Nuove soluzioni e strumenti per l’agricoltura e la viticoltura di precisione

L’AOC Priorat, située derrière les montagnes du pré littoral de Tarragone, se caractérise par un climat méditerranéen avec une tendance à la continentalité et très peu de précipitation pendant le cycle végétatif. Les sols sont secs, pauvres et caillouteux, formés par des schistes. Au cours des années 2000 et 2001, une étude de l’influence du terroir sur la typicité des vins du Priorat a été réalisée en prenant comme référence trois cépages cultivés dans différentes parceIles pour mesurer l’effet du terroir et du mésoclimat sur la qualité des vins:

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a desired process in red and acidic white wines, after alcoholic fermentation (AF), carried out by the lactic acid bacterium (LAB) Oenococcus oeni. The advantages are an increase of pH, microbiological stabilization and organoleptic improvement of the final wine. However, the presence of stress factors such as ethanol, low pH, high total SO2, lack of nutrients and presence of inhibitors, could affect the successful completion of MLF [1]. Changes in amino acid composition and deficiencies in peptides after AF, showed that MLF can be delayed, signaling its importance for bacterial growth and L-malic acid degradation during MLF [2].

Implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in viticulture and enology is a rapidly growing field of research with an essential number of potential practical applications.

The chemical composition of grape berries at harvest is one of the most important factors that should be considered to produce high quality wines. Among the different chemical classes which characterize the grape juice, the polyphenolic compound, such as flavonoids, contribute to the final taste and color of wines. Recently, an innovative non-destructive method, based on chlorophyll fluorescence, was developed to estimate the phenolic maturity of red grape varieties through the evaluation of anthocyanins accumulated in the berry skin. To date, only few data are available about the application of this method on white grape varieties.

Late season dehydration, bunch stem necrosis, sugar accumulation disorder and sunburn are various types of berry shrivel occurring in vineyards. The incidence of these types of shrivel, and the degree to which it occur are influenced by various factors in the vineyard. These factors include the presence of pests and diseases in the vineyard, genetic traits expressed in certain cultivars, as
well as climatic and environmental factors. The occurrence of berry shrivel in the vineyard could negatively impact the quality and quantity of the fruit produced.