Metabolomics of Vitis davidii Foëx. grapes from southern China: Flavonoids and volatiles reveal the flavor profiles of five spine grape varieties
The spine grapes (Vitis davidii Foëx.) are wild grape species that grow in southern China, and can be used for table grapes, juicing and winemaking. To systematically investigate the flavor profiles of spine grapes, flavonoids and volatile compounds were detected in five spine grape varieties (Seputao, Ziqiu, Miputao, Tianputao and Baiputao) using HPLC-QqQ-MS/MS and GC-MS. The content of these compounds highly depended on the variety, such as the total concentrations of anthocyanins (91.43-328.85 mg/kg FW) and free norisprenoids (2.60 to 11.46 μg/kg FW).
Grape development revisited through the single-berry metabolomic clock paradigm
Although the ripening process of grapevine berries is well-documented at the vineyard level, pinpointing distinct developmental stages remains challenging. The asynchronous development of berries results in dynamic biases and metabolic chimerism. It is thus crucial to consider individual berries separately and resynchronize their internal clock for deciphering physiological changes throughout development. Given the importance of grape composition in wine quality, we aimed at measuring developmental changes in the metabolome of Syrah single berries from anthesis to over-ripening, without a priori preconceived.
Yield formation and grape composition: more than meets the eye
Fruit quality in grapes is not well defined but is often depicted as correlating inversely with crop yield. Both fruit yield and composition, however, are made from distinct components that interact in complex ways. Reproductive growth of grapevines extends over two growing seasons. Inflorescences initiated in buds during the previous year differentiate flowers and set and develop berries during the harvest year.
The key role of vineyard parcel in modifying flavor compounds of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes
To produce premium wines in a specific region is the goal of local oenologists. This study aimed to investigate the influence of soil properties on the flavoromics of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to provide a better insight into single-vineyard wines. Six commercial Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards were selected in the Manas region to collect berries at three harvest ripeness in three seasons (2019–2021). The six vineyards had little difference in mesoclimate conditions while varying greatly in soil composition.
Ugni blanc berry and wine composition impacted by thirteen rootstocks
The Cognac region is expanding, driven by the success of its renowned brandy and the demand for high grape yields to ensure a steady supply of base wine for distillation. Ugni blanc, the most widely planted grape variety, relies on rootstocks for soil and climate adaptation, providing essential nutrient supplies to the scion. Understanding the impact of rootstocks on key berry components, such as sugars and nitrogen compounds, is crucial. These compounds serve as primary precursors for the production of fermentative aroma metabolites, which, in turn, act as quality indicators for eau-de-vie.
Exploring the influence of grapevine rootstock on yield components
Yield is an agronomic trait that is critical to the sustained success and profitability of the wine industry. In the context of global warming, overall yield tends to decrease. Rootstock has been identified as a relevant lever for adaptation to changing environmental conditions. The aims of this study are; i) to finely identify the components of the yield influenced by rootstock; ii) to characterise the rootstock × scion interaction; iii) to understand the trade-off between vigour and yield.
Berry shrivel causes – summarizing current hypotheses
Diverse ripening disorders affect grapevine resulting in high economic losses worldwide. The common obvious symptom is shriveling berries, however the shriveling pattern and the consequences for berry quality traits are distinct in each disorder. Among them, the disorder berry shrivel is characterized by a reduced sugar accumulation short after the onset of berry ripening leaving the clusters unsuitable for wine processing. Although our knowledge on BS increased recently, potential internal or external triggers contributing to the induction of BS are yet to be explored.
Impact of canopy management on thiol precursors in white grapes: a six-year field study
The mechanisms behind thiol precursor accumulation in grapes remain incompletely understood, nor are the ways in which they can be improved by agronomic practices. A six-year field trial studied the physiological response of the Swiss white cultivar Vitis vinifera Arvine, rich in varietal thiols and precursors, to canopy management, i.e. leaf removal and canopy height.. Five treatments were set up in a randomized block design to assess the impacts of 1) pre-flowering LR (i.e. pre-flowering or full-flowering stages) and 2) compensating for the leaf area removed in the cluster zone by increasing the trimming height (i.e. 100 or 150 cm canopy height), compared with a non-defoliated control treatment.
Intensive pre-flowering LR severely reduced yield potential (–47% on average) and reduced the concentration of 3-mercaptohexanol precursors (P-3MH) in the must (–21%; p-value < 0.10).
The regulation of ABA-induced anthocyanin accumulation in grape berry
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.
Xylem vessel blockages in grape pedicel growing in tropical climate observed by microtomography
In grape berry pedicel, xylem hydraulic conductance can be impaired by blockage deposition in the lumen of xylem elements. However, the varietal difference of the interruptions has not yet been characterized. In this preliminary work, we utilized synchrotron x-ray computed microtomography experiments performed at MOGNO beamline (LNLS – Brazil) to identify possible blockage sites in natural grape pedicel xylem. For this, we imaged dehydrated pedicel’s stem portion from the Niagara Rosada variety in three different phenological stages (Pre-veraison (PreV), veraison (V) and post-veraison (PostV). The reconstructed tridimensional images with a voxel size of 1.16 µm were segmented for the identification of xylem vessel lumens. After analysing one pedicel stem per stage, we identified 658 vessels without occlusion throughout his axial plane and 41 in which we could identify possible interruptions.
Genetic determinism of grapevine development stages as a tool for the adaptation to climate change
A major goal of modern grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) breeding programs is the introgression of resistance genes along with desirable traits for better adaptation to climate change. Developmental stages have an impact on yield components and berry composition and are expected to shift towards earlier dates in the future. We investigated the genetic determinism of phenological stages in the progeny of a cross between two grapevine hybrids, each carrying several quantitative trait loci (QTL) for downy mildew and powdery mildew resistance.
