Search Results (181)

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is an economically important fruit crop cultivated worldwide. However, its production and fruit quality are severely constrained by powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator) and Botrytis bunch rot (Botrytis cinerea) diseases. Increasing concerns regarding chemical fungicide resistance and environmental sustainability highlight the urgent need to develop alternative and more sustainable disease management strategies. This study assessed the field efficacy of Pseudomonas protegens-based formulations (TANIRI^® WP at 1 g·L⁻¹ and MaxGrowth at 1 mL·L⁻¹) within an integrated disease management program in cv. Chardonnay. Defense-related gene expression analysis revealed that biological treatments predominantly up-regulated pr1, pr2, and pr10 in both leaves and berries. In contrast, the chemical inducer acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) triggered earlier but less consistent induction of pr1 and pr2, alongside transient activation of pal and lox9. Repeated field applications of P. protegens formulations moderately reduced the severity of Botrytis bunch rot (20.89%) and powdery mildew (6.14%), though control levels remained below conventional sulfur/Bacillus subtilis-based treatments (30.04% and 13.56%, respectively). Overall, these findings suggest that biological inducers could complement conventional management practices for grapevine health. In particular, P. protegens may act mainly by systemically inducing host defense responses and partially suppressing pathogen development under field conditions. Full article

Climate change and variable rainfall are pushing the wine industry to assess grapevine adaptability, as water deficit alters volatile compounds and understanding these processes is key to maintaining wine quality. A total of 64 compounds, free and glycosidically bound fractions, were analyzed using HS-SPME-GC×GC/ToFMS in Macabeo and Chardonnay grapes under two water irrigation regimes. Results showed that water availability significantly influenced aroma composition. Macabeo showed a strong response to rainfed conditions, with higher levels of monoterpenes, norisoprenoids and sesquiterpenes, mainly in the bound fraction, suggesting a metabolic adaptation to preserve aromatic potential. Chardonnay showed a more stable bound fraction and moderate changes in specific volatiles. These findings indicate that this advanced chromatographic technique allows a detailed evaluation of aroma precursors and their modulation by water availability. Full article

Grapevine tissues (Vitis spp.) are rich in various phenolic compounds and polysaccharides, which complicates the isolation of dsDNA for molecular analysis. In this study, 25 different DNA extraction buffers were developed and tested using a six-factor matrix method with five levels of variation. An optimized buffer based on 100 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0) was developed, containing 1% (m/v) CTAB, 1% (m/v) PVP, 5% (v/v) β-mercaptoethanol, 30 mM Na₂EDTA, 1.0 M NaCl, and 60 min of incubation. The protocol allowed us to obtain high-quality DNA (187–305 ng/µL, OD260/OD280 = 1.80–1.88) suitable for PCR from five grape varieties: ‘Chardonnay’, ‘Kober 5BB’, ‘Shine Muscat’, ‘Selection Oppenheim 4’, and ‘Fercal’, grown in vitro. This universal buffer improves the reproducibility of results in studies of genetic diversity, pathogen detection, and breeding. Full article

Frequent rainfall during the ripening season in Shaanxi’s grape-growing regions increases the incidence of downy mildew and black rot. In recent years, rain-shelter cultivation has reduced the incidence of these diseases; however, it has been associated with frequent powdery mildew outbreaks that severely compromise fruit quality and yield. To mitigate powdery mildew under rain-shelter conditions, we characterized disease dynamics and evaluated “bio-based” or “microbial-derived” pesticide control strategies. A large number of studies have shown that rain shelter cultivation can significantly change the microclimate. This study found that changes in microclimate affect the incidence pattern of powdery mildew, and there are significant differences in the resistance of different grape varieties to powdery mildew. A prediction model based on microclimate showed that 15-day accumulated growing degree days (GDD15; base 10 °C) before disease onset were positively correlated with the disease index (r = 0.860), whereas relative humidity was negatively correlated (r = −0.637); a multiple regression including both variables explained 81.4% of the variance. In biopesticide screening, blasticidin S and polyoxin inhibited spore germination by >95%. In-shelter efficacy varied among cultivars, and biopesticide effects on fruit quality were also cultivar dependent. For example, blasticidin S increased total phenol and anthocyanin contents in Cabernet Sauvignon but reduced phenolic accumulation in Chardonnay. Full article

