Oenological tannins to prevent Botrytis cinerea damage: reduction of laccase activity

Color is a key quality trait for grape berry and the producing wines. Berry color of red genotypes is mainly determined by the quantity and composition of anthocyanins accumulated in the skin and/or pulp. Both genetic and environmental factors could influence the quantity and composition of anthocyanins, while the underlying mechanisms are not fully clear. To explore the mechanisms underlying the diversity of anthocyanin accumulation in grape berry, we compared two grapevine genotypes showing distinct sensitivities to ABA-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis, where one genotype showed minor responses to exogenous ABA application while the other showed significant increase in anthocyanins after exogenous ABA application.

In Ancient Egypt, wine was a luxury product consumed mainly by the upper classes and the royal family and offered to gods in daily religious rituals in the temples.
Since the Predynastic (4000-3100 BC) period, wine jars were placed in tombs as funerary offerings. From the Old Kingdom (2680-2160 BC) to the Greco-Roman (332 BC-395 AD) period, viticulture and winemaking scenes were depicted on the private tombs’ walls. During the New Kingdom (1539-1075 BC), wine jars were inscribed to indicate: vintage year, product, quality, provenance, property and winemaker’s name and title.

Context and purpose of the study. Cover cropping in vineyards supports grape yield, quality, and soil health.

Winemaking is influenced by micro-organisms, which are largely responsible for the quality of the product. In this context, Non-Saccharomyces and Saccharomyces species are of great importance not only because it influences the development of alcoholic fermentation (AF) but also on the achievement of malolactic fermentation (MLF). Among these yeasts, Torulaspora delbrueckii allows in sequential inoculation with strains of S. cerevisiae shorter MLF realizations [5] . Little information is available on the temporal effect of the presence of T. delbrueckii on (i) the evolution of AF and (ii) the MLF performance.

Grapevine downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, is a devastating disease worldwide. Most commercially important cultivars of the European grapevine are highly susceptible and therefore require the recurrent application of synthetic fungicides to control the disease, copper being the most frequently used. However, with European Union goals to lower their usage, there is a need to develop innovative and sustainable strategies. In this respect, seaweeds have proven to have great potential as phytosanitary agents, in addition to promoting plant growth and stress-tolerance.