Characterization of Brettanomyces bruxellensis biofilm, a resistance strategy to persist in wine-related environments

Climate change has had a global impact on grape production, and as a result, developing table grape varieties that can withstand climate-related threats has become a significant goal. However, it is equally important to ensure that these new grape varieties meet the preferences of consumers. To achieve this goal, a procedure has been developed that combines sensory analysis with spectroscopic data collected in the NIR region. Each sample was analyzed using both traditional analytical techniques and non-destructive NIR spectroscopy.

In the last few decades, minor vine genotypes traditionally cultivated on the Mount Etna slopes, have attracted the interest of both researchers and vine growers, as they offer an interesting oenological profile.

Sulphur dioxide has been used for many years for its antimicrobial, antioxidant and antioxydasic properties in winemaking but nowadays, it is a source of controversy. Indeed, consumers are more attentive to the naturalness of their foods and beverages and the legislation is changing to reduce the total SO₂ levels allowed in wines. To limit and replace the doses of sulphur dioxide applied, winemakers can now use bioprotection consisting in live yeast addition as alternative,seems to be promising. This process, lightly used in from the food industry, allows to colonize the environment and limit the development or even eliminate undesirable microorganisms without altering the sensory properties of the product.

A healthy and dynamic agricultural sector is an important foundation of rural development, generating strong bonds to other economic sectors.

Grapevine is a crop of great economic importance for several countries. The intensification of grapevine production has mostly been sustained by the increasing use of water resources at the expense of the environmental water balance. Moreover, in the last decades, climate change and the consequent expansion of drought have further compromised water availability, making current agricultural systems even more fragile both ecologically and economically. Recently, many research groups have highlighted the important role of endophytes in facilitating plant growth under optimal or stressful conditions. Within the framework of the PRIMA project, we aim to investigate the possible exploitation of the natural endophyte biodiversity as a sustainable tool to make grapevine plants more resilient to water deficit environmental conditions.