Physiological responses and production of 'Syrah' vines as a function of training systems

Plant architecture and its interaction with agricultural practices and environmental constraints is determinant for grapevine canopy structure, which is related to carbon assimilation, bud fertility and fruit quality. In this context, this study evaluated the performance of field-grown 'Syrah' grapevines conducted by two management systems: Vertical Shoot Position (VSP) or a modified Geneva Double Curtain (GDC), in Pirapora, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, during the winters of 2007 and 2008. The evaluations of leaf area, water relations and net CO2 assimilation were made at the end of the ripening period. Yield per vine and per hectare were estimated and mean berry weight and diameter, total soluble solids, pH and titratable acidity were evaluated during berry ripening. The grapevines trained in VSP had higher water status as compared to GDC, shown by differences in pre-dawn leaf water potential (ψpd) and stem water potential (ψstem). However, the CO2 assimilation was similar in both training systems. Fruit exposure was higher in VSP than in GDC, which contributed to increasing berry temperature. At harvest, the berries in GDC reached values near to 23 ºBrix whereas berries in VSP showed values near 21 ºBrix

Worldwide diversity of endophytic fungi and insects associated with dormant tree twigs

International trade in plants and climate change are two of the main factors causing damaging tree pests (i.e. fungi and insects) to spread into new areas. To mitigate these risks, a large-scale assessment of tree-associated fungi and insects is needed. We present records of endophytic fungi and insects in twigs of 17 angiosperm and gymnosperm genera, from 51 locations in 32 countries worldwide. Endophytic fungi were characterized by high-throughput sequencing of 352 samples from 145 tree species in 28 countries. Insects were reared from 227 samples of 109 tree species in 18 countries and sorted into taxonomic orders and feeding guilds. Herbivorous insects were grouped into morphospecies and were identified using molecular and morphological approaches. This dataset reveals the diversity of tree-associated taxa, as it contains 12,721 fungal Amplicon Sequence Variants and 208 herbivorous insect morphospecies, sampled across broad geographic and climatic gradients and for many tree species. This dataset will facilitate applied and fundamental studies on the distribution of fungal endophytes and insects in trees

Starch Concentrations in Grapevine Leaves, Berries and Roots and the Effect of Canopy Management

Diurnal and seasonal starch changes in leaves, berries and roots of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon/99 Richter and the effect of canopy management (a combination of suckering, shoot positioning, and 33% defoliation) on these processes were investigated under field conditions. An increase in starch concentration of basal leaves occurred from the morning to the afternoon during the most active vegetative growth period (up to veraison), indicating a proportional change in storage or export of assimilates between day and night. During later developmental stages diurnal starch levels slightly declined or remained the same. Seasonally, leaf starch remained relatively stable until veraison, whereafter it increased, reaching highest concentrations at the post-harvest stage. Canopy management generally increased leaf starch concentrations. Berries contained no significant amounts of starch.  Root starch concentrations were usually higher than those of leaves. Diurnally as well as seasonally, root starch accumulation patterns coincided with those of leaves, indicating a close relationship between source and sink tissue. Canopy management resulted in stable diurnal root starch concentrations without affecting the daily mean starch level; afternoon values of treated vines were, however, generally lower. The results imply that carbohydrate supply and starch-synthesising enzyme systems were not limited by manipulating the canopy and decreasing foliage. It seems, however, that particularly late in the season starch accumulation in roots may be delayed by canopy manipulation as applied. This indicates a shift in sucrose partitioning and its utilisation in roots and other sink areas, e.g. the berries, when the canopy is manipulated

Biochemical comparison of two grape varieties differing in juice acidity

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