Terroir 2020 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 The vascular connections in grafted plants under examination

The vascular connections in grafted plants under examination

Abstract

Aims: Decreasing longevity of vineyards due to the increase in the infection of different grapevine trunk diseases is a growing concern, and could be related to the quality of grafting. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the use of xylem hydraulic conductivity measurements as a potential indicator for the quality of vascular connections in the graft junction of grapevine plants. For that purpose, two specific trials were carried out: (1) the quality of different batches of plants whose subjective quality was previously known from the nursery’s experience was evaluated, and (2) the vascular connections between the rootstock and the scion were evaluated on a different set of plants grafted using different grafting techniques.

Methods and Results: (1) The XYL´EM conductivity meter was used to measure the specific hydraulic conductivity (Ks) of plants from six different batches whose quality was subjectively defined from the nurseryman experience. Hydraulic conductivity was measured in one-year-old dormant plants, which were kept in a cold chamber since leaving the nursery, first on the whole plant, then on the rootstock and finally at the graft junction. Results showed that two of the six batches evaluated had significantly lower values than the others. (2) After reflecting on the previous experience, we decided to perform the measurements in growing plants, for which we used different batches of plants grafted using different techniques but keeping the same scion (Airén) and the same rootstock (110 R) in all of them. The grafting techniques used were ‘omega’, ‘full cleft’, ‘manual whip and tongue’, ‘mechanical whip and tongue’, and ‘V’. This time, Ksmeasurements were only carried out on the whole plant by determining the water flow from the scion to the rootstock. Results revealed a tendency that the maWT, meWT and V grafts had higher Ks values than FC or OM grafts, which corresponds to higher growth rates according to results previously collected on a field trial performed on the same type of grafted plants.

Conclusions:

Hydraulic conductivity measurements may be a useful trait for the evaluation of vascular connections between the rootstock and the scion in grapevine.

Significance and Impact of the Study: To the best of our knowledge, there are no similar studies in grapevine combining hydraulics measurements with grafting techniques. Results suggest that the hydraulic functioning at the graft junction could be an interesting tool to measure the quality/quantity of vascular connections on grafted plants, and be used to characterize batches in experimentation or, even, to evaluate batches from the nurseries as a quality control.

DOI:

Publication date: 25/03/2021

Issue: Terroir 2020

Type : Video

Authors

Diana Marín1*, José M. Torres-Ruiz2, F. Javier Abad1, 3, Luis G. Santesteban1

Dept. of Agronomy, Biotechnology and Food Science, Univ. Pública de Navarra, Campus Arrosadia, 31006 Pamplona, Spain
Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
3 INTIA, Edificio de Peritos Avda. Serapio Huici nº 22, 31610, Villava, Spain

Contact the author

Keywords

Grapevine, Vitis vinifera L., omega graft, whip and tongue, alternative graft

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2020

Citation

Related articles…

VINIoT: Precision viticulture service for SMEs based on IoT sensors network

The main innovation in the VINIoT service is the joint use of two technologies that are currently used separately: vineyard monitoring using multispectral imaging and deployed terrain sensors. One part of the system is based on the development of artificial intelligence algorithms that are feed on the images of the multispectral camera and IoT sensors, high-level information on water stress, grape ripening status and the presence of diseases. In order to obtain algorithms to determine the state of ripening of the grapes and avoid losing information due to the diversity of the grape berries, it was decided to work along the first year 2020 at berry scale in the laboratory, during the second year at the cluster scale and on the last year at plot scale. Different varieties of white and red grapes were used; in the case of Galicia we worked with the white grape variety Treixadura and the red variety Mencía. During the 2020 and 2021 campaigns, multispectral images were taken in the visible and infrared range of: 1) sets of 100 grapes classifying them by means of densimetric baths, 2) individual bunches. The images taken with the laboratory analysis of the ripening stage were correlated. Technological maturity, pH, probable degree, malic acid content, tartaric acid content and parameters for assessing phenolic maturity, IPT, anthocyanin content were determined. It has been calculated for each single image the mean value of each spectral band (only taking into account the pixels of interest) and a correlation study of these values with laboratory data has been carried out. These studies are still provisional and it will be necessary to continue with them, jointly with the training of the machine learning algorithms. Processed data will allow to determine the sensitivity of the multispectral images and select bands of interest in maturation.

A predictive model of spatial Eca variability in the vineyard to support the monitoring of plant status

[lwp_divi_breadcrumbs home_text="IVES" use_before_icon="on" before_icon="||divi||400" module_id="publication-ariane" _builder_version="4.19.4" _module_preset="default" module_text_align="center" module_font_size="16px" text_orientation="center"...

Better understand the soil wet bulb formation with subsurface or aerial drip irrigation in viticulture

The gradual change in rainfall patterns experienced in the south of France vineyards, especially around the Mediterranean sea, means that the vines are increasingly subject to summer drought. The winegrowers developped the use of irrigation techniques to ensure the maintenance of competitive yields in the production of wines under Protected Geographical Indication label. In practice, drip irrigation pipes can be installed above the ground or buried into the soil as well as at different distances from the vine row. The objective of this study was to examine the profiles of the wet bulbs of the soil obtained from two drip irrigation systems : aerial drip located under the vine row and subsurface drip placed in the middle of the inter-row. This experiment took place over two consecutive seasons (2020-2021) on a 3.4 ha Viognier plot in the Mediterranean region (PGI Oc, France) on sandy clay soil. The annual rainfalls were less than 400 mm. Soil water content probes were installed at different depths (20 – 40 – 60 – 80 cm) and at different lateralities from the vine row (30 – 60 – 90 – 120 cm) to control the formation of the soil wet bulb during irrigation. The mapping and the analysis of the data allowed a better understanding and differentiation of the water percolation when irrigating with subsurface or aerial drip. For the same amount of water and without differences of vine water status, it is shown that in a subsurface drip irrigation situation, the size of the wet bulb formed is larger than in aerial drip irrigation system.

Modulation of berry composition by different vineyard management practices

High concentration of sugars in grapes and alcohol in wines is one of the consequences of climate change on viticulture production in several wine-growing regions. In order to investigate the possibilities of adaptation of vineyard management practices aimed to reduce the accumulation of sugar during the maturation phase without reducing the accumulation of anthocyanins in grapes, a study with severe shoot trimming, shoot thinning, cluster thinning and date of harvest was conducted on Merlot variety in Istria region (Croatia), under the Mediterranean climate. Four factors which may affect grape maturation and its composition at harvest were investigated in a two-years experiment; severe shoot trimming applied at veraison when >80% of berries changed colour (in comparison to untreated control), shoot thinning (0 and 30%), cluster thinning (0 and 30%), and the date of harvest (early and standard harvest dates). Shoot thinning had no significant impact on berry composition, despite the obtained reduction in yield per vine. Lower Brix in grapes were obtained with earlier harvest date and if no cluster thinning was applied, although at the same time a reduction in the concentration of anthocyanins in berries was observed in these treatments. On the other hand, if severe shoot trimming was applied when >80% of berries changed colour, a reduction of Brix was obtained without a negative impact on berry anthocyanins concentration. We conclude that in cases when undesirably high sugar concentrations at harvest are expected, severe shoot trimming at 80% veraison may effectively be used in order to obtain moderate sugar concentration in berries together with the adequate phenolic composition.

Phenolic composition of Tempranillo Blanco grapes changes after foliar application of urea

Our research aimed to determine the effect and efficiency of foliar application of urea on the phenolic composition of Tempranillo Blanco grapes. The field experiment was carried out in 2019 and 2020 seasons and the plot was located in D.O.Ca Rioja (North of Spain). The vineyard was Vitis vinifera L. Tempranillo Blanco and grafted on Richter-110 rootstock. The treatments were control (C), whose plants were sprayed with water and three doses of urea: plants were sprayed with urea 3 kg N/ha (U3), 6 kg N/ha (U6) and 9 kg N/ha (U9). The applications were performed in two phenological stages, pre-veraison (Pre) and veraison (Ver). Also, each of the treatments was repeated one week later. Control and treatments were performed in triplicate and arranged in a randomised block design. Grapes were harvested at optimum ripening stage. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to analyse the phenolic composition of the grapes. Finally, the results obtained from the analytical determinations – flavonols, flavanols and non-flavonoid (hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids and stilbenes) – were studied statistically by analysis of variance. The results showed that, in 2019, U6-Pre and U9-Pre treatments increased the hydroxybenzoic acid content in grapes, and also all foliar treatments applied at Pre enhanced the stilbene concentration. Moreover, U3-Ver was the only treatment that rose flavonol and stilbene contents in the Tempranillo Blanco grapes. In 2020, all treatments applied at Pre enhanced the flavonol concentration in grapes. Furthermore, U3-Pre and U9-Pre treatments increased stilbene content in grapes. Nevertheless, the hydroxybenzoic acid content was improved by U6-Ver and U9-Ver and besides, hydroxycinnamic acid concentration in grapes was increased by all treatments applied at Ver. In conclusion, the lower and highest dose of urea (U3 and U9), applied at pre-veraison, were the best treatments to improve the Tempranillo Blanco grape phenolic composition.