This study systematically evaluated six white grape cultivars and their wines from Changli, China, through multi-analytical techniques (HPLC, LC-MS/MS, HS-SPME -GC-MS, etc.) to compare oenological parameters, organic acid profiles, phenolic compositions, and aromatic volatiles. Results indicated that the total sugar contents in Aranèle (202.11 g/L) and Viognier (201.12 g/L) berries were significantly higher than those in other varieties. Compared with other varieties, Roussanne grape juice and wine had a higher content of phenolic components, and the fermented Chardonnay wine exhibited a higher proanthocyanidin content. In the flavor profile of the wines, the contents of ethyl octanoate, isoamyl acetate, and α-ionene in Semillon wine (total volatile components in Semillon: 56,147.3 μg/L) were significantly higher than those in the other wines. Additionally, Aranèle wine had the highest phenethyl alcohol content. The principal component analysis (PCA), performed on combined normalized data of organic acids, phenolic components, and volatile compounds, revealed distinct clustering of the six white wines. The first and second principal components explained 41.63% and 43.37% of the total variance, respectively, demonstrating clear differentiation among the six white wines. Sensory analysis revealed no distinct differences in appearance among the six white wines, whereas significant variations were observed in aroma and taste profiles. Full article

Vitis sp. cv. Koshu is an important Japanese indigenous wine grape cultivar. However, it possesses challenging traits for winemaking, including large berries and low sugar content. To explore the transcriptional profile associated with these characteristics, we conducted a comparative transcriptome analysis of the berry flesh of Koshu and Chardonnay at 10 days after the onset of véraison. A total of 5534 differentially expressed genes were identified, revealing a distinct transcriptional profile in Koshu. The expression patterns in Koshu suggest an altered ripening progression, characterized by the marked downregulation of the ripening marker Grape Ripening-Induced Protein 22-like (GRIP22-like) and the upregulation of photosynthesis-related genes. Despite its large-berry phenotype, cell wall-loosening genes were suppressed in Koshu, leading to the hypothesis that its size may reflect cell division in the early growth stage rather than cell expansion during ripening. Its low-sugar phenotype appears to be associated with multiple factors, including the suppression of key sugar accumulation enzyme genes, such as sucrose synthase 2 (SS2) and sucrose-phosphate synthase 1 (SPS1), the upregulation of Early Response to Dehydration 6-like (ERD6-like) genes, which encode putative vacuolar glucose exporters, and the suppression of cell wall-loosening genes, suggesting a potential biophysical limitation on sugar storage. This study provides the first detailed transcriptomic resource for Koshu berry and identifies key candidate genes for future breeding strategies to improve this unique cultivar. Full article

Orchard crops generate substantial quantities of diverse biomass each year, with grapevines being among the most economically significant species worldwide. Considering the scale of this biomass, there is a growing need to explore rational strategies for its utilisation, for example, for energy production or other value-added applications. Such approaches may contribute to improving resource efficiency and reducing the environmental burden associated with agricultural waste. The aim of this study was to examine the energy potential of woody post-production waste from wine processing, with particular emphasis on grape stems of four cultivars—Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, and Zweigelt—grown in two contrasting climatic regions: south-eastern Poland and Moravia (Czech Republic). The results demonstrated that both the grape variety and cultivation site significantly influenced the majority of bunch biometric traits, including bunch and berry weight, berry number, and stem dimensions. A moderately warm climate promoted the development of larger and heavier bunches as well as more robust stems across all examined cultivars. Energy analyses indicated that Zweigelt stems produced under moderately warm conditions and Chardonnay stems from a temperate climate exhibited the most favourable combustion properties. Nonetheless, certain constraints were identified, such as increased ash (12.20%) and moisture content (11.51%) in Chardonnay grown in warmer conditions, and elevated CO and CO₂ emissions observed for Zweigelt (1333.26 kg·mg⁻¹). Overall, the findings confirm that grape stems constitute a promising local source of bioenergy, with their energy performance determined predominantly by varietal characteristics and climatic factors. Their utilisation aligns with circular-economy principles and may help reduce the environmental impacts associated with traditional viticultural waste management. Full article

