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BACKGROUND: Grape aromas are formed by a great number of volatile compounds. Methyl jasmonate (MeJ) and urea (Ur) foliar applications have been studied to improve grape quality, but their combined application has never been studied. RESULTS: In both seasons, MeJ application enhanced terpenoids and C6 compounds synthesis, though decreased alcohols content. Moreover, MeJ + Ur treatment reduced benzenoids and alcohols and did not affect C-norisoprenoids content. However, there was no clear effect of these treatments on the rest of the volatile compounds. Multifactorial analysis showed a season effect on all volatile compounds, except terpenoids. Discriminant analysis showed a good separation among samples under treatment criterion. The great effect of MeJ treatment on terpenoids was probably due to this elicitor influencing their biosynthesis. CONCLUSION: Season has a strong influence on grapes aromatic composition since it affects all volatile compound families except terpenoids. MeJ foliar application enhanced terpenoids, C-norisoprenoids and C6 compounds synthesis, whereas decreased alcohols content; however, MeJ + Ur foliar treatment did not affect C-norisoprenoids and C6 compounds, and decreased benzenoids and alcohols grape compounds. Therefore, no synergistic effect was observed between Ur and MeJ on grape volatile compounds biosynthesis. Foliar application of MeJ seems to be sufficient to improve the aromatic quality of grapes. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

BACKGROUND: The grape volatile fraction determines to a great extent its aroma, which is one of the most important characteristics influencing wine quality and consumer preferences. Grapevine downy mildew (GDM) is one of the most important and devastating diseases of grapevines worldwide. In this study, the impact on the volatile composition of cv. Verdicchio grapes of classical copper formulations, was compared to that of alternative products. Thus, 11 treatments were foliar applied throughout one grapevine cycle. RESULTS: Most of the volatile compounds present in the grapes were not affected by the treatments used in order to prevent GDM. In the case of the total C norisoprenoids, some differences were found between grapes untreated control and those applied with the grapefruit seed extract. Moreover, the content of alcohols was smaller in grapes from Bordeaux mixture treatment and higher in the samples from chitosan application. CONCLUSION: Therefore, from the qualitative point of view of the berry, treatment with tested products alternative to copper is recommended, which minimize the environmental and health problems that this heavy metal brings to the soil and in the winery, since it means that their applications did not affect the grape aroma.

The use of nanomaterials for the efficient delivery of active species in viticulture is still an unexplored opportunity. Nitrogen, an essential nutrient for grapevine development and wine quality, is commonly provided in the form of urea. However, the application of conventional fertilisers contributes to nitrate leaching and denitrification, thus polluting groundwater and causing a serious environmental impact. Nanotechnology is offering smart solutions towards more sustainable and efficient agriculture. In the present work, we assessed the efficiency of nontoxic amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) nanoparticles as nanocarriers of urea (U-ACP) through field experiments on Tempranillo grapevines. Four treatments were foliarly applied: U-ACP nanofertiliser (0.4 kg N ha-1 ), commercial urea solutions at 3 and 6 kg N ha-1 (U3 and U6) and a control treatment (water). Results: The grapes harvested from plants treated with U-ACP and U6 provided similar levels of yeast assimilable nitrogen, despite the very large reduction of nitrogen dosage. The concentration of amino acids was greater in U-ACP-treated plants than those of the control and U3 treatments and, barring a few exceptions, the values were comparable with those observed in grapes obtained following U6 treatment. Nanofertilisers provided a high arginine concentration in the musts but low proline concentrations in comparison to the U6 treatment. Conclusions: The results of this work show the potential benefits of nanotechnology over conventional practices for nitrogen fertilisation. Significantly, the application of U-ACP allowed a considerable reduction of nitrogen dosage to maintain the quality of the harvest, thereby mitigating the environmental impact. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Background] Seaweed application has been defined as a novel technique capable of improving the content of secondary metabolites in berries. There is limited available information about its effects on must and wine volatile composition. This field trial aimed to study the effects of biostimulation to Tempranillo grapevines through an Ascophyllum nodosum fertilizer applied at a low dosage (Ld) and high dosage (Hd) on must and wine volatile compounds over two seasons. [Results]: Ld treatment scarcely affected must and wine volatile compounds in both seasons. Hd foliar application increased the content in musts of several individual terpenoids, C norisoprenoids, esters, benzenoids, alcohols, carbonyl compounds and C6 compounds in 2018. Must yeast assimilable nitrogen conditioned the production of wine volatile compounds. [Conclusion]: These results suggest that seaweeds applications can act as elicitors in Tempranillo, triggering the synthesis of several compounds by the plant in musts during a season with a high rainfall and relative humidity.

