A meta-analysis of grapevine rootstock rankings based on pruning weight, yield and Ravaz index for climate change adaptation in viticulture

Abstract

Climate change is driving the wine industry to re-evaluate the appropriate use of rootstocks. The French network of vine rootstock experiments, established by research and technical institutes, launched a study (2023–2026) to collect and analyse collectively the data of field trials distributed across the French wine regions. The objective was to improve our general knowledge about the roles of rootstocks on vine agronomic performances.

Data from 75 experiments conducted in French vineyards across nine wine-growing regions have been integrated into a database. The meta-analysis included 18 experiments with pruning weight measurements, 34 with yield data, and 14 with Ravaz Index values. To quantify rootstock effects and establish a classification based on vigor and yield, the data were normalized based on the average got in each experiment each year, to eliminate the influence of regions, vineyard management practices and vintages.

The study shows that there is a significant effect of the rootstock on the normalized variables (pruning wood weight, yield and Ravaz Index). The percentages of variances explained by the rootstock are 9.6% on the normalized pruning weight, 16 % on the normalized yield and 12% on the normalized Ravaz Index. Overall Rupestris du Lot significantly increased pruning wood weight in comparison to the other rootstocks, whereas 3309 C, RSB 1, and Riparia Gloire de Montpellier significantly decreased it. Similarly, 420 A and 41 B MGt significantly increased yield compared to the other rootstocks, while Vialla and Nemadex Alain Bouquet significantly decreased it. 41 B MGt, 420 A, and Riparia Gloire de Montpellier significantly increased the Ravaz Index, whereas 140 Ru, 1103 P, 44-53 M, and Rupestris du Lot significantly decreased it. There is a significant effect of the age of the vineyard and of the density of plantation on the pruning wood weight and the yield. Eventually, our results supported the idea that organizing a multi-level network of partners and sharing results for meta-analyses are essential to improving our understanding of the complex interactions between rootstock, scion, and environment, as well as facilitating the exchange of tools, expertise, and resources.

References

Binet, F., Charleroy, A., Girollet, N., Marguerit, E., Neveu, P., Tandonnet, J.-P., Ollat, N. (2019). “Silex vitioeno module porte-greffe”: an information system to gather experimental results on grapevine rootstocks. IVES Conference Series, GiESCO 2019.

Champagnol, F. (1984). Eléments de physiologie de la vigne et de viticulture générale. In (pp. 351p). Champagnol F.

González-Fernández, A. B., Marcelo, V., Valenciano, J. B., & Rodríguez-Pérez, J. R. (2012). Relationship between physical and chemical parameters for four commercial grape varieties from the Bierzo region (Spain). Scientia Horticulturae, 147, 111-117.

Jones, T. H., Cullis, B. R., Clingeleffer, P. R., & Rühl, E. H. (2009). Effects of novel hybrid and traditional rootstocks on vigour and yield component of Shiraz grapevines. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research.

Keller, M. (2020). The science of grapevines. Academic press.

Migicovsky, Z., Cousins, P., Jordan, L. M., Myles, S., Striegler, R. K., Verdegaal, P., & Chitwood, D. H. (2021). Grapevine rootstocks affect growth‐related scion phenotypes. Plant Direct, 5(5), e00324.

Ollat, N., Peccoux, A., Papura, D., Esmenjaud, D., Marguerit, E., Tandonnet, J. P., Bordenave, L., Cookson, S. J., Barrieu, F., Rossdeutsch, L., Lecourt, J., Lauvergeat, V., Vivin, P., Bert, P. F., & Delrot, S. (2016). Rootstocks as a component of adaptation to environment. In Grapevine in a Changing Environment (pp. 68-108). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118735985.ch4

Santesteban, L. G., Rekarte, I., Torres, N., Galar, M., Villa-Llop, A., Visconti, F., Intrigiolo D.S., Escalona J.M., De Herralde F., Miranda, C. (2023). The role of rootstocks for grape growing adaptation to climate change. Meta-analysis of the research conducted in Spanish viticulture : This article is published in cooperation with the 22nd GiESCO International Meeting, hosted by Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, July 17-21, 2023. OENO One, 57(2), 283–290. https://doi.org/10.20870/oeno-one.2023.57.2.7439

Acknowledgments

This work has been carried out within the context of the PGVigne.net project funded by the Plan National du Dépérissement du Vignoble. We would like to thank the project people for their feedback during the meetings and presentations.

We would like to thank Jérôme Steffe for his assistance and insightful explanations regarding the use of the Power BI software.