Greek and Cypriot grape varieties as a sustainable solution to mitigate climate change

The optimal climatic conditions of the region were proved in 1867, when a leaf-print of Vitis tokaiensis was found in a stone from miocen age (13 million years ago).

Vineyards are complex agro-ecosystems with high spatial and temporal variability. An efficient training system may counteract the adverse effects of this variability. Moreover, considering the climate change issues, choosing an efficient training system that enhances water use and protects the vines from radiative thermal stress has become a priority for the farmers. A multidisciplinary approach that assesses the soil-crop-yield-wine relationships of vineyards in a distributed and holistic way could bring added knowledge on the behavior of the different training systems. This ongoing research aimed to implement a multidisciplinary approach to study the behavior of “Aglianico del Vulture” grapevines trained with two different systems: a spurred cordon (SC) and an “Alberello in parete” (AL), grown in a high-quality wine production area of Basilicata region (Italy). The approach merged several methods and scales of soil, ecophysiology, must/wine quality, and spectral data collection to assess the influence of the training system. Homogeneous zones (HZs) in both training systems were defined through a procedure based on geomorphological classification, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) images analysis, and a traditional soil survey supported by geophysical scanning. During the 2021 season, TDR probes monitored soil water content, while grapevine health status was assessed using eco-physiological measurements (LWP, chlorophyll content, PSII photosynthetic efficiency, LAI, and point-based field spectroscopy). These grapevine in-vivo measurements validated the spectral vegetation indexes (NDVI, RENDVI, CVI, and TVI) derived from the UAV multispectral imagery, which monitored the grapevine status in a distributed and non-invasive way. Grape yield, quality of berries, must and wine were measured to assess the effects of the training systems. The first experimental year results showed the variability of the vineyards and revealed relationships among soil parameters, crop characteristics, and vegetation indices of the SC and AL training systems. This multidisciplinary study could bring new insights into the vineyard training system’s effects on grape yield and wine quality.

Storage temperature and bottling parameters are among the most important factors, which influence the development of wine after bottling. It is well studied that higher storage temperatures speed up chemical reactions and results in faster wine aging [1,2]. It is also known that higher SO2 level and lower oxygen content provide better protection and longer shelf-life for the wine. At the same time, the mechanisms of chemical transformations of wine aromas during the aging process are not fully understood. In particular, how oxidation reactions contribute to the transformations of varietal aroma compounds.In the present study [3], we investigated the development of Riesling wine depending on a series of bottling conditions, which differed in the free SO2 level in wine (low—13 mg/L, medium—24 mg/L, high—36 mg/L), CO2 treatment of the headspace.

Bois noir (BN) is a cicada-transmitted grapevine disease that today causes up to 50% yield and vine loss in vineyards. It is caused by the phytoplasma Candidatus Phytoplasma solani (16SrXII-A).

The Northeast region of Brazil is characterized by a semi-arid climate, has produced tropical wines since twenty years ago. The region is located at 09º 09’ South, 40º 22’ West, 365.5 m