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.

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…

Characterisation of berry shrivel in Vitis vinifera L. Cultivars in the Stellenbosch wine region

Late season dehydration, bunch stem necrosis, sugar accumulation disorder and sunburn are various types of berry shrivel occurring in vineyards. The incidence of these types of shrivel, and the degree to which it occur are influenced by various factors in the vineyard. These factors include the presence of pests and diseases in the vineyard, genetic traits expressed in certain cultivars, as
well as climatic and environmental factors. The occurrence of berry shrivel in the vineyard could negatively impact the quality and quantity of the fruit produced.

Association between dietary pattern and wine consumption and Alzheimer’s disease in a cohort from La Rioja (Spain)

Addressing modifiable risk factors is the most promising strategy to prevent/delay Alzheimer Disease (AD)[1]. The aim of the study was to establish the connections between dietetic habits, wine consumption and AD. Thus, 98 volunteers were recruited: 50 diagnosed as AD and 48 healthy/controls. The Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used for dietary patterns assessment and, based on these data, the Mind Diet Score was calculated. (Poly)phenol metabolites (especially derived from wine consumption) were analyzed by UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS in 24-h urine samples to confirm dietary (poly)phenol consumption.

Improved analysis of isomeric polyphenol dimers using the 4th dimension of trapped ion mobility spectrometry – mass spectrometry

Dehydrodicatechins have recently received attention as oxidation markers especially in grapes and wine. Their analysis mainly uses LC-MS/MS which is able to differentiate them from their natural isomers (dimeric procyanidins), based on specific fragments

Evaluation of the site index model for viticultural zoning

Une variable composite, dénommée Indice de Site (SI), intégrant les propriétés physiques du sol et le mésoclimat, avait été proposée pour caractériser les terroirs dans le cadre d’une étude des vignobles de Cabernet Sauvignon de Hawke’s Bay en Nouvelle Zélande.

Cumulative effect of deficit irrigation and salinity on vine responses

Climate change is increasing water needs in most of the wine growing regions while reducing the availability and quality of water resources for irrigation. In this context, the sustainability of Mediterranean viticulture depends on grapevine responses to the combinations of water and salt stress. With this aim, this work studies the effects of deficit irrigation and salinity on the physiology of the Tempranillo cultivar (Vitis vinifera L.) grafted onto a drought and salinity tolerant rootstock (1103 Paulsen).