Protein instability in white wines is mainly caused by pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins that survive winemaking and can form haze in bottle. Because PR-protein synthesis is modulated by vine stress, this study evaluated whether unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral imagery and NDVI-based vigor zoning can be used as early predictors of protein instability in commercial Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines. High-resolution multispectral images were acquired over two seasons (2023–2024) in two vineyards, and three vigor zones (high, medium, low) were delineated from the NDVI at the individual vine scale. A total of 180 georeferenced vines were sampled, and musts were analyzed for thaumatin-like proteins and chitinases via RP-HPLC. Separate microvinifications were carried out for each vigor zone and cultivar, and the resulting wines were evaluated for protein instability (heat test) and bentonite requirements. Low-vigor vines consistently produced musts with higher PR-protein concentrations, greater turbidity after heating, and higher bentonite demand than high-vigor vines, with stronger effects in Sauvignon Blanc. These vigor-dependent patterns were stable across vintages, despite contrasting seasonal conditions. Linear discriminant analysis using NDVI, PR-protein content, turbidity, and bentonite dosage correctly separated vigor classes. Overall, UAV NDVI–based vigor zoning provided a robust, non-destructive tool for identifying vineyard zones with increased risk of protein instability. This approach supports precision enology by enabling site-specific stabilization strategies that reduce overtreatment with bentonite and preserve white wine quality. Full article

Flavonols are an important secondary metabolite in grape, which play a crucial role in plant growth and development, human health, and wine making. Ethylene and its inhibitor 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) are widely used in grape berry production. However, the regulation mechanism of flavonol biosynthesis by ethylene and 1-MCP remains elusive in yellow-green grape varieties. Here, the content of flavonols in ‘Chardonnay’ grape berry skin after ethylene treatment was significantly higher than the control, while 1-MCP treatment was lower than the control. The phenylpropanoid biosynthesis-related genes and a transcription factor VvERF003 were screened for possible involvement in ethylene-mediated flavonol biosynthesis by transcriptome sequencing. The role of VvERF003 was further proved to promote flavonol accumulation in the transient overexpression of grape fruits and leaves, and the upregulation of genes related to flavonol biosynthesis. Furthermore, VvERF003 promoted flavonol biosynthesis by directly binding to and activating the promoters of VvCHI1 and VvFLS1, and positively regulated their expression. These results indicated that VvERF003 was induced by ethylene and promoted the accumulation of flavonols in ‘Chardonnay’ grape berry skin by positively regulating the flavonol biosynthesis genes VvCHI1 and VvFLS1. Full article

Spring frost poses a major threat to grape-producing regions, severely reducing grape yield and quality. Grafting rootstocks is an effective strategy for enhancing scion resistance to spring frost and mitigating damage. In this study, the two wine grape cultivars (‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ and ‘Chardonnay’) grafted onto three rootstocks (‘Beta’, ‘Kober 5BB’, and ‘3309 Couderc’) were evaluated for their spring frost resistance on one-year-old vines. The scion–rootstock combinations exhibited significantly less photosynthetic impairment under frost stress compared with own-rooted vines. Rootstock also showed lower levels of proline accumulation in the roots and APX activities in the leaves under frost conditions. Compared with own-rooted vines, VvCBF1 gene expression were significantly upregulated in the grafted combinations under frost stress conditions. Among the tested rootstocks, ‘Kober 5BB’ markedly improved the spring frost resistance of both cultivars. CH/5BB exhibited the highest activities of POD and APX activity and the greatest induction of VvCBF genes, along with the lowest relative electrical conductivity and H₂O₂ content. These results highlight the critical role of rootstocks in improving scion spring frost resistance and provide important guidance for selecting suitable rootstocks to mitigate the impact of late frosts. Full article

