategy suitable for

AIM Verdicchio and Lugana are two Italian white wines produced in the Marche and Garda lake regions respectively. They are however obtained using grape varieties sharing the same genetic background, locally known as Verdicchio in Marche and Trebbiano di Soave in Garda. Anecdotal evidence suggests that these two wine types exhibit distinctive aroma features. The aim of this work was to explore the existence of a recognizable odour profile for Lugana and Verdicchio, and whether specific aroma chemical markers could be identified. METHODS 13 commercial wines, 6 Lugana and 7 Verdicchio were used. Sensory analysis was done using sorting task methodology, assessing only odor similarities. A total of 53 volatile compounds were identified and quantified GC-MS analysis. Aging behaviors were also evaluated after an accelerated aging at 40 ° C for 3 months. RESULTS HCA analysis of sorting task data identified indeed two groups: one characterized by floral and minty notes and mostly associated with Lugana wines, the other characterized by spicy and toasted aromas and mostly associated with Verdicchio. From a chemical point of view, major differences between the two wines types were observed for cis-3-hexenol, methionol, phenylethyl alcohol, and geraniol.