Salicylic acid treatment of grape berries retards ripening

Research Not

Berry development of grapevines: Relations between the growth of berries and their DNA content indicate cell multiplication and enlargement

DNA of berries (cv. Shiraz) was extracted and quantified to determine, indirectly, the rate of cell division and enlargement in the grape pericarp. The increase of total DNA in the pericarp begins at anthesis in the ovary of grapevine flowers (day 0, 100 % of flowers at full bloom). This increase in DNA continues during the herbaceous growth period until 35 d after anthesis (day 35, 19 d before the onset of veraison). Total DNA per berry pericarp does not increase linearly during this growth period since 75 % of the DNA has already accumulated before day 20. We determined a cell enlargement index (CEI), to estimate the mean cellular volume. The pericarp cell size increases 16-fold during the whole growth of berries. Volume increase is nearly linear from berry set to the beginning of veraison and thereafter until maturity. The importance of determination of cell division and enlargement of berry pericarp based on the DNA content and its possible application in studies on the influence of environmental factors on berry growth is discussed

Characterisation of bursts in a turbulent boundary layer over circular cavities

Boundary layer surveys are performed to characterise the turbulent boundary layer grazing over a a surface with flush-mounted circular cavities disposed in a staggered arrangement (staggered angle of 45 deg). The momentum thickness based Reynolds number varies from Reθ = 1830 to 3380 and the cavity diameter and spacing in wall units from d+ = 130 to 250 and L+ = 587 to 1075 respectively. A decrease in the local skin friction drag with respect to a smooth baseline is evidenced as well as a thickening of the viscous sublayer. The bursts frequency profile for the perforated case is shifted away from the wall while the intensity of the bursts is reduced. The production term of the turbulent kinetic energy budget is obtained from Particle Image Velocimetry data. An upward shift and a decrease in magnitude of the peak associated with the streaks suggests that the cavities modify the near wall turbulent cycle

L'effet du climat viticole sur la typicité des vins blancs: caractérisation au niveau des régions viticoles ibéro-américaines.

There are many studies in the world that characterize the effect of the climate on grape composition and wine characteristics and typicity concerning different viticultural regions. However, the same is not true concerning studies in a worldwide scale to characterize this effect considering different climate types. This study is part of a CYTED (Ibero-American Program for Science, Technology and Development) project in vitivinicultural zoning. The objective was to characterize the effect of the viticultural climate on white wine typicity on the macro Ibero-American viticultural region. The methodology used 46 grape-growing regions in 6 Ibero-American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Portugal and Spain. The viticultural climate of each region was characterized by the 3 viticultural climate index of the Geoviticulture MCC System (1): HI (Heliothermal index), CI (Cool night index) and DI (Dryness index). The main sensory characteristics observed frequently in representative white wines produced with grapes of each of these 46 grape-growing regions were described by enologists in the respective countries, using the methodology of Zanus & Tonietto (2). The sensory description concerned the intensity of perception of Color (Cou), Aroma - Intensity (Ar), Aroma - Ripe Fruit (Ar-Fm), Body ? Palate Concentration (Con), Alcohol (Al) and Acidity (Ac). The Persistence in Mouth (Per) was also evaluated. The data were submitted to a correlation analysis of the variables and to a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results showed that the typicity of the white wines was correlated with the viticultural climate indexes HI, CI and DI from MCC System. The main wine sensory variables affected by viticultural climate are identified

The Effect of Viticultural Climate on Red and White Wine Typicity - Characterization in Ibero-American grape-growing regions

Aim: This study is part of a CYTED (Ibero-American Program for Science, Technology and Development) project on vitivinicultural zoning. The objective was to characterize the effect of viticultural climate on red and white wine typicity in the macro Ibero-American viticultural region. Methods and results: The climate of 46 grape-growing regions in 6 Ibero-American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Spain and Portugal) was characterized using the three viticultural climate index of the Geoviticulture MCC System: the Heliothermal index HI, the Cool Night index CI and the Dryness index DI. The main sensory characteristics frequently observed in representative red and white wines of each of these regions were described by enology experts in the respective countries: intensity of colour, aroma, aroma-ripe fruit, body-palate concentration, alcohol, tannins (for red wines) and acidity as well as persistence on the palate. The data were submitted to a correlation analysis of the variables and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Conclusion: The typicity of red and white wines was correlated with the HI, CI and DI viticultural climate indexes from the MCC System. The main wine sensory variables affected by viticultural climate were identified. Significance and impact of the study : The results can be used to project the potential impacts of climate change on wine sensory characteristics

