Stomatal behaviour of three minority grapevine varieties grown in the La Mancha region (Spain)

Until the 19th century, the wild form of cultivated grapevines (vitis vinifera l. subsp. sylvestris gmelin, v. sylvestris) was ubiquitous in many european and west asian regions. However, many factors like deforestation, the intensification of agriculture, or the introduction of several pests and pathogens decimated its presence in these growing sites, and natural populations are now mostly restricted to river-bank forests and creeks with specific soil and climate conditions. in fact, v. sylvestris is now considered an endangered subspecies that is protected by law in many european countries to prevent its loss.

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) is amongst the world’s most cultivated fruit crops, and of global and economic significance, producing a wide variety of grape-derived products, including wine, and table grapes. The genus Vitis, encompassing approximately 70 naturally occurring inter-fertile species, exhibits extensive genetic and phenotypic diversity, highlighted by the global cultivation of thousands of predominantly Vitis vinifera cultivars. Despite the importance of harnessing its naturally occurring genetic diversity to pursue traits of interest, especially considering the continued and growing demand for sustainable high-quality grape production, the systematic characterization of available functional genetic variants remains limited.

According to the Kyoto Protocol objectives, it’s necessary to identify alternative carbon dioxide sinks, and vineyard soils could be a significant opportunity.

La adaptación de nuevas variedades a zonas de cultivo fuera de su área de origen presenta múltiples interrogantes. En Castilla-La Mancha se está produciendo en los últimos años una gran inquietud por la diversificación y la reconversión de variedades.

Anthocyanins are the main pigments present in young red wines, being responsible for their intense red color. These pigment in aqueous solutions occur in different forms in equilibrium that are dependent on the pH