Elicitors application in two maturation stages of Vitis vinifera L. cv Monastrell: changes on the skin cell walls

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) exhibits a high level of genetic and phenotypic diversity among the approximately 6000 cultivars recorded. This perennial crop is highly vulnerable to numerous fungal diseases, including esca, which is a complex vascular pathology that poses a significant threat to the wine sector, as there is currently no cost-efficient curative method[1]. In this context, an effective approach to mitigate the impact of such diseases is by leveraging the crop’s genetic diversity. Indeed, susceptibility to esca disease appears to vary between cultivars, under artificial or natural infection. However, the mechanisms and varietal characteristics underlying cultivar susceptibility to esca are still unknown.

The use of toasted vine-shoots (SEGs) as an enological tool is a new practice that seeks to improve wines, differentiating them and encouraging sustainable wine production. The micro-oxygenation (MOX) technique is normally combined with alternative oak products with the aim to simulate the oxygen transmission rate that takes place during the traditional barrel aging. Such new use for SEGs implies a reduction in color due to the absorption by the wood of the responsible compounds, therefore, given the known effect that MOX has shown to have on the modification of wine color, its use together with the SEGs could result in an interesting implementation with the aim to obtain final wines with more stable color over time.

Recycled organic mulch within the row in vineyard floor management has become an interesting ecological strategy to adapt the crop to climate change consequences in semi-arid regions.
This study aimed to assess the impact of three recycled organic mulches [straw (STR), grape pruning debris (GPD), and spent mushroom compost (SMC)] and two conventional soil management practices [herbicide (HERB) and under-row tillage (TILL)] on vegetative vigour (NDVI), production (kg/plant), and physiological parameters (δ13C in grapes and leaf gas exchange during four grapevine phenology stages). Additionally, temperature and water soil parameters were collected at three soil depths. Data was collected during the 2021 and 2022 grapevine growing seasons in La Rioja, Spain.

The production of most red wines that are sold involves an alcoholic fermentation carried out by yeasts of the Saccharomyces genus, and a subsequent fermentation carried out by lactic bacteria of the Oenococus oeni species after the first one is fully completed. However, the traditional process can face complications, which can be more likely in grape juices with high levels of sugar and pH. Because of climate change, these situations are more frequent in the wine industry. The main hazards in those scenarios are halts or delays in the alcoholic fermentation or the growth of unwanted bacteria while the alcoholic fermentation is not done yet and the wine still has residual sugars.

Pinking of white wine is an undesired change potentially occurring over storage, leading to the turning of color from yellow into salmon-red hue.