On passion and moral behavior in achievement settings: The mediating role of pride

The Dualistic Model of Passion (Vallerand et al., 2003) distinguishes two types of passion: harmonious passion (HP) and obsessive passion (OP) that predict adaptive and less adaptive outcomes, respectively. In the present research, we were interested in understanding the role of passion in the adoption of moral behavior in achievement settings. It was predicted that the two facets of pride (authentic and hubristic; Tracy & Robins, 2007) would mediate the passion-moral behavior relationship. Specifically, because people who are passionate about a given activity are highly involved in it, it was postulated that they should typically do well and thus experience high levels of pride when engaged in the activity. However, it was also hypothesized that while both types of passion should be conducive to authentic pride, only OP should lead to hubristic pride. Finally, in line with past research on pride (Carver, Sinclair, & Johnson, 2010; Tracy et al., 2009), only hubristic pride was expected to negatively predict moral behavior, while authentic pride was expected to positively predict moral behavior. Results of two studies conducted with paintball players (N=163, Study 1) and athletes (N=296, Study 2) supported the proposed model. Future research directions are discussed in light of the Dualistic Model of Passion

The intergenerational association between parents' problem gambling and impulsivity-hyperactivity/inattention behaviors in children

Despite the well-established association between problem gambling and ADHD core categories of impulsivity-hyperactivity and inattention, the link between parents’ problem gambling and impulsivity-hyperactivity/inattention (IH/I) behaviors in children has not been investigated. This study investigated the association between parents’ problem gambling and children’s IH/I behaviors while controlling for potential confounding variables. A population-based prospective cohort followed-up from kindergarten to age 30, the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children (QLSKC), provided data over three generations. Among 1358 participants at age 30, parents with a child aged 1 year or older (N=468; Mean age=4.65 years; SD=2.70) were selected. Generalized Linear Models included measures of grandparents’ and parents’ problem gambling, parents’ IH/I behaviors in childhood, and a host of risk factors and comorbidities to predict IH/I in children. Intergenerational bivariate associations were observed between grandparents’ problem gambling, parents’ IH/I in childhood and problem gambling at age 30, and between parents’ IH/I, problem gambling, and children’s IH/I behaviors. Parents’ problem gambling predicted children’s IH/I behaviors above and beyond the effects of covariates such as family and socioeconomic characteristics, alcohol and drug use, depression symptoms and parents’ gambling involvement. Parents’ IH/I behaviors in childhood also predicted children’s IH/I and had a moderating, enhancing effect on parents’ problem gambling association with their offspring’s IH/I behaviors. Problem gambling is a characteristic of parents’ mental health that is distinctively associated with children’s IH/I behaviors, above and beyond parents’ own history of IH/I and of typically related addictive, psychopathological or socioeconomic risk factors and comorbidities

Climatic groups in Ibero-America viticulture compared to worldwide wine producer regions.

The wine production is an important activity in many Ibero-American countries. The wine producer regions of these countries configure a large use of different climate types and viticultural climates. In a vitivinicultural zoning project of CYTED (Ibero-American Program for Science, Technology and Development), a viticultural climatic characterization was done in this macro viticultural region. The project have assembled a climatic database that characterizes the viticultural regions, including relevant variables for viticulture: air temperature (mean, maximum, and minimum), precipitation, relative humidity, solar radiation, number of sunshine hours, wind speed, and evapotranspiration. Using indices of the Geoviticulture MCC System (HI, CI and DI), more than 70 viticultural regions in different countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Peru, Portugal and Uruguay) were characterized according to its viticultural climatic. The results, which will be integrated to the worldwide database of the MCC System, showed that the Ibero-American viticulture is placed in a wide range of climatic groups of the wine producing regions around the world. This article presents the climatic groups found in Ibero-America, identifying also some new climatic groups not yet found in other regions of the world. This work also identifies some climatic groups not found in Ibero-America viticulture. The research has also highlighted viticultural areas characterized by climates with ?intra-annual climatic variability?, with the potential to produce more than one growing cycle per year. The results allow to conclude that the wide variability and climatic diversity present in Ibero-America may be one of the reasons to explain the diversity in terms of wine types, sensorial characteristics, typicity and uniqueness of wines produced on this macro-region