Terroir 2014 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Berry carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic ratio reflects within farm terroir diffferences

Berry carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic ratio reflects within farm terroir diffferences

Abstract

ÂThe natural abundance of carbon stable isotopes has been reported to be related to water availability in grapevines quite widely. In the case of nitrogen, the natural abundance of its stable isotopes is mainly affected by the nature of the source of nitrogen (organic vs. inorganic) used by the plant, though the bibliography available for grapevine is very scarce. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of terroir on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope natural abundance within a single grape growing farm. Three vineyards representative of three terroirs within a grape growing farm were selected. The mesoclimatic differences between them can be considered negligible, and crop management was in general terms the same. Therefore, the differences in plant behaviour should be majorly a consequence of soil characteristics (deep gravely vs. shallower loamy soil, cover crop vs. bare soil). During five consecutive seasons, plant vegetative growth and stem water potential (Ψs) were monitored throughout the growing season and, at harvest, yield and grape composition were determined including carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic ratios. Consistent differences for both δ13C and δ15N were found when the three terroirs were compared. On the one hand, δ13C reflected well the differences in water availability arising from either soil characteristics (deep gravelly vs. shallower loamy soil) and from the presence of a cover crop. On the other hand, δ15N was clearly higher in the gravelly soil area, possibly indicating nitrate leakage, since soil organic matter is known to have higher δ15N than inorganic fertilizers. The competition the cover crop exerted for N was reflected in berry nitrogen content but, on the contrary, did not affect δ15N.

DOI:

Publication date: July 31, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2014

Type: Article

Authors

Luis G. SANTESTEBAN, Carlos MIRANDA, Izaskun BARBARIN, José B. ROYO

Dpto. Prod. Agraria, Univ. P. Navarra, 31006 Pamplona, NA, Spain. 

Contact the author

Keywords

natural isotope abundance, water use efficiency, water status, nutrition, nitrogen sources, Vitis vinifera L.

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2014

Citation

Related articles…

Study and valorization of vineyards “terroirs” in the Val de Loire

Face à la concurrence mondiale, il est indispensable de s’orienter vers des vins de qualité, marqués par une typicité et une authenticité inimitables. Le terroir représente, pour une région donnée, un patrimoine unique et non reproductible, qui peut être valorisé à travers l’origine et les caractéristiques sensorielles du vin.

Vine nitrogen status and the terroir effect: a study on cv. Doral in the Vaud vineyard (Switzerland)

A 3-year study was conducted in the Vaud vineyard (Switzerland) to evaluate the effects of « terroir » on the ecophysiology and fruit compostion of Vitis vinifera L. cv.

Variability of Constitutive Stilbenoid Levels and Profiles in Grape Canes (Vitis spp.) depending on Genetic and Environmental Factors

Grape cane is a viticultural by-product that is currently underused or not used at all. Therefore, it bears a high potential for valorization due to the presence of anti-microbially active stilbenoids, being biologically relevant for plant defense. These compounds are highly interesting for applications in the agricultural sector as well as for the food and feed industry.

Modeling island and coastal vineyards potential in the context of climate change

Climate change impacts regional and local climates, which in turn affects the world’s wine regions. In the short term, these modifications rises issues about maintaining quality and style of wine, and in a longer term about the suitability of grape varieties and the sustainability of traditional wine regions. Thus, adaptation to climate change represents a major challenge for viticulture. In this context, island and coastal vineyards could become coveted areas due to their specific climatic conditions. In regions subject to warming, the proximity of the sea can moderate extremes temperatures, which could be an advantage for wine. However, coastal and island areas are particular prized spaces and subject to multiple pressures that make the establishment or extension of viticulture complex.
In this perspective, it seems relevant to assess the potentialities of coastal and island areas for viticulture. This contribution will present a spatial optimization model that tends to characterize most suitable agroclimatic patterns in historical or emerging vineyards according to different scenarios. Thanks to an in-depth bibliography a global inventory of coastal and insular vineyards on a worldwide scale has been realized. Relevant criteria have been identified to describe the specificities of these vineyards. They are used as input data in the optimization process, which will optimize some objectives and spatial aspects. According to a predefined scenario, the objectives are set in three main categories associated with climatic characteristics, vineyards characteristics and management strategies. At the end of this optimization process, a series of maps presents the different spatial configurations that maximize the scenario objectives.

Hidden costs of wine: quantifying environmental externalities of organic and integrated management

Agriculture is one of the largest contributors to environmental pollution and causing significant impacts on human health, ecosystems, and resource availability.