Nowadays, nanoscience is a leading modern science that has a major impact on the food, pharmaceutical, and agriculture sectors. Several nanomaterials show a great potential for use during vine growing and winemaking processes. In viticulture, nanotechnology can be applied to protect vines against phytopathogens and to improve grape yield and quality. Thus, nanotechnology may allow the use of lesser amounts of phytochemical compounds, reducing environmental impact and promoting a more sustainable agriculture. And in winemaking, nanomaterials and nanodevices can be used to control the growth of spoilage microorganisms and to reduce or remove undesirable compounds, such as ethyl phenols (4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol), biogenic amines, and tartaric acid, and so on, as well as to facilitate some technological processes (i.e. in wine filtration to eliminate microorganisms). This review summarizes recent studies with applications of nanotechnology in viticulture in order to facilitate agronomic management and optimize grape production and in enology to improve wine quality and safety. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Background] Seaweeds are defined as novel elicitors in many crops, allowing the synthesis of secondary metabolites to be triggered in different plant tissues. Currently, the phenolic composition of Tempranillo Blanco grapes and wines is unreported. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of an Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract applied to Tempranillo Blanco grapevines, at low (Ld) and high (Hd) dosages, on grape and wine phenolic compounds during two consecutive seasons (2017–2018). [Results] The results obtained showed that catechin was the most abundant phenolic compound in Tempranillo Blanco grapes and wines. Season affected the weight of 100 berries and some enological parameters. Catechin and flavonols concentrations in grapes were increased after Hd application to grapevines, independently of season. The concentration of hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids in wines was affected by vintage, probably as a result of oxidation reactions, as well as pinking phenomena, whereas the stilbenes content in wines was conditioned by the affect of cryptogamic diseases in grapes. [Conclusion] Seaweeds might act as an elicitor of several phenolic compounds in grapes, enhancing the content of some phenolic compounds in wines.

Edible mushrooms production presents a potential problem for the environment, due to the large amount of waste generated. These wastes contain nitrogenous matter, which could be used as biostimulant in plants. The aim of this work was to study the effect of waste waters, from the mushroom production process, applied at veraison and 1 week later to grapevine leaves, on grape volatile compounds over two vintages. The results evidenced that mushroom water treatment decreased the grape content of certain terpenoids, C13 norisoprenoids, benzenoid compounds and esters, increasing C6 compounds content during the first season. Treated mushroom water application slightly affected grape volatile composition. This was the treatment that least affected the content of grape volatile composition. Few differences were found after the biostimulation during the second vintage. The season was the dominant factor of grape volatile content variation compared to the treatment and their interaction.

Foliar application of biostimulants (including resistance inducers or elicitors) in the vineyard has become an interesting strategy to prevent plant diseases and improve grape quality on the grapevine. This also represents a partial alternative to soil fertilisation, avoiding some of the negative effects to the environment from leaching of nutrients into the groundwater. The foliar applications that most promote the synthesis of secondary metabolites in grape berries are treatments with nitrogen, elicitors, other biostimulants, and waste from the agricultural industry. However, the impact of their use in the vineyard depends on a number of conditions, including mainly the type of compound, application rate, timing and number of applications, and cultivar. This review thus summarises the influence of biostimulants as foliar applications to grapevines on grape amino acids and their phenolic and volatile concentrations, to define the most important factors in their effectiveness. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry

