A stoichiometric solvent-free protocol for acetylation reactions

Considering the remarkable relevance of acetylated derivatives of phenols, alcohols, and aryl and alkyl thiols in different areas of biology, as well as in synthetic organic chemistry, a sustainable solvent-free approach to perform acetylation reactions is proposed here. Acetylation reactions are classically performed using excess of acetic anhydride (Ac2O) in solvent-free conditions or by eventually working with stoichiometric amounts of Ac2O in organic solvents; both methods require the addition of basic or acid catalysts to promote the esterification. Therefore, they usually lead to the generation of high amounts of wastes, which sensibly raise the E-factor of the process. With the aim to develop a more sustainable system, a solvent-free, stoichiometric acetylation protocol is, thus, proposed. The naturally occurring phenol, thymol, can be converted to the corresponding-biologically active-ester with good yields, in the presence of 1% of VOSO4. Interestingly, the process can be efficiently adopted to synthesize other thymyl esters, as well as to perform acetylation of alcohols and aryl and alkyl thiols. Remarkably, a further improvement has been achieved replacing Ac2O with its greener alternative, isopropenyl acetate (IPA)

Grapevine field experiments reveal the contribution of genotype, the influence of environment and the effect of their interaction (GXE) on the berry transcriptome

Changes in the performance of genotypes in different environments are defined as genotype x environment (G x E) interactions. In grapevine (Vitis vinifera), complex interactions between different genotypes and cli- mate, soil and farming practices yield unique berry qualities. However, the molecular basis of this phe- nomenon remains unclear. To dissect the basis of grapevine G x E interactions we characterized berry transcriptome plasticity, the genome methylation landscape and within-genotype allelic diversity in two genotypes cultivated in three different environments over two vintages. We identified, through a novel data-mining pipeline, genes with expression profiles that were: unaffected by genotype or environment, genotype-dependent but unaffected by the environment, environmentally-dependent regardless of geno- type, and GxE-related. The GxE-related genes showed different degrees of within-cultivar allelic diversity in the two genotypes and were enriched for stress responses, signal transduction and secondary metabo- lism categories. Our study unraveled the mutual relationships between genotypic and environmental vari- ables during GxE interaction in a woody perennial species, providing a reference model to explore how cultivated fruit crops respond to diverse environments. Also, the pivotal role of vineyard location in deter- mining the performance of different varieties, by enhancing berry quality traits, was unraveled

High-throughput 18K SNP array to assess genetic variability of the main grapevine cultivars from Sicily

The viticulture of Sicily, for its vocation, is one of the most important and ancient forms in Italy. Autochthonous grapevine cultivars, many of which known throughout the world, have always been cultivated in the island from many centuries. With the aim to preserve this large grapevine diversity, previous studies have already started to assess the genetic variability among the Sicilian cultivars by using morphological and microsatellite markers. In this study, simple sequence repeat (SSR) were utilized to verify the true-to-typeness of a large clone collection (101) belonging to 21 biotypes of the most 10 cultivated Sicilian cultivars. Afterwards, 42 Organization Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) descriptors and a high-throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping array (Vitis18kSNP) were applied to assess genetic variability among cultivars and biotypes of the same cultivar. Ampelographic traits and high-throughput SNP genotyping platforms provided an accuracy estimation of genetic diversity in the Sicilian germplasm, showing the relationships among cultivars by cluster and multivariate analyses. The large SNP panel defined sub-clusters unable to discern among biotypes, previously classified by ampelographic analysis, belonging to each cultivar. These results suggested that a very large number of SNP did not cover the genome regions harboring few morphological traits. Genetic structure of the collection revealed a clear optimum number of groups for K = 3, clustering in the same group a significant portion of family-related genotypes. Parentage analysis highlighted significant relationships among Sicilian grape cultivars and Sangiovese, as already reported, but also the first evidences of the relationships between Nero d’Avola and both Inzolia and Catarratto. Finally, a small panel of highly informative markers (12 SNPs) allowed us to isolate a private profile for each Sicilian cultivar, providing a new tool for cultivar identification

Evaluation of four new Rootstock genotypes obtained by back cross

The present research was started, in order to compare four new rootstocks, obtained by the Department of Crop Science (University of Milan) through a back cross breeding program, to 6 commercial ones (41B, 420A, 110R, 140Ru, 1103P and SO4). Four experimental vineyards respectively placed in the "Valpolicella", "Chianti Classico", "Castel del Monte" and "Contea di Sclafani" A.O.C. areas) were planted with these 10 rootstocks grafted to 'Cabernet Sauvignon' and a local cultivar. In those vineyards, 50 plants for each plot (combinations of rootstock-cultivar) were placed in randomized blocks, at about 5,000 vines/ha, and trained to a spur pruned cordon. From 2007 to 2009 and on a representative number of plants for each plot some measurements were made during vinification and winter pruning: agronomical parameters (Ravaz index, bud fertility, production weight/plant, bunches average weight, wood weight) and productive qualitative ones (pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids of musts, polyphenols and anthocyanins total contents of berry skins) were collected. Where it was possible, wines by a microvinification standard protocol were produced. Wines were chemically analyzed and sensory evaluations were carried out. Results showed that the new genotypes cause improved qualitative performances, they have different capabilities to modulate cultivars' vigor; they induce high accumulations of soluble sugars in musts; and good quantities of production/vine

Approccio alla realizzazione di un modello agrometeorologico previsionale della maturazione dello Chardonnay in Franciacorta

Meteorological data of the Franciacorta AOC are were collected since 1966 by 4 different weather station placed in the same number of sites, selected with the aim of giving data representative of the whole AOC territory: those data were daily collected and concerned temperature (minimum and maximum), relative humidity and rainfalls. Since 2001 a large number of Chardonnay vineyards were monitored in order to study ripening kinetics (from veraison to harvest) by the measure of soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, malic and tartaric acid. These data set was the starting point of this research, wich has the purpose of seeking for relationships between meteorological data, agronomical variables and productive parameters; furthermore, an improved knowledgeon the viticoltural model, object of this study, and on the source of variability that determine different level of production (both from a quality and quantity point of view) was searched. Besides, through a mechanistic approach, a model simulating sugars store during ripening was development and tested using daily meteorological data (minimum and maximum temperature and rainfalls) as guiding variables

Use of satellite in precision viticulture : the Franciacorta experience

Today, the concept of precision vine management (or site-specific viticulture) has a great relevance. It is based on the practice of a different management in relation to the different features of the crop site. In this way, all practices should be adapted to the land spatial variability and should be linked to the real needs of vines. Some guiding lines were drawn in order to find systems, based on a remote sensing one, that could lead to an evaluation of vine adaptative responses to different conditions of cultivation, and give some marks on a different management of vineyards. In 2005, some high-resolution relieves were made by satellite (IKONOS) on a surface of about 500 hectare of vineyards located in Franciacorta (Northern Italy). Two different kinds of images were used: a first one coloured in the visible spectrum and another one in the near infra-red. These images were processed by suitable algorhythms and they were related to productive data (from a quantity and quality point of view) taken from 24 Chardonnay vineyards. These vineyards were representative of the different Franciacorta conditions; these fields belonged to different suitability units, which were identified by a zoning study made in 1997. The statistical data processing allowed to find some significant relationships between data provided by satellite and data surveyed from the surface