Novel approaches and promising perspectives for enhancing grapevine editing and regeneration

Grapevines are susceptible to freezing damage at temperatures below -5°F during the winter season. Preventing winter injury to grapevines is a major challenge in many grape-producing regions. Conventional methods such as hilling-up soil over graft unions have been developed as winter protection methods for preventing vine loss. However, these practices have drawbacks such as soil erosion, vine damage and crown gall development.

Context and purpose of the study climate change is impacting wine typicity across the globe, raising concerns in wine regions historically renowned for the quality of their terroir. Replacing some of the plant material can be an efficient lever for adapting to climate change. However, the change of cultivars also raises questions about the region’s wine typicity. This study, based on seven years of data, investigates the potential adaptability of over 50 different varieties in the bordeaux wine region.

The interaction between cultivar and growing environment is the base of wine quality and typicality. In recent time the behaviour of different clones within the same cultivar became another fundamental factor influencing the enological result. In order to clarify cultivar/clone/environment relations, a trial was carried out in 2008 studying the performances of three clones of ‘Nebbiolo’, grown in different environments: south-east Piedmont (hilly and characterized by a loamy and alkaline soil) and north-east Piedmont (a plain area characterized by a sandy and acidic soil).

Grapevines interact with the climate (aboveground) and the soil (belowground), affecting the characteristics of winegrapes produced. These interactions are impacted by climate change, the erosion of biodiversity, and losses of soil organic matter (SOM).

For several years, numerous studies aimed at limiting the use of SO2 in wines (thermal treatments, pulsed electric fields, microwaves …). Processes must be able to preserve the organoleptic qualities of wines with low energy consumption. In this context, ultraviolet radiations (UV-C), at 254 nm, are well known for their germicidal proprieties. In order to inactivate microorganisms in grape juice and wine without affecting the quality of the product, efficiency of UV-C treatment process should be optimized.