Genetic determinism of grapevine development stages as a tool for the adaptation to climate change

During 1982 started our wine growing project at the Puntalarga Hill, between 2500 and 2600 meters a.s.l.: 5.78 ºN, 72.98 ºW. Pinot noir, white Riesling and Riesling x Silvaner crossings are the most planted grapevines. Since 1984 research and development activities are carried out on pertinent subjects.

The transition to a decarbonized economy requires companies to adopt mitigation measures. The wine sector is one of the most affected by climate change and, therefore, interested in its mitigation. The question is how this process develops. To address this, we build on a previous study [1], which identified different types of Spanish wineries based on their sustainability approach.

The ongoing climate change results in increasing mean air temperature, which is manifested by weather extremes or sudden changes between drought and local heavy rainfalls. These changing conditions are especially challenging for the established grapevine varieties growing under cool climate conditions due to an increased biotic infection pressure. Thus, the scope of most grapevine breeding programs is the selection of mildew fungus-resistant and climatic adapted grapevines with balanced, healthy yield and outstanding wine quality. Since no resistances or candidate genes have yet been described for Botrytis bunch rot (BBR), physical-mechanical traits like berry size and thick, impermeable berry cuticles phenotyped with high-throughput sensors represent novel effective parameters to predict BBR.

Prizren’s vineyard territory-y assigned for ecological production of grapes and wine includes 1. 200 hectares of vineyard located in five separate localities which belongs to the P KB “Kosovo vina”, Mala Krusa in Prizren. Division of vineyard territory in zones was carried out in 1974. Pertaining to the vineyards, the climate and soil conditions have been studied and determined as well as topographie establishing of vineyard boundaries.

Climate changes have important consequences in viticulture, heat waves accompanied by periods of drought are encountered more and more frequently. This study aims to evaluate the single and combined effect of water deficit and high temperatures on the thiol precursors biosynthesis in Sauvignon blanc grapes. For this purpose, a protocol has been developed for the cultivation of berries on a solid substrate. The berries, collected at three different times starting from veraison and grown in vitro, were subjected to 4 different treatments: control (C), water stress (WS), heat stress (HS), combined water and heat stress (WSHS). Water stress was simulated by adding abscisic acid to the culture medium, while different temperatures, respectively 25°C and 35°C, were managed with two illuminated climatic chambers.