Study Regarding the Status of Fungal Grapevine Trunk Diseases in some Romanian Vineyards

Romania is a wine-producing country, with a rich and long tradition in the field of viticulture. Field evaluation of the land and grapevines from a phytosanitary point of view is essential for establishing the most effective control methods for grapevine diseases and pests. Grapevine trunk diseases (GTD) are currently considered one of the biggest threats to vineyard sustainability. In this study, GTD symptoms were investigated by direct field observations in vineyards from Blaj, Bujoru, Murfatlar and Miniș in 2020 throughout the vegetation period. In 2021 samples of the grapevines, showing signs of decline in the previous year were analyzed following traditional methods based on macroscopic examinations. A total of 69 samples were analyzed and symptoms of four GTDs were identified: Esca disease; Eutypa dieback; Phomopsis dieback and Petri disease. Out of these 55 % of the samples presented Esca disease symptoms. More than 80 % of the samples presented symptoms of 2 or more diseases at the same time

From grape to wine - Muscat Ottonel from Blaj-Târnave vineyard chemical and sensory analysis

Following the global trend of selling high-quality wines, those produced in Blaj vineyard must be superior due to a highly competitive market and consumer tastes and demands. Because the quality of wine is given by both sensory and chemical properties this work presents the phenolic fingerprint, the general chemical characteristics, and the sensory properties of the 2021 Blaj Muscat Ottonel wine as well as the phenolic composition of the grapes from which this wine was produced. Grape phenolics were represented by flavanols (73%), flavonols (14%), hydroxybenzoic acids (9.08 %) and hydroxycinnamic acids (4%), while wine phenolics by flavanols (42%), hydroxycinnamic acids (33%) and hydroxybenzoic acids (15%). Catechin and procyanidin dimer B1 were identified both in grapes and in wine. More than half of the grapes’ procyanidin dimer B1 (3.638 mg/g out of 6.379 mg/g) and more than one-tenth of grapes’ catechin (1.570 mg/g out of 9.298 mg/g) were found in wine. As the general and sensory qualities of the Blaj Muscat Ottonel wine were kept within the limits of a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) demi-sweet wine, the presence of resveratrol glucoside, catechin, and procyanidin in its content supports the idea of classifying this wine as a potential nutraceutical ‘functional wine’

The Influence of Climatic Conditions on Downy Mildew and Powdery Mildew in Târnave Vineyard

The main diseases that affect the vineyards in the Târnave vineyard are: grapevine downy mildew caused by Plasmopara viticola and grapevine powdery mildew caused by Uncinula necator. The present study aimed to address the relationship between grapevine cultivars and the main diseases, downy mildew and powdery mildew, according to climatic variability and treatments applied. The analysis was carried out over two consecutive years 2021 and 2022 on five new cultivars, the creation of SCDVV Blaj: Selena, Blasius, Rubin, Radames and Brumăriu. Disease attack was determined during the vegetation period, until harvest. Cultivar susceptibility varied, some cultivars were relatively tolerant and no cultivar was highly resistant to both diseases. In addition, a difference between foliar and grape berry susceptibility to the two diseases was observed for several cultivars. This data provide a basis for developing low-treatment disease management strategies for specific grapevine cultivars based on downy mildew and powdery mildew susceptibility/tolerance

The Effects of Climate Change on the Activity of the <i>Lobesia botrana</i> and <i>Eupoecilia ambiguella</i> Moths on the Grapevine Cultivars from the Târnave Vineyard

Knowledge about the geographical areas preferred by grapevine moths, the size of the populations, and the attraction to certain cultivars supports winegrowers for a better zoning of vineyards and vine cultivars, which is in continuing dynamic due to the climate change. Grapevine moths Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller) and Eupoecilia ambiguella (Hübner) are the main pests of grapes in the Târnave vineyard. For this reason, the influence of the cultivar in the climatic conditions of 2016–2019 period on the dynamics of the two moths species was evaluated in five plantations (Jidvei, Șona, Sâmniclăuș, Tăuni and Cenade) from Târnave vineyards on five cultivars Fetească regală, Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Traminer and Rhine Riesling. During the studied period, the climate experienced deviations from the multiannual values. Our results highlight different activities of the two moth species. The number of captures was influenced by climatic conditions, geographical area and grape cultivar. L. botrana prefers drier climates, lower geographical areas and Traminer cultivar; meanwhile, E. ambiguella prefers wetter climates, higher hilly areas and the Sauvignon blanc cultivar. These findings are important in the general context of grapevine protection in order to reduce the use of pesticides by choosing the right cultivars in the appropriate climate conditions

Fungal Grapevine Trunk Diseases in Romanian Vineyards in the Context of the International Situation

Vitis vinifera, known as the common grape vine, represents one of the most important fruit crops in the world. Romania is a wine-producing country with a rich and long tradition in viticulture. In the last decade, increasing reports of damage caused by grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) have raised concerns in all wine producing countries. Up to now, no study was performed regarding the GTDs situation in Romania, an important grapevine grower in Europe. In this study, we aim, after a comprehensive presentation of the fungal GTDs worldwide, to review the scientific information related to these diseases in Romania in order to open a national platform in an international framework. In order to achieve this, we consulted over 500 references from different scientific databases and cited 309 of them. Our review concludes that, in Romania, there is little amount of available literature on this matter. Three out of six fungal GTDs are reported and well documented in all of the Romanian viticultural zones (except for viticultural zone 4). These are Eutypa dieback, Phomopsis dieback, and Esca disease. Of the fungal pathogens considered responsible Eutypa lata, Phomopsis viticola and Stereum hirsutum are the most studied and well documented in Romania. Management measures are quite limited, and they mostly include preventive measures to stop the GTDs spread and the removal of affected grapevines