[Background] Soil and climate are among the most determining factors for the composition of grapes. Among the compounds present in grapes, anthocyanins mainly determine their organoleptic and health‐related properties. The purpose of this work was to study the influence of three different soils on the anthocyanin content of Tempranillo grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) from 2016 and 2017 vintages. The soils of the vineyards were classified as Fluventic Haploxerepts (FH), Typic Calcixerepts (TC) and Petrocalcic Palexerolls (PP). [Results] Non‐acylated anthocyanins, and those derived from malvidin and peonidin, were the most abundant in grapes, regardless of soil type and year. During the wetter season (2016), the grapes with the highest concentration of total anthocyanins and several of the major anthocyanins were those from TC and PP soils, in which nitrogen availability was lower than that in FH soil. However, during the drier season (2017), no significant differences were observed, although trends similar to those seen in the 2016 season were recognized. Principal component analysis showed a good separation of samples according to the two seasons and to the three soils in each season. [Conclusion] In vineyards that resemble each other closely and that are located in a unique mesoclimatic area where similar plant material is used and similar managements practices are applied, soil characteristics, which condition water holding capacity and nitrogen availability for the vines, in conjunction with seasonal conditions, were the factors that predominantly determined the anthocyanin composition in grapes. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

[Background] Among Chilean varieties, Carignan noir has had a major resurgence due to its rediscovered wine quality potential. For this, the aim of this study was to characterize phenolic composition of grapes grown in six sites from the Maule Valley. [Results] The data showed that myricetin‐3‐glc and catechin were the most important flavonol and flavanol, respectively. Anthocyanin and flavonol composition was correlated with biologically effective degree days, exhibiting a relationship with grape maturity. Flavanol and hydroxycinnamic acid composition was inversely correlated to the average maximum temperature of the warmest month, showing that their synthesis is favored by cooler temperatures during the warmest month. [Conclusion] These results have enological and viticultural interest for grape growers as vineyard site selection for this cultivar can confer differentiable attributes in terms of grape composition and quality. On the other hand, understanding the effects of climate on the synthesis of phenolic compounds may be useful for managing the vineyards with the aim of improving grape quality. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry

[Background] Nitrogen affects grapevine growth and also yeast metabolism, which have a direct influence on fermentation kinetics and the formation of different volatile compounds. Throughout the grapevine cycle, soil nitrogen availability and grape nitrogen composition can vary because of different factors. Nitrogen foliar applications can contribute toward enhancing grapevine nitrogen status and minimize the problem of leaching that traditional nitrogen‐soil applications can provoke. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of urea foliar applications on grapevine nitrogen status and grape amino acid content. Accordingly, two different doses of urea were applied over the leaves of a ‘Tempranillo’ vineyard. [Results] The highest urea doses affected nitrogen content on blade leaf tissues after veraison. Must amino acid profiles were modified by urea application and some of the compounds increased their concentrations. The effect of year on the increase of must total amino acid concentrations was more important than the effect of the doses applied. [Conclusion] Urea foliar applications can be an interesting tool for decreasing grapevine nitrogen deficiencies. This method of nitrogen implementation in the vineyard could avoid sluggish fermentation problems during winemaking, enhance must nitrogen composition, and contribute to improving wine quality. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry

[Background] Vineyard soil management can modify the nitrogen soil availability and, therefore, grape amino acid content. These compounds are precursors of biogenic amines, which have negative effects on wine quality and human health. The objective was to study whether the effect of conventional tillage and two cover crops (barley and clover) on grapevine nitrogen status could be related to wine biogenic amines. Over 4 years, soil NO3−‐N, nitrogen content in leaf and wine biogenic amine concentration were determined. [Results] Barley reduced soil NO3−‐N availability and clover increased it. In 2011, at bloom, nitrogen content decreased with barley treatment in both blade and petiole. In 2012, nitrogen content in both leaf tissues at bloom was greater with clover than with tillage and barley treatments. Also, total biogenic amines decreased in barley with respect to tillage and clover treatments. There were correlations between some individual and total biogenic amine concentrations with respect to nitrogen content in leaf tissues. [Conclusion] Wine biogenic amine concentration can be affected by the grapevine nitrogen status, provoked by changes in the soil NO3−‐N availability with both cover crop treatments