Learning from remote sensing data: a case study in the Trentino region 

In a context of sustainable agriculture, “agroecological immunity” is an emerging concept to reduce the use of chemical pesticides to protect crops against pathogens. This alternative strategy aims to combine different levers including the use of “bio”solutions. These include biocontrol products, some of which being plant defense elicitors, as well as products authorized in organic farming such as copper or sulfur. In vineyards, depending on climate conditions, powdery and downy mildews can be devastating diseases.

Vitis vinifera L. and other Vitis have high genetic variations for cultivars or varieties. Many countries carried out strong efforts creating new clones of varieties, mainly focusing on plants free of viruses and other grapevine diseases, but also on different agronomical and enological characteristics of the plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate six clones of Merlot in the traditional viticulture of southeastern Brazil, focusing on distinct characteristics of yield, enological potential of grapes and wine typicality, in order to improve wine quality.

Clay-based ceramic vessels (jars, pyhtoi, etc.) for wine fermentation and aging processes have been used in several cultures for millennia. This know-how still in practice in several countries of the Armenian highland is gaining worldwide in curiosity, popularity, and interest. Ceramic pots are famous among traditional winemakers for their benefits such as temperature regulation, natural cooling system, favorable oxygen exchange, and impact on pH, which are different from those of stainless steel, wood barrels, or concrete.

Irrigation of vineyards is a matter of controversial arguments at areas of high quality wine production. Besides, the effects of the water in the plant are closer related to the water availability than to the irrigation regime.

Aim: In this work, we have optimized a robust methodology for investigating possible correlations between the phytochemical profile of wine and the terroir (including the climate), considering the specific wine-growing area. In particular, the untargeted metabolomic and sensorial profiles of Gutturnio DOC commercial wines (both still and “frizzante” types) from different production areas in the Piacenza province were determined. The geographical areas taken into consideration for this study consisted in Val Tidone, Val Nure and Val d’Arda.