Assessment of 40 years of research in ecophysiology and training of the grapevine

Abstract

Presentation of Alain Carbonneau’s research activity at INRA Bordeaux and SupAgro Montpellier, within the period 1973 – 2013, in the fields of  grapevine Environmental Physiology and training management. The following themes are summarized:

• Evolution of the context of vineyard training and Viticulture, and perspectives;
• Revolution in the concepts of wine quality monitoring: from the restrictive attitude based on planting density and yield, to the positive attitude of optimal training management;
• Characterization of the canopy architecture and the associated microclimate;
• Regulation of physiological relations and carbon balance in the whole plant – Grapevine;
• Modelling wine quality and ‘typicity’: Biological Triptych ‘Exposed Leaf Area-Production-Vigour’; theory of the grape berry maturation and ‘typicity’;
• Applications to perfect new training systems for different vineyards: Lyre and foldable Lyre (high quality productions and table grapes), Minimal Pruning (standard quality vineyards), improvements of existing systems;
• Applications to methods of water management and irrigation monitoring;
• Climatology of worldwide vineyards, and use for following the climate change and characterizing vine-growing terroirs;
• Perfecting integrated systems of sustainable Vitiviniculture based on innovative varieties and cultivation technics;
• And then? The Culture…