The aim of this work is to study the correlations of the elemental composition in the “soil–grape–wine” chain to determine the regional origin of Chardonnay grapes and wine. Soil samples (n = 40) from five vineyards in the Anapa region, Russia, taken from eight different depths, grapes from these vineyards (n = 75), and wines obtained from these grapes (n = 5) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The mineralogical composition of the soils was determined using thermal and X-ray phase analysis. The mineralogical composition of vineyard soils mainly consists of calcite, quartz, nontronite, vermiculite, and muscovite. According to spectrometric analysis, the distribution of both the total content and the mobile forms of elements in soil profiles turned out to be similar. The content of Na, Ca, and Sr increased with increasing sampling depth, while the content of Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn, Pb, and Zn decreased. Regardless of the area of cultivation, the predominant elements in grapes are K, Ca, Na, and Mg. It is established that the elemental profiles of grapes and wine are correlated. At the same time, during the winemaking process, a decrease in the concentration of most elements (Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Rb, Sr, Ti, and Zn) is observed. It has been shown that the vine is able to accumulate not only mobile but also less bioavailable forms of metals from the soil (Cu, Fe, K, Rb, Ti, and Zn), while the migration of Ca and Na remains low (<7%). Using discriminant analysis, a model of grape identification based on the concentrations of Al, Li, Mn, Na, Pb, and Rb was developed. This model demonstrated a high accuracy (100% for training and test datasets) in grape classification by region, confirming that the elemental “fingerprint” is a reliable marker of terroir. Full article

The valorization of grapevine pruning residues through pyrolysis provides a sustainable approach to agricultural waste management, producing biochar with agricultural use potential and carbon sink functionality. This study investigated pruning residues from 12 grapevine cultivars to evaluate the cultivar effects on biochar properties. Samples were collected along the Croatian coast from Istria to Dalmatia and included six indigenous cultivars (Malvazija istarska, Pošip, Maraština, Teran, Plavina, and Plavac mali) and six introduced cultivars (Chardonnay, Pinot blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah). For each cultivar, residues were collected from three distinct vineyards with three replicates per vineyard. Pyrolysis was conducted in a muffle furnace at 400 °C. The pruning residues showed acidic pH (4.79–5.45), moderate electrical conductivity (1694–2390 µS cm⁻¹), and ash contents of 2.65–3.49% among all cultivars. Significant differences were observed among cultivars in residue carbon content and ash fraction, which were reflected in the resulting biochar. Biochar yield ranged from 32% to 35%, while pH values were alkaline, ranging from 10.20 to 11.13. Total carbon increased from 43.77 to 45.36% in grapevine-pruning residues to 65.88–71.57% in biochar. FT-IR spectra revealed cultivar-dependent variation in aromatic C=C intensification, while SEM analysis indicated differences in pore abundance and surface area (1.63–4.13 m² g⁻¹) between cultivars. These results demonstrate that carbon-dense cultivars produced biochars with greater structural stability, indicating enhanced resistance to decomposition. Spectroscopic and microscopic analyses consistently showed increased aromatic condensation, reduced aliphatic functionality, and greater porosity following pyrolysis. These cultivar-dependent differences highlight pruning residues as a chemically heterogeneous but predictable feedstock, with biochar properties primarily governed by the intrinsic characteristics of the source material. Full article

