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Climate is a determinant driver for grapevine geographical distribution, influencing yield and berry quality. The current environmental changes are intensifying the need to improve the knowledge of the soil–plant–atmosphere system in the vineyard, to properly manage cultivation factors and to increase berry yield and quality. Since most of the berry growth and ripening phases occur during the driest period in the Mediterranean area, increasing environmental constraints are expected to impose more and more limitations on grapevine productivity and finally on wine quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether different pedoclimatic conditions in four proximally located vineyards of the Campania Region in Southern Italy determine differences in crop yield and must quality of Vitis vinifera L. subsp. vinifera "Falanghina". This study was conducted over three growing seasons, by monitoring vine growth and characterizing yield and must quality. The overall results showed differences in yield and berry quality characteristics for the four vineyards, with the field CA (Calvese) and GR (Grottole) showing pedoclimatic conditions limiting growth and yield compared to SL (Santa Lucia) and AC (Acquefredde). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in severe drought events due to climate change in the areas traditionally suitable for viticulture is enhancing the need to understand how grapevines regulate their photosynthetic metabolism in order to forecast specific cultivar adaptive responses to the changing environment. This study aims at evaluating the association between leaf anatomical traits and eco-physiological adjustments of the 'Falanghina' grapevine under different microclimatic conditions at four sites in southern Italy. Sites were characterized by different pedoclimatic conditions but, as much as possible, were similar for plant material and cultivation management. Microscopy analyses on leaves were performed to quantify stomata and vein traits, while eco-physiological analyses were conducted on vines to assess plant physiological adaptation capability. At the two sites with relatively low moisture, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, photosystem electron transfer rate, and quantum yield of PSII, linear electron transport was lower compared to the other two sites. Stomata size was higher at the site characterized by the highest precipitation. However, stomatal density and most vein traits tended to be relatively stable among sites. The number of free vein endings per unit leaf area was lower in the two vineyards with low precipitation. We suggest that site-specific stomata and vein traits modulation in Falanghina grapevine are an acclimation strategy that may influence photosynthetic performance. Overall in-depth knowledge of the structure/function relations in Falanghina vines might be useful to evaluate the plasticity of this cultivar towards site-specific management of vineyards in the direction of precision viticulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Italian Film Festival USA (IFFUSA) held across the U.S. cities from April 4-29, 2018, which featured various films, documentaries and comedies.

Projected changes in drought occurrence in the Mediterranean region are raising concerns about the adaptive capability of rainfed crops, such as grapevine, to increasing aridity. Cultivation management, especially the techniques influencing the hydraulic pathway, can play a role in plant adaptation to drought for the consequent changes in wood anatomical functional traits. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of grafting on wood anatomy in tree-ring series of Vitis vini-fera L. ‘Piedirosso’ grapevine cultivated in a volcanic area in Southern Italy. Tree-ring anatomy was analysed in vines grown on their own roots or grafted onto 420A rootstock. Results showed that grafted vines had a higher occurrence of wood traits linked with safety of water transport if compared with non-grafted vines. Grafting induced the formation of tree rings with higher incidence of latewood also characterised by narrower and more frequent vessels if compared with non-grafted vines. This study suggested a different regulation of water flow in the grafted and non-grafted vines. Such findings support the analysis of wood anatomy as a tool to drive decisions linked with plant cultivation management. In this specific case, our results encourage to further explore the change from a traditional cultivation with own-rooted grapevines towards grafted models inducing better xylem adaptation to increasing drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Roberto Saviano’s bookGomorra(2006), production of the TV seriesGomorra–La serie(2014) was met with scepticism as many feared it would glamorise organised crime and, consequently, attract young people toward Camorra affiliation. The series’ bleak portrayal of criminals and criminality was offered as a response to such concerns. Despite the preoccupations,Gomorra–La seriewas hugely successful and, because of its quality, was sold to other countries. In Italy, the series’ success can be measured by the popularity of its Twitter hashtag#GomorraLaSerie. Engaged with Henry Jenkins’ theories of media convergence and based on a corpus of tweets bearing this official hashtag, this article proposes a quantitative analysis and advances conclusions regarding the Italian TV audience and second-screen viewing practices. Additionally, through a qualitative study of Saviano’s tweets about the series, it examines the writer’s use of the social media platform as a tool of narrative continuity. Finally, the article highlights a few examples of fan-generated media and concludes with remarks regarding Saviano’s problematic position at the centre of a transmedia object. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on several papers discussed at the 2010 American Association for Italian Studies (AAIS) Conference held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on April 22-25, 2010 is presented. Topics include Italian cinema genre, Italian literature and the cinema discipline within the field of Italian studies. The conference featured several notable individuals including Anna Paparcone, Maria Teresa Maenza, and Elena Past.

Phenolic compounds are responsible for the sensory properties of wine as well as the properties beneficial to human health. The objective of this study was to establish the effect of the use of SO2 and pectolitic enzymes in the prefermentative phase, maceration time, and oak aging on color, anthocyanins, tannins, (+)-catechin, (–)-epicatechin, rutin, trans-resveratrol, and quercetin content of Aglianico wine. Color indexes and phenolics were analyzed by HPLC and spectrophotometric methods. The addition of SO2 and pectolitic enzymes before fermentation caused an increase in color intensity, color stability, total phenolics, anthocyanins, (+)-catechin, (–)-epicatechin rutin, trans-resveratrol, and quercetin content in Aglianico wine. Longer maceration times gave wines richer in total phenolics and with better chromatic characteristics. Storage in oak caused a decrease in anthocyanins, (+)-catechin, (–)-epicatechin, trans-resveratrol, and quercetin content but an increase in total phenolic content, and a stabilizing effect on color also occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]