UV-B Radiation as a Factor that Deserves Further Research in Bolivian Viticulture: A Review

Bolivian viticulture has acquired an incipient notoriety in the international wine market due to theproduction of high-altitude wines with a high antioxidant potential. Andes agricultural regions presentan advantage for wine production since UV-B radiation reaching the earth’s surface increases withaltitude and varies with latitude, promoting the activation of plant defense mechanisms responsible forthe synthesis of secondary metabolites. UV‐B radiation upregulates the biosynthesis of nitrogen, phenolicand volatile compounds that contribute to wine flavour. It is thought that the incident UV-B radiationin the Bolivian valleys makes it possible to obtain wines with high phenolic and aromatic potential, butthe published results are not entirely conclusive. This manuscript addressed the geological and climaticfeatures that affect Bolivian viticulture, and we reviewed the field studies carried out regarding the effectsof altitude and UV-B radiation on flavour components of grapes and wines from Bolivian viticulturalvalleys. A high antioxidant capacity and trans-resveratrol content is found in grapes and wines from highaltitude Bolivian vineyards, including if they are compared to those samples from different wine countries.However, high UV-B radiation can result in bunch sunburn affecting some physico-chemical parameters ofthe produced wines. Scarce number of studies have been developed in this field despite this region presenta valuable potential for research in order to quantify the effects of biologically damaging radiation on thesynthesis of flavour components in grapes and some of them were not well scientifically controlled

Spur Pruning Leaving One Bud is an Interesting Viticultural Strategy to Control Bud Acrotony in Bolivian Vineyards

Bolivian viticulture is mostly found in the Central Valley of Tarija, which is characterised by a subtropicalclimate with high thermal oscillation in winter that results in low accumulation of chilling units. Suchclimatic conditions accentuate acrotony in vines, which affect budburst uniformity and, consequently,yield and bunch quality at harvest. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different spur pruningstrategies on the percentage of budburst and fertility of buds located in different nodal positions in bothwine and table grape varieties growing in the Central Valley of Tarija. The results show that allocatingspurs with fewer buds improved the budding of most of the distal buds studied. This was noted in boththe wine and table grape cultivars, but mostly in the latter. Spur pruning leaving one bud improved thepercentage of budburst and the fertility of the distal buds in Cabernet Sauvignon, Cardinal and Ribier,thereby preventing bud acrotony, compared to spur pruning leaving two buds. Spur pruning leaving twobuds improved the budburst of latent buds in Cabernet Sauvignon. Therefore, to avoid acrotony patterns,viticulturists should perform pruning leaving one bud

Molecular and ampelographic characterization of genotypes used for Pajarete wine, an old Denomination of Origin from Huasco and Elqui Valleys in northern Chile

The characterization of 30 grape accessions used to produce Pajarete wine is presented, one of the first American "Denomination of Origin" (D.O.). Accessions were collected from small vineyards from the Huasco Valley in the Atacama Region, northern Chile, which are very heterogeneous for varietal assortment, as was demonstrated by microsatellite marker analysis. Eighteen different genotypes were identified, including the two varieties considered the founders of American viticulture, 'Listán Prieto' (syn. 'País') and 'Muscat of Alexandria'. A series of criolla varieties was also identified, some of them already described plus others not yet included in international databases. Based on nine SSR markers, allelic matchings suggest that four of these new criolla varieties (NN-311, NN-313, NN-368 and NN-370) derives from 'Listán Prieto' x 'Muscat of Alexandria', but three (NN-314, NN-276 and NN-369) are derived from 'M. of Alexandria' crossed with a yet undetermined parent. Seven criolla accessions were described by ampelography, including some not yet recorded in the European Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) or in the Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA) database. Three accessions were considered as not appropriate for the production of Pajarete wine since two of them are table grape varieties and the other is the American variety 'Isabella' (Vitis labrusca x V. vinifera), all considered of poor quality for winemaking. All these findings are very useful to direct the conservation of this unique germplasm, as well as for small producers of Pajarete wine, since based on this information on the overall variety assortment of the area, they can now make informed decisions to improve their vineyard management and wine production

Resurgence of minority and autochthonous grapevine varieties in South America: a review of their oenological potential

In contrast with the general trend of producing wine from the most famous grapevine varieties, associated with the French paradigm, such as Cabernet‐Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, there is a tendency to revalorize and preserve minority or autochthonous grapevine varieties worldwide. The South American wine region, where most of the varieties derived from varieties brought after European colonization, is not exempt from this. This has allowed new wines to be provided with distinctive identities that are markedly different from the current homogeneous wine production. Moreover, varietal homogenization increases vineyard genetic vulnerability in relation to the emergence of grapevine diseases, to which the commonly cultivated varieties are not resistant. This review summarizes the oenological potential of minority or autochthonous grapevine varieties cultivated within the South American wine region, focusing on Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia.G. G.‐G. is grateful for the financial support given by CONICYT PFCHA/Doctorado Becas Chile/2016 – 72170532.Peer reviewe

The Impact of Climate Change on the Viticultural Suitability of Maipo Valley, Chile

This study uses the case of the Maipo Valley in Chile to examine how climate change will affect viticultural suitability. Using a geographic information system analysis of topographic, soil, land use, and climate data, a baseline assessment of viticultural suitability in the Maipo Valley was performed. The impact of climate change on viticultural suitability was modeled by overlaying downscaled global circulation model temperature data for two emission scenarios. The findings of this study suggest that the capacity of vineyard managers in the Maipo Valley to cultivate high-quality traditional grape varietals from cooler grape maturity classes might be limited in the future.Fondecyt [1120713]; Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) [CRN3056]; U.S. National Science Foundation [GEO-1128040]12 month embargo; Published online: 18 Feb 2016This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]