Influence of edapho-climatic factors on grape quality in Conca de Barberà vineyards (Catalonia, Spain)

Vineyards are home to a wide diversity of microorganisms that interact with plants and with each other.

Modern grapevine breeding programs have overcome many challenges using genomic selection, which has allowed breeders to make targeted selections at earlier stages in the breeding process. However, the cost of genetic testing may present a burden for some programs, and markers often struggle to accurately predict quantitative traits. Recent advances in high throughput, high-dimensional data have provoked investigation into the use of high-dimensional phenomics as a low-cost addition to the grape breeder’s toolkit that may offer advantages in predicting quantitative traits. High-dimensional secondary trait (HDST) data has been employed in annual crops for prediction of agriculturally important traits such as yield.

One of the basic problems in the viticulture branch is the improvement of perspective technologies for both vine training systems: with vertical standing and with free position of shoots, adapted to the requirements of complex mechanization.

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a secondary step in the vinification process and it follows alcoholic fermentation (AF) which is predominantly carried out by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These two processes result in the degradation of metabolites to produce secondary metabolites which also contribute to the final wine flavour and quality. AF results in the production of ethanol and carbon dioxide from sugars and MLF stems from the degradation of L-malic acid (a dicarboxylic acid) to L-lactic acid (a monocarboxylic acid). The latter process results in a smoother texture as the acidity of the wine is reduced by the process, it also adds to the flavour complexity of the wine.

Major factors involved in wine quality and typicity are soil type, climatic conditions, plant material (rootstock and cultivar), vineyard management practices and winemaking conditions.