Development of a GRASS-GIS application for the characterization of vineyards in the province of Trento

Climate change is having an unprecedented impact on the wine industry, which is one of the major agricultural sectors around the world. Global warming, combined with the variation in rainfall patterns and the increase in frequency of extreme weather events, is significantly influencing vine physiology and exposing, more frequently, plants to severe biotic and abiotic stresses. This represents a challenge for viticulturists who need to take complex decisions to adjust vineyard management and achieve oenological goals.

Dehydrodicatechins have recently received attention as oxidation markers especially in grapes and wine. Their analysis mainly uses LC-MS/MS which is able to differentiate them from their natural isomers (dimeric procyanidins), based on specific fragments

Probably one of the most counterintuitive impacts of climate change on vine is the increased frequency of late frost. Champagne, due to its septentrional position is historically and regularly affected by this meteorological hazard. Champagne has therefore developed a strong experience in frost protection with first experiments dating from the end of 19th century. Frost protection can be divided in two parts: passive and active. Passive protection includes all the methods that do not seek to modify the vine’s environment or resistance at the time of frost. The most iconic passive protection in Champagne is the establishment of the individual reserve. This reserve allows to stock a certain quantity of clear wine during a surplus year to compensate a meteorological hazard like frost during the following years. Other common passive methods are the control of planting area (walls, bushes, topography), the choice of grape variety, late pruning, or the impact of grass cover and tillage. Active frost protection is also divided in two parts. Most of the existing techniques tend to modify vine’s environment. Most of the time they provide warmth (candles, heaters, windmills, heating cables…), or stabilise bud’s temperature above a lethal threshold (water sprinkling). The other way to actively fight is to enhance the resistance of buds to frost (elicitors). The Comité Champagne evaluates frost protection methods following three main axes: the efficiency, the profitability, and the environmental impact through a lifecycle assessment. This study will present the results on both passive and active protection following these three axes.

Oenococcus oeni is the main lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species which conducts the malolactic fermentation (MLF) in wine. During MLF, O. oeni converts malic acid into lactic acid, which modulates wine aroma composition leading to better balanced organoleptic properties. O. oeni is a highly specialized species only detected in environments containing alcohol such as wine, cider or kombucha. Genome analysis of more than 240 strains showed that they form at least 4 main phylogenetic lineages and several sublineages, which are associated with different beverages or types of wines.

Viti-tunnel®, une innovation imaginée pour répondre à deux des objectifs majeurs des viticulteurs : 1.la sécurisation de la vendange : viti-tunnel® permet de protéger les vignobles des pertes de récolte dues aux maladies, au gel et à la grêle. 2.la réduction des pesticides : viti-tunnel® permet de réduire de plus de 90 %, le recours aux produits phytosanitaires et aux passages de pulvérisateurs, et ce, en toute sécurité pour la vendange. Un dispositif automatisé pour protéger les vignes viti-tunnel® est un dispositif de mise à l’abri automatique des rangs de vigne pendant les pluies et les évènements climatiques extrêmes.