Grape (Vitis vinifera spp.) accessions exhibit rich diversity, and understanding their genetic variation and evolutionary relationships is crucial for cultivar selection and utilization. A highly representative SNP marker set was developed in this study based on re-sequencing data analysis, to clarify the phylogenetic relationships among 96 grape accessions and to evaluate the genetic resolution of core markers. Using PN40024 as the reference genome, high-quality SNP loci were screened from resequencing data of the 96 accessions. A phylogenetic tree was constructed, and genetic diversity was analyzed using PCA and population structure analysis. The results showed that the 96 accessions were mainly divided into four groups: European (‘Merlot’, ‘Chardonnay’), American (‘Beta’, ‘Concord’), Euro-American hybrids (‘Vidal’, ‘Miguang’), and wild populations along with their hybrid progeny (‘Zuoyouhong’, ‘Huajia 8’). PCA and ADMIXTURE validated population differentiation, revealing clear separation between wild and cultivated accessions. Through screening of core SNP markers, 384,304 candidate SNPs suitable for probe design were identified. Further refinement yielded 2000 and 10,000 SNP markers. Detailed analysis of core marker characteristics showed that their minor allele frequency (MAF) was predominantly between 0.1 and 0.3, with the majority distributed in CDS (38.65%), intronic (30.2%), and intergenic regions. The most common mutation types were [A/G] (35%) and [C/T] (34%) transitions. The 2000 core SNPs were associated with 1220 functional genes and were significantly enriched in pathways such as protein binding, RNA transport, and plant–pathogen interaction. These findings provide an efficient tool for grape genetic diversity analysis, cultivar identification, and molecular breeding, laying the groundwork for the precise utilization of grape germplasm resources. Full article

Nitrogen (N) is a key nutrient for grapevine development, influencing from biomass formation to photosynthetic efficiency and grape quality. However, despite the widespread adoption of grafted plants in modern viticulture, understanding of how different scion–rootstock combinations modulate the uptake of different forms of N present in the soil remains limited. In this context, assessing the nutrient uptake efficiency of grapevines can be a strategy for selecting efficient cultivars, especially in nutritionally poor environments. This study aimed to assess the uptake efficiency of N forms by ‘Chardonnay’ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ grafted onto rootstocks ‘IAC 572’, ‘Paulsen 1103’ and ‘SO4’. Vines were subjected to Hoagland’s nutrient solution at 50% total strength for 21 days, followed by nutrient depletion and a 72 h kinetic uptake assay. Morphological, physiological, biochemical and uptake-related parameters—V_max, K_m, C_min and influx (I)—were assessed. ‘Chardonnay’ grafted onto the ‘IAC 572’ rootstock was the most efficient in the uptake of both NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺, as it showed the lowest K_m and C_min values and a high influx in relation to the other grapevines evaluated. In general, the ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ grafted onto the ‘Paulsen 1103’ and ‘IAC 572’ exhibited the highest affinity (i.e., lower K_m) for N forms, indicating that these combinations are more adaptable to environments with low N availability or require lower N inputs. These findings highlight the importance of using kinetic parameters in plant selection, because they can point out the efficient use of and ability to uptake different N forms, in addition to selecting plants that are efficient at uptaking nutrients in nutritionally depleted soils, or even physiologically efficient with low fertilization rates. Full article

The aim of this study was to assess the energy potential of woody grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) shoots depending on the cultivation system, cultivar, and fruit colour. Field studies were conducted in 2024 at the Mendel University Vineyard in Lednice (Czech Republic) on Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling, and Zweigelt cultivars, cultivated using the Guyot and Cordon systems. The cultivar analysis covered both the amount of biomass produced during pruning and its energy and emission properties. Laboratory tests of the energy potential of the biomass obtained were carried out at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin. The results showed that the varietal factor significantly influenced the biomass parameters—Chardonnay was characterised by the highest total plant weight (773.57 g), while Zweigelt (8.60 pcs.) had the highest number of shoots with the lowest unit weight (74.82 g). The Cordon system generated significantly higher biomass yields and more favourable combustion properties compared to Guyot. Differences in fruit colour indicate that, among the studied cultivars, white-berried varieties produce heavier shoots, whereas red varieties produce a greater number of shoots. The analysis of gas emissions showed a significant influence of the cultivar and training system, with the highest CO, CO₂, and NOx emissions recorded for the Zweigelt cultivar. The results emphasise that an integrated approach, taking into account both genotypic factors, training systems and phenotypic characteristics of the vines, is crucial for optimising the use of wine biomass as an energy source in the context of a circular economy. Full article