terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Enhancing table grape production: addressing challenges and opportunities for sustainability and quality improvement

Enhancing table grape production: addressing challenges and opportunities for sustainability and quality improvement

Abstract

Table grapes, being consumed as fresh, raisins, and transformed products are among the most appreciated fruits worldwide. Its popularity is increasing also due to its organoleptic and nutritional qualities that meet the consumers’ interest in healthier foods. Recent data from International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) revealed that table grape production has doubled in the last twenty years, and varietal availability has increased thanks to the several breeding programs.

To maintain the socio-economic impact of this sector, new challenges need to be addressed. As for the entire agrifood sector, table grape production faces decreasing water availability, increasing temperatures, but also with fungal diseases, all consequences of climate change. Moreover, the need to align with new market trends is growing the interest of the researchers. In this context, new opportunities are emerging in the sector of ready-to-eat grapes with higher shelf-life, especially for major exporting countries such as Chile, Italy, and USA.  This area of the market is currently dominated with the production of raisins for snacks, while the possibility of allocating part of the grape production to fresh-cut markets is less explored. Strategies to improve postharvest performances, reduce fungi attacks and postharvest decay of existing or new table grapes varieties are essential in this latter context. 

Current literature and ongoing projects highlight the importance of developing strategies that combine breeding and sustainable management to cope with these new challenges and open new perspectives. Exploring the wide biodiversity and studying the physiological and molecular responses of different cultivars to identify involved genes is becoming fundamental to select new genotypes better adapted to the changed environment and consumers’ needs. Moreover, a faster improvement might be obtained by combining breeding with innovative and sustainable technologies in pre- and postharvest stages to increase resilience, quality, and shelf-life.

Download the abstract

DOI:

Publication date: June 14, 2024

Issue: Open GPB 2024

Type: Article

Authors

Maria Francesca Cardone1

1 Council for Agricultural Research and Economics – Research Center Viticulture and Enology (CREA-VE), Via Casamassima 148-70010 Turi (Ba), Italy

Contact the author*

Keywords

Table grape, quality and shelf-life, sustainability, postharvest, ready-to-eat

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Open GPB | Open GPB 2024

Citation

Related articles…

The influence of terroir on the quality of wine of the Cahors A.O.C

Dans le but d’améliorer la qualité et la typicité des vins de l’Appellation d’0rigine Contrôlée CAHORS, une étude a été réalisée afin de mettre en évidence l’adéquation Cépage-Terroir- Qualité du vin.
Selon la méthodologie proposée par MORLAT et ASSELIN (1992), neuf unités terroirs ont été déterminées. Sur chacune, des parcelles de référence homogènes quant au matériel végétal Cot ou Malbec ( cépage principal de cette appellation greffé sur S04, et aux méthodes culturales, ont été suivies au niveau agronomique et œnologique (GARCIA et al., 1996).

Read More

Effect of different packaging materials on table grape quality preservation during cold storage

During cold storage, grapes undergo changes that affect their visual, mechanical, and organoleptic properties, potentially impacting quality and negatively influencing consumer acceptance. Key parameters include uniform color, crunchiness, and flesh consistency. We evaluated the influence of two distinct packaging methods on the chromatic characteristics, hardness, and pedicel detachment resistance of fourteen new seedless white and red grape varieties during cold storage. These factors are crucial for maintaining the quality of the product and extending its shelf-life. The novel grape varieties were obtained through a breeding program at CREA-VE of Turi, Southern Italy.

Read More

Introducing heterogeneity measurements in terroir studies. Application in the região demarcada do douro (n portugal)

Terroir zoning studies have to manage the heterogeneity and complexity of the landscape properties and processes. The varying geology is one of the main landscape properties conditioning the spatial variability of terroirs.

Read More

Application of GiESCO “bio-metaethics” charter in practice: the “direct” involvement of vine grower, winemaker, society

On the basis of a direct agreement between the GiESCO and the vine grower, the winemaker and the consumers (individual; company; public or private organizations), the communication on the content of the charter can be done as follows:
• Commitment to respect the basic rules of the GiESCO “BIO – MetaEthics” charter.
1/ Put Mankind in the depth of all concerns in a universal context: (grower, consumer, citizen, work valuing, education, security)
2/ Insure minimum impact on environment by optimizing cultivation technics: (maximum of natural biodegradable products, friendly practices, short channels, renewable energies, terroir sustainability)

Read More

Incidences of the climate, the soil and the harvest date on Colombard aromatic potential in Gascony

This experiment tries to characterize the role of soil, climate and harvest date on the composition of grape-derivated thiols, 3-mercapto-hexanol (3MH) and 3-mercapto-hexile acetate (A3MH), in the white wines from Colombard varieties in Gascony (South-West of France). A network of 6 plots has been observed since 1999 on different pedologic units. The plots have common agronomical characteristics, plantation spacing (2,900 to 3,500 vines per ha), plantation aging (1985-1990), strength conferred by rootstock (SO4, RSB), soil management (grass covered 1 by 2) and training system (vertical shoot positionning pruned in single Guyot). Meteorological stations are located near the plots.

Read More