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. 2023 Apr 25:14:1155888.
doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1155888. eCollection 2023.

Testing field adaptation strategies for delaying grape ripening and improving wine composition in a cv. Macabeo Mediterranean vineyard

Ignacio Buesa  1   2 , Antonio Yeves  2   3 , Diego Guerra  2   3 , Felipe Sanz  2   3 , Camilo Chirivella  4 , Diego S Intrigliolo  3
Affiliations

Testing field adaptation strategies for delaying grape ripening and improving wine composition in a cv. Macabeo Mediterranean vineyard

Ignacio Buesa et al. Front Plant Sci. .

Abstract

Under semiarid and warm climates, field practices for climate change adaptation have to be defined in order to modulate grape composition according to the desired wine styles. Under this context, the present study investigated several viticulture practices in cv. Macabeo for Cava production. The experiment was carried out over 3 years in a commercial vineyard located in the province of Valencia (eastern Spain). The techniques tested were (i) vine shading, (ii) double pruning (bud forcing), and (iii) the combined application of soil organic mulching and shading, all of them tested against a control. Double pruning significantly modified phenology and grape composition, improving the wine alcohol-to-acidity ratio and reducing the pH. Similar results were also achieved by shading. However, the shading strategy did not significantly affect yield, unlike double pruning, which reduced vine yield even in the year following its application. Shading alone or in combination with mulching significantly improved the vine water status, suggesting that these techniques can also be used to alleviate water stress. Particularly, we found that the effect of soil organic mulching and canopy shading on stem water potential was additive. Indeed, all the techniques tested were useful for improving wine composition for cava production, but double pruning is only recommended for premium Cava production.

Keywords: climate change; double-pruning; phenology; shading nets; vine performance; water stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Seasonal patterns of the daily maximum air temperature (•), mean temperature (•), and minimum temperature (▽) in Requena, Valencia, Spain. Rainfall is represented with blue bars and reference evapotranspiration (ETo) with a green line. DOY, day of the year.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of shading (•), double pruning (▼), and control (•) treatments on the seasonal evolution of the midday stem water potential (Ψstem) of Macabeo grapevines in (a) 2017, (b) 2018, and (c) 2019 seasons. Data are the averages and standard errors of 16 leaves per treatment and date. The installation of nets (↓) is indicated.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Values of the water stress integral (SΨ) during the period from veraison to harvest during the 2018 and 2019 seasons for Macabeo grapevines subjected to different management strategies. Data are the average and standard errors of eight measurements per date and season (n = 24). Different letters mean a significant difference among treatments within each season (Duncan test; p < 0.05).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Effect of shading (•), double pruning (▼), and control (•) treatments on the seasonal evolution of (A–C) fresh berry mass; (D–F) total soluble solids (TSSs); and (G–I) the total acidity (TA) of ‘Macabeo’ grapes in (A, D, G) 2017, (B, E, H) 2018, and (C, F, I) 2019 seasons. Data are the average and SE of four values per treatment and date.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Effect of shading (•), double pruning, (▼) and control (•) treatments on the relationship between (a) TSSs and TA and (b) TSSs and tartaric-to-malic acid ratio for ‘Macabeo’ grapes in the 2017–2019 seasons. Data are the average of four replicates per treatment and date. TA, titratable acidity; TSSs, total soluble solids.
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References

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