Global warming allows two grape crops a year, with about two months apart in ripening dates and with very different grape composition - The forcing vine regrowth to obtain two crops a year

With the aim of delaying the ripening of grapes by around two months, a technique has been proposed based on forcing vine regrowth (Gu et al. 2012, Martínez de Toda et al. 2019). It is a bold method to fight against climate warming that could be only developed in really warm viticultural regions. It consists in shortening the growing shoots to several nodes with the aim of forcing vine regrowth; in order to force budbreak, shoot regrowth, and cropping, the source of inhibition needs to be eliminated and to this end, lateral shoots, leaves, and primary clusters, if they exist, are removed.But the main drawback of the forcing vine regrowth technique is loss of yield. In order to avoid this loss of yield and not to eliminate the primary clusters already formed in the main shoots, it is possible to force the development of buds of the fifth and sixth nodes, but maintaining the clusters of the main shoots. In this way, the yield of the forced buds would be added to the normal or primary yield of the shoots. The experiences carried out with 'Grenache', 'Tempranillo' and 'Maturana Tinta' varieties in La Rioja (Spain) are presented

Effects of mechanical thinning on yield and fruit composition of Tempranillo and Grenache grapes trained to a vertically shoot positioned canopy

The impact of mechanical thinning using a machine harvester on yield components and fruit composition of Tempranillo and Grenache (Vitis vinifera L.) vines was investigated. Experiments were conducted in two Spanish vineyards, both trained to a vertical shoot-positioned canopy over two consecutive seasons. The height of the harvester and the position of the bow rods were adjusted so that fruit was removed by the vibration of the canopy caused by the bow rods striking the vine trunks. The Tempranillo was thinned 3c10 days before veraison and the Grenache was thinned when 10 to 15% of berries were colored. Mechanical thinning significantly reduced berry number per cluster, cluster weight, and cluster compactness; a similar amount of fruit ( 3c65%) was removed from both varieties. Botrytis incidence was reduced by mechanical thinning of the Grenache in 2007 and was otherwise not affected by thinning treatments. Soluble solid concentration was higher under mechanical thinning treatments over the two seasons in Tempranillo and in 2006 in Grenache, suggesting that damage to the canopy was minimal. Phenolic concentration (both berry and berry fresh weight basis) was higher in fruit from the mechanically thinned vines compared with the control (unthinned) in Tempranillo in 2007 and only on a per berry basis in Grenache in 2006. Mechanical thinning conducted with a machine harvester has the potential to be a cost-effective technique to regulate yield in vineyards with vertical shoot-positioned canopies. Copyright \ua9 2008 by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture. All rights reserved

Prevalence of problematic cell phone use in an adult population in Spain as assessed by the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS)

Problematic cell phone use has alarmingly increased in industrialized countries in the past 10 years. For many perpetrators, it can turn into a behavioural addiction, although this is not a recognized medical condition. Although there are many tools for evaluating this use, one of the most widely used tools is the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale (MPPUS), which we test on a representative sample of the population in Spain to obtain an estimate of the prevalence of problematic cell phone use in our midst. The age range consists of 16-65 years, with 1,126 surveys conducted. In this population, we verify that the reliability and internal consistency of the MPPUS (α = 0.939) are maintained. Additionally, the construct validity, considering the derived factors (Abuse and Dependence, Craving and Loss of Control, and Dependence on the Social Environment) are aligned with other research and with diverse external criteria of addiction. We establish four categories of users (Casual, Regular, At Risk, and Problematic) and obtain a prevalence of 15.4% among At Risk Users and 5.1% among Problematic Users. This finding implies a total of 20.5% of Users with Problems. A binary logistic regression analysis shows that age, gender, level of education, and daily cell phone use predict problematic cell phone use. The results, based on multiple criteria, show that such problematic use shares features of recognized addictions, affecting large segments of the population and not only adolescents