Search Results (144)

Microbial forensics involves analyzing biological evidence to evaluate weaponized microorganisms or their toxins. This study aimed to detect and type Yersinia pestis from four simulated forensic samples—human plasma diluted in phosphate-buffered saline (#24-2), tomato juice (#24-5), grape juice (#24-8), and a surgical mask (#24-10). Notably, samples #24-10 may have contained live bacteria other than Y. pestis. A real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of Y. pestis in all samples; however, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) coverage of the Y. pestis chromosome ranged from 0.46% to 97.1%, largely due to host DNA interference and low abundance. To address these limitations and enable strain-level identification, we designed a hybridization-based target enrichment approach focused on multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). Next-generation sequencing (NGS) using whole-genome amplification revealed that the accuracy of the 25 MLVA profiles of Y. pestis for samples #24-2, #24-5, #24-8, and #24-10 was 4%, 100%, 52%, and 0%, respectively. However, all samples showed 100% accuracy with target-enriched NGS, confirming they all belong to the same strain. These findings demonstrate that a targeted enrichment strategy for MLVA loci can overcome common obstacles in microbial forensics, particularly when working with trace or degraded samples where conventional WGS proves challenging. Full article

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are widely used to enhance table grape quality, yet cultivar-specific responses and microstructural outcomes remain insufficiently resolved. We evaluated five PGRs—gibberellic acid (GA₃), 24-epibrassinolide (EBR), forchlorfenuron (CPPU), thidiazuron (TDZ), and streptomycin (SM)—in ‘Shine Muscat’ and ‘Red Muscat of Alexandria’. Twelve combinations were applied at full bloom (D0) and 14 days post-anthesis (D14), and morphological, physiological, and histological traits were monitored over 104 days. In ‘Shine Muscat’, GA₃ + TDZ and GA₃ + CPPU achieved nearly 100% seedlessness, while CPPU and TDZ markedly increased berry weight and size via cortical expansion. GA₃ increased berry weight but caused rachis thickening and reduced total soluble solids (TSS). EBR at concentrations ≥ 0.2 mg L⁻¹ inhibited berry growth, and SM reduced berry size and weight. Histology showed that TDZ and CPPU enlarged cortical area and epidermal thickness, potentially strengthening pericarp robustness, whereas GA₃ enlarged vascular bundle area. ‘Red Muscat of Alexandria’ showed generally weaker responses, reflecting differences between Vitis vinifera and hybrid backgrounds. These results demonstrate that combinatorial PGR strategies can be tailored to optimize berry development and quality through coordinated regulation of growth, metabolism, and microstructure. TDZ and CPPU exhibit strong production potential for enlargement, whereas GA₃ and EBR require careful dose optimization to balance benefits and quality risks. Full article

Carpel number has been recognized as a critical factor influencing fruit size, ultimately determining yield and economic efficiency. The WUSCHEL (WUS) protein is essential for maintaining stem cell homeostasis in the floral meristem. Its expression level directly influences the size of the floral meristem (FM), thereby determining the number of floral organs in Arabidopsis thaliana, Solanum lycopersicum, and Cucumis sativus. While its role remained largely unexplored in grapevine (Vitis vinifera). This study cloned the VvWUS gene from the polycarpic grape cultivar ‘Jizaomi’. Transgenic tomato lines expressing VvWUS heterologously exhibited accelerated floral transition, enhanced carpel/floral organ initiation, and had significantly higher locule numbers relative to wild type. Furthermore, direct binding of VvWUS to the VvAGAMOUS (VvAG) promoter and activation of VvAG expression were demonstrated through yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and dual-luciferase (LUC) assays. These findings elucidated the molecular function of VvWUS in grape carpel development, providing a foundational basis for molecular breeding strategies targeting large-berry grape varieties. Full article

Wine quality is closely linked to sensory attributes such as aroma, taste, and mouthfeel, all of which are influenced by grape variety, “terroir”, and vinification practices. Among these, aroma is particularly important for consumer preference, and it results from a complex interplay of numerous volatile compounds. Conventional sensory methods, such as descriptive analysis (DA) performed by trained panels, offer valuable insights but are often time-consuming, resource-intensive, and subject to individual variability. Recent advances in sensor technologies—including electronic nose (E-nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue)—combined with chemometric techniques and machine learning algorithms, offer more efficient, objective, and predictive approaches to wine aroma profiling. These tools integrate analytical and sensory data to predict aromatic characteristics and quality traits across diverse wine styles. Complementary techniques, including gas chromatography (GC), near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, and quantitative structure–odor relationship (QSOR) modeling, when integrated with multivariate statistical methods such as partial least squares regression (PLSR) and neural networks, have shown high predictive accuracy in assessing wine aroma and quality. Such approaches facilitate real-time monitoring, strengthen quality control, and support informed decision-making in enology. However, aligning instrumental outputs with human sensory perception remains a challenge, highlighting the need for further refinement of hybrid models. This review highlights the emerging role of predictive modeling and sensor-based technologies in advancing wine aroma evaluation and quality management. Full article

Isabella, an ancient hybrid grape originating from Vitis labrusca and Vitis vinifera genotypes, is widely cultivated for various food products and is considered a superfood due to its nutritional profile and high polyphenol content. To overcome the unsustainability of intensive agriculture and establish a new route towards more sustainable and socially fair superfood production, this work validated the establishment of undifferentiated in vitro cultures of V. labrusca var. Isabella. Two callus cell lines have been obtained on two different solid media, exhibiting distinct morpho-chemical characteristics. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the callus juices were statistically different in the two cell lines. The subsequent qualitative–quantitative LC-MS analysis revealed the presence of seven stilbenoid derivatives in one cell line and three in the other; likewise, the total stilbenoid content was statistically different between the two cell lines (5.76 and 23.24 µg/mL of juice in the two cell lines on the 28th day of growth). The Isabella cell cultures possess nutritionally valuable profiles. These results suggest that plant cell culture technology can be a sustainable and viable option for the production of complementary, added-value food materials. Full article

Downy mildew caused by Plasmopara viticola is an important disease in grape production, particularly in the highly susceptible, widely cultivated Vitis vinifera L. Breeding for disease resistance is an effective solution, and V. vinifera intraspecific crosses can yield progeny with both disease resistance and high quality. To assess the potential of intraspecific recurrent selection in V. vinifera (IRSV) in improving grapevine resistance to downy mildew and to analyze the pattern of disease resistance inheritance, the disease-resistant variety Ecolly was selected as one of the parents and crossed with Cabernet Sauvignon, Marselan, and Dunkelfelder, respectively, creating three reciprocal combinations, resulting in 1657 hybrid F1 progenies. The primary results are as follows: (1) significant differences in disease resistance among grape varieties and, significant differences in disease resistance between different vintages of the same variety were found; (2) the leaf downy mildew resistance levels of F1 progeny of different hybrid combinations conformed to a skewed normal distribution and showed some maternal dominance; (3) the degree of leaf bulbous elevation was negatively correlated with the level of leaf downy mildew resistance, and the correlation coefficient with the level of field resistance was higher; (4) five progenies with higher levels of both field and in vitro disease resistance were obtained. Intraspecific hybridization can improve the disease resistance of offspring through super-parent genetic effects, and Ecolly can be used as breeding material for recurrent hybridization to obtain highly resistant varieties. Full article

Gradual climate warming is favoring viticulture in Poland. At the same time, there is a lack of information about the suitability of grape varieties grown in Poland for processing. The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of pre-treatment on the pressing yield of grape juice and its qualitative assessment. The study applied pre-treatment of raw material, involving either enzymatic liquefaction of the pulp in the first case or freezing and thawing of the pulp prior to pressing in the second case. There was considerable variation among the grape varieties studied in terms of the characteristics under analysis. The varietal characteristics had a significant effect on the pressing yield and the quality of the juice obtained. Pre-treatment had different effects on the pressing yield of the individual grape varieties and the quality of the obtained juices. The research carried out may improve the efficiency and quality of agricultural production with the rational use of locally grown grape hybrids. Full article

A high-throughput sequencing-based grapevine metagenomic survey was conducted across all grape-growing Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Québec) with the objective of better understanding the grapevine virome composition. In total, 310 composite grapevine samples representing nine Vitis vinifera red; five V. vinifera white; seven American–French red; and five white hybrid cultivars were analyzed. dsRNA, enriched using two different methods, was used as the starting material and source of viral nucleic acids in HTS. The virome status on the distribution and incidence in different regions and grapevine cultivars is addressed. Results from this study revealed the presence of 20 viruses and 3 viroids in the samples tested. Twelve viruses, which are in the regulated viruses list under grapevine certification, were identified in this survey. The major viruses detected in this survey and their incidence rates are GRSPaV (26% to 100%), GLRaV-2 (1% to 18%), GLRaV-3 (15% to 63%), GRVFV (0% to 52%), GRGV (0% to 52%), GPGV (3.3% to 77%), GFkV (1.5% to 31.6%), and GRBV (0% to 19.4%). This survey is the first comprehensive virome study using viral dsRNA and a metagenomics approach on grapevine samples from the British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Quebec provinces in Canada. Results from this survey highlight the grapevine virome distribution across four major grapevine-growing regions and their cultivars. The outcome of this survey underlines the need for strengthening current management options to mitigate the impact of virus spread, and the implementation of a domestic grapevine clean plant program to improve the sanitary status of the grapevine ecosystem. Full article

There are many products obtained from grapes. The early detection of diseases in an economically important fruit is important, and the spread of disease significantly increases financial losses. In recent years, it is known that artificial intelligence techniques have achieved very successful results in image classification. Therefore, the early detection and classification of grape diseases with the latest artificial intelligence techniques and feature reduction techniques was carried out within the scope of this study. The most well-known convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures, texture-based Local Binary Pattern (LBP) and Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) methods, Neighborhood Component Analysis (NCA), feature reduction methods, and machine learning (ML) techniques are the methods used in this article. The proposed hybrid model was compared with two texture-based and four CNN models. The features from the most successful CNN model and texture-based architectures were combined. The NCA method was used to select the best features from the obtained feature map, and the model was classified using the best-known ML classifiers. Our proposed model achieved an accuracy value of 99.1%. This value shows that our model can be used in the detection of grape diseases. Full article

The commercial production of grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) relies heavily on rootstocks that are hybrids of non-vinifera parentage. The relatively newly released GRN rootstocks (GRN-1, GRN-2, GRN-3, GRN-4, and GRN-5) were bred from especially under-studied genetic backgrounds. This study aimed to evaluate ungrafted GRN-series grape rootstocks under moderate water-stress conditions and to characterize and compare their physiological performances. Each of the GRN rootstocks had specific physiological characteristics that would make them suitable for a wide range of growing conditions and vineyard management goals. GRN-1 had growth habits which were more vigorous and the highest carbohydrate storage levels, while GRN-2 had the highest level of nitrogen and the largest leaf area, but the lowest levels of carbohydrate storage. GRN-3 was less tolerant to high-salinity soils, and had the longest internodes, while GRN-4 had high boron levels, which supports flowering and fruit set, and short internodes. GRN-5 was consistently moderate across all measured areas, except internode thickness, for which it was the highest. These findings show the variations in physiological growth habits among the ungrafted GRN-series rootstocks and suggest that growth habits, carbohydrate storage, leaf canopy, fruit production, and nutrition vary based on rootstock parentage. Further investigation is needed to determine whether these characteristics persist when grafted onto Vitis vinifera L. scions. Full article

Grapes are rich in bioactive compounds, including phenolics and anthocyanins, which exhibit antioxidant properties and offer potential health benefits. The accumulation of these compounds is influenced by agronomic practices, particularly rootstock selection and training systems. This study evaluated the effects of different rootstocks (‘IAC 766 Campinas’ and ‘106-8 Mgt’) and training systems (low and high vertical shoot positioning) on the polyphenolic composition and antioxidant activity in the skins and pulps of Vitis labrusca and Brazilian hybrid grapes. The analyses included total phenolics, total flavonoids, monomeric anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP assays), as well as the individual polyphenolic profile in grape skins. The results indicated that both rootstock and training system significantly affected the accumulation of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. Grapes trained on high trellises exhibited higher concentrations of bioactive compounds, while those from low trellises showed an enhanced phenolic composition. Among Vitis labrusca varieties, ‘Bordô’ had the highest bioactive compounds, while ‘Isabel’ stood out for specific phenolic acids. In hybrid cultivars, the ‘106-8 Mgt’ rootstock boosted antioxidant compounds, while ‘IAC 766 Campinas’ enhanced flavonoid, anthocyanin, and phenolic acid levels. Malvidin-3-O-glucoside emerged as the predominant anthocyanin. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing rootstock selection and training systems to enhance the phenolic composition and antioxidant potential of grapes. Full article

This research investigates the adsorption potential of four types of adsorbents produced from agro-industrial waste (grape pomace—GP, tree pruning—TP, sugarcane bagasse—SB, and eucalyptus sawdust—ES) for the uptake of thiazine dye methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution. A kinetic model based on a hybrid-order rate equation was fitted to experimental data. The result showed that BGP-300 presented the highest mass yield (58.84%) and energy yield (69.56%), followed by BTP-300 > BES-300 > BSB-300. Adsorption studies showed that BGP-300 had a better performance in the uptake of MB, with a removal efficiency (R_e) of 96.5% and adsorption capacity at equilibrium (q_e) of 9.3 mg g⁻¹, followed by tree pruning biochar (BTP-300), with an R_e of 65.0% and q_e of 5.3 mg g⁻¹. Meanwhile, eucalyptus sawdust (BES-300) and sugarcane bagasse (BSB-300) biochar did not facilitate any significant removal of MB. Adsorption kinetics is best described by a second-order rate with R² varying from 0.75 to 0.96. Desorption studies show a low concentration released to the solution, indicating that adsorption may occur physically and chemically. Therefore, this research provides comprehensive insights into the adsorption characteristics of different biochars, emphasizing the potential of torrefied materials BGP-300 and BTP-300 as effective for MB uptake from aqueous solution. Full article

This study evaluates the impact of grape variety and harvesting method—manual versus mechanized—on must composition, wine quality, and economic performance in the Târnave viticultural area of Romania. Four grape varieties—Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Fetească Regală, and Muscat Ottonel—were analyzed. Manual harvesting increased reducing sugars by 4.3–5.1 g/L and decreased titratable acidity by 0.6–0.8 g/L, particularly in Pinot Noir and Muscat Ottonel. Alcohol content was higher by 0.4–0.6 vol% in manually harvested samples, and dry extract increased by 1.0–1.3 g/L. Mechanized harvesting raised catechin concentrations by 15–19 mg/L due to enhanced skin maceration, but also slightly elevated volatile acidity (by ~0.1 g/L). From an economic perspective, labor cost was reduced from 480 lei/ton (approx. EUR 96) for manual harvesting to 120 lei/ton (approx. EUR 24) with mechanization. Fuel and maintenance costs for mechanized equipment averaged 85 lei/ha (EUR 17), and equipment depreciation was estimated at 100 lei/ton (EUR 20). The total harvesting cost per ton decreased from 480–520 lei to 300–320 lei (approx. EUR 96 to EUR 64), representing a ~38% reduction. The study supports a hybrid approach: manual harvesting for sensitive or premium cultivars, and mechanization for cost-efficient, large-scale production, aligning wine quality goals with economic sustainability. Full article

The cultivation of table grapes in Brazil is economically significant, with production influenced by edaphoclimatic factors and rootstock selection. The cultivar ‘BRS Núbia’ (Vitis vinifera L. x Vitis labrusca L.) is a promising alternative; however, its phenological behavior, thermal requirements, and compatibility with different rootstocks under subtropical conditions require further evaluation. This study aimed to assess the duration of phenological stages, thermal requirement, and ripening dynamics of ‘BRS Núbia’ grapevines grafted onto the rootstocks ‘IAC 572 Jales’, ‘IAC 766 Campinas’, and ‘Paulsen 1103’. The experiment was conducted in São Manuel, São Paulo, Brazil during the 2021 and 2022 production cycles using a split-plot experimental design (3 × 2). Evaluations included the duration of phenological stages from pruning to budburst, flowering, fruit set, onset of ripening, and harvest, as well as the ripening curve and thermal accumulation from pruning to harvest. Rootstocks did not significantly affect (p > 0.05) the duration of phenological stages; however, differences were observed between production cycles. The 2022 cycle was longer (167.7 days) compared to 2021 (142.6 days), with greater thermal accumulation (1871.7 GDDs vs. 1743.4 GDDs). The analysis of phenological stages revealed that, across both production cycles evaluated, the ‘BRS Núbia’ cultivar required an average accumulation of 1807.5 growing degree days from pruning to harvest. Soluble solids content ranged from 17.43 to 18.50°Brix, and titratable acidity decreased throughout maturation. The maturation index was highest in vines grafted onto ‘Paulsen 1103’, indicating its positive influence on fruit quality. The ‘BRS Núbia’ grapevine exhibited a mean thermal requirement of 1807.5 growing degree days (GDDs) to complete its phenological cycle, which lasted approximately 150 days under subtropical conditions. Full article

As an alternative to traditional red wine production during an economic crisis, we investigated the sensory perception and appreciation (liking) of young consumers for organic red grape juice from the Plantet cultivar (Seibel 5455) with or without the addition of sugar or organic acid. This was evaluated through four studies involving panels of young adults with an average age of 22 years. The goal was to determine how adding tartaric acid or hexoses (glucose and fructose) affected hedonic scores as well as gustatory and aromatic attributes. Surprisingly, adding acid to a must that experts deemed overly sweet (with 255 g/L of endogenous sugar in the control) did not improve liking scores. Similarly, the addition of hexoses did not enhance liking. Instead, natural grape juice, without any added sugar or acid, was the most preferred product among the young adult panelists. This preference was shared by a panel of enology students, who can be considered future key decision makers in the wine and juice industries, in the last study. As expected, the addition of hexoses led to a perception of ‘jam’ and ‘sweet’ attributes, while the addition of tartaric acid resulted in a more ‘acidic’ profile. Interestingly, the fruit attributes most associated with hexose addition were ‘apricot’ and ’strawberry’, whereas tartaric acid addition was most strongly associated with ‘raspberry’. Full article