Effects of Irrigation and Cluster Thinning on Tempranillo Grape and Wine Composition

With the aim of understanding the effects of water stress and cluster load on berry composition andwine quality, a four-year field test was conducted in a cv. Tempranillo vineyard in Extremadura (Spain).When the first berries appeared to be changing colour (onset of véraison), grapevines were subjected totwo different irrigation regimes, one supplying 100% of crop evapotranspiration, and the other 25%.In addition, two cluster load levels were tested for each irrigation regime: seven to nine and four to fiveclusters/m2 planting area. Both irrigation and thinning had an impact on most of the parameters analysedin the grapes and the wines, although the thinning effect was in general higher than the irrigation effect.Thus, deficit irrigation reduced malic acid and the titratable acidity of Tempranillo grape juice, whilecluster thinning increased all parameters analysed, except potassium concentrations. Similarly, the winecomposition was also affected differently by irrigation and by cluster thinning. Deficit irrigation reducedpH and increased titratable acidity, total phenol index and colour parameters, while cluster thinningincreased alcohol content, anthocyanin and colour intensity, and reduced pH and colour. The effect ofthe cluster thinning technique was independent of the irrigation regime in most of the wine parametersanalysed, except for total phenol index, where the effect of deficit irrigation (DI) was more pronounced ingrapevines also subjected to the cluster thinning treatment

San Pedro de la Mata (Sonseca, Toledo). Construir y decorar una iglesia altomedieval en piedra

This work aims to offer those results obtained by means of the archaeological, stylistic and geological analysis of the church of San Pedro de La Mata, of its building and decorative materials and of its quarries. Combining these studies (and methodologies) has made possible to identify the original form of the church, to pinpoint the origin of the materials and to characterize thus the skills of the workshops responsible for its construction and decoration.Este trabajo pretende ofrecer los primeros resultados obtenidos mediante el análisis arqueológico, estilístico y geológico de la iglesia de San Pedro de La Mata, de sus materiales constructivos y decorativos y de sus canteras. La combinación de estos estudios (y metodologías) ha permitido reconocer la forma originaria de la iglesia, determinar la procedencia de sus materiales y caracterizar así la habilidad de los talleres responsables de su obra y decoración

A device enabling fully automated water-deficit experiments with potted grapevines

Here, we describe a novel device for programming and replenishing water transpired by potted plants. To test the robustness of the system, vines were subjected to progressive water stress (WS), the severity of which was maintained in relation to transpiration (Tc) of well-watered (WW) plants. Throughout the 40-day experiment, water supply in the WS treatment was progressively lowered to 70, 50, and 30% of WW Tc prior to rewatering. During the same stages, mean Tc of WS plants was 74, 48, 28, and 93% that of WW plants. Linear relationships between vine transpiration and water supply during the 40-day experiment (R2 = 0.95 for WW and 0.94 for WS) confirmed the reliability of the system in providing a water supply that closely tracked measured transpiration. The emptying volume of the cylinder t ank was set at 265 m L and proved to be adequate for daily water losses, which ranged from ~300 to 2300 mL. In addition to relieving operators of laborious and time-consuming manual irrigation, the system provides the ability to adjust water supply to actual water use as measured concurrently in a grapevine-enclosure system and enables customization of the water supply according to the size and transpiration potential of each vine

Evaluation of phenolics and acrylamide and their bioavailability in high hydrostatic pressure treated and fried table olives

Acrylamide was not detected after high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) of four different table olive varieties (Azeitera, Carrasqueña, Conserva de Elvas, and Morisca). Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleuropein, procyanidin B1, catechin, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, epicatechin, p-coumaric acid, and verbascoside were the most important phenols found in fresh olives and after HHP treatment. The content of these phenolics decreased from the fresh sample to the oral sample; however, they increased during the in vitro digestion process reaching values that were similar to the fresh samples after the final digestion phase. The highest content of phenolics was found in Carrasqueña variety subjected to intestinal digestion. With HHP, the table olives could be pasteurized without loss of phenolic compound; also the formation of acrylamide was prevented. The frying process of the filled olives induced the formation of acrylamide range from 100 to 250 µg/kg. However, Carrasqueña, the variety with the highest content of phenolic compounds presented the lowest content in acrylamide. Practical applications: High hