Combined use of Lachancea thermotolerans and Schizosaccharomyces pombe in winemaking

The frequency of water deficits is increasing in many grape-growing regions due to climate change.

Agricultural productivity must promote management systems that incorporate sustainability principles, and viticulture is no exception.

One of the most concerning trends associated with increasing heat and water stress is advanced ripening of grapes, which leads to harvesting fruit at higher sugar concentrations but lacking optimal phenolic (i.e. color and mouthfeel) and aromatic maturity. Mitigation techniques for this phenomenon have been studied for many years and practices to delay sugar accumulation have been identified, including antitranspirants, delayed pruning and late-source-limitation techniques. Evaluation of the efficacy of these vineyard practices has occurred across a wide range of environments, vintages, varieties and growing conditions. To assess the broader efficacy of these three vineyard practices, which are easy-to-implement and cost-effective, a meta-analytic approach was adopted using data retrieved from 43 original studies.

In winemaking, the appearance of turbidity in white and wine is a serious visual defect, which lowers significantly its commercial value. A major cause of the formation of turbidity in wine is attributed to the presence of temperature-sensitive proteins.

Heatwave events, defined as 2 or more days reaching ≥ 38 °C, are an increasingly frequent phenomenon threatening grape production worldwide. Heat stress has been shown to have negative consequences on grapevine physiology, leading to increased evaporative demand and intensified water stress. Due to heatwaves overlapping with important stages of grapevine reproductive development, spanning from berry set to the ripening stage, severe heat can potentially compromise yield and grape quality. The physiological response of grapevine to heat stress suggests a potential use of irrigation to mitigate heatwaves, however there is limited information regarding the irrigation amounts and timings needed for this purpose. Following up on a pivotal trial conducted between 2019 and 2022, in this study irrigation treatments with varying intensity and timing of application were refined to determine their potential mitigation of heat-associated damage to yield and fruit composition.