Intra-varietal diversity in cv. ‘Tempranillo Tinto’: phenological stages
‘Tempranillo Tinto’ is one of the most relevant grapevine cultivars worldwide. Despite its early ripening and relatively short vegetative cycle, which may not be ideal for high-quality grape and wine production in warming conditions, its long-standing cultivation has led to an intense multiplication by cuttings, which originated the high level of clonal variation currently available. Now, this intra-varietal diversity provides an interesting opportunity for cultivar improvement by identifying genotypes with better adaptation potential.
Fruit set rate clonal variation explains yield differences at harvest in Malbec
Malbec is Argentina’s flagship variety, and it is internationally recognized for producing high-quality red wines. Fruit set rate is a major component in grapevine yield determination, and it is the outcome of multiple genetic and environmental interacting variables. Here, we characterized the reproductive performance of 25 Malbec clones grown under homogeneous conditions in a 23-years old experimental plot. We measured traits near flowering (like the number of flowers per inflorescence) and at harvest (including the number of berries per cluster and berry weight), during two consecutive seasons (2022 and 2023).
Does foliar fertilization with Seaweed improve the productivity and quality of ‘Merlot’ grape must?
Developing technologies that help vines survive and produce in quantity and quality within current times is mandatory. In this sense, in the 2021/2022 agricultural harvest, the influence of the foliar application of seaweed – Laminaria japonica was studied, aiming at productivity and quality of the must in the ‘Merlot’ grape. In the city of “Santana do Livramento”, “Rio Grande do Sul” (RS), Brazil; in a 15-year-old commercial vineyard of ‘Merlot’ clone ENTAV-INRA® 347, grafted onto ‘SO4’ rootstock, the following treatments were applied on 6 occasions: No treatment (control) and; Foliar application of Laminaria japonica seaweed (commercial product: Exal (ALAS), 2 kg ha-1).
VviSOC1a and VviAG1 act antagonistically in the regulation of flower formation
The SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS1 (SOC1) is a key floral activator that coordinates external and internal stimuli to ensure timely flowering. During early stages of flower formation, SOC1 represses floral organ identity genes such as AGAMOUS (AG) to prevent premature organ differentiation. In addition to floral organ specification, AG has been shown to regulate fleshy fruit expansion and ripening and, as such, is an important contributor to fruit quality traits. Currently, little is known about the function and gene regulatory network of the grapevine homologs VviSOC1a and VviAG1. As such, the aim of this study was to functionally characterise both genes by overexpressing them in tomato and performing phenotypic and gene expression studies.
Functional characterisation of genetic elements regulating bunch morphology in grapevine
Vitis vinifera L., is considered one of the world’s most important cultivated fruit crops. In agriculture, bunch morphology is a grapevine-specific trait, which directly impacts fruit quality and health.
Bunch size, shape, and compactness are major aspects of bunch morphology, with the degree of compactness emerging as an important trait for grapevine genetic enhancement and vineyard management. The importance of this trait stems from its impact on disease susceptibility, berry ripening, and other grape quality properties. However, current knowledge of the genes controlling it remains limited.
Characterizing graft union formation in different scion/rootstock combinations of grapevine
In most viticultural regions, grapevines are cultivated grafted, employing either hybrid or pure species of various American Vitis spp., such as V. berlandieri, V. rupestris, and V. riparia, as grapevine rootstocks. These rootstocks play a crucial role in providing resistance to the Phylloxera insect pest. Beyond Phylloxera resistance, it is desirable for grapevine rootstocks to exhibit resistance to other soil-borne pathogens and adaptability to abiotic stress conditions. The introduction of new rootstocks holds promise for adapting agriculture to climate change without altering the characteristics of the final harvested product.
An evaluation of the physiological responses of young grapevines planted and maintained under water constraint
The aim of this ongoing study is to evaluate the degree of adaptability of grapevine scion:rootstock combinations to different conditions of water constraint. Here we present results from the young vine development phase, using three scenarios of water constraint that were implemented from planting. The experimental vineyard was established in 2020 and the data presented will cover the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons. The experiment consisted of the cultivars Pinotage (PIN), Shiraz (SHI) and Cabernet Sauvignon (CAB), grafted on two rootstocks, Richter 110 (R110) and USVIT-8-7 (US87).
Characterization of four Chenin Blanc-rootstock combinations to assess grapevine adaptability to water constraint
Climate change impacts water availability for agriculture, notably in semi-arid regions like South Africa, necessitating research on cultivar and rootstock adaptability to water constraints. To evaluate the performance (vegetative and reproductive) of different Chenin Blanc-rootstock combinations to the two water regimes, a field experiment was established in a model vineyard at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Chenin Blanc vines grafted onto four different rootstocks (110Richter, 99Richter, 1103Paulsen and US 8-7) were planted in 2020. The vines are managed under two contrasting water conditions – dryland and irrigated (industry norm).
Monitoring early rooting behavior of grapevine rootstocks: a 2D-imaging approach
The plasticity of grapevines in response to diverse growing conditions is influenced, among other factors, by the extent to which the roots explore the soil and the ability to accumulate and retrieve water and nutrients.
Newly planted grapevines, in particular, face challenges due to limited resources. The young plant’s ability for a fast and intensive penetration of the soil is vital in periods of water scarcity. The selection of an appropriate, site-specific rootstock significantly impacts both, the quality of the fruit produced and the economic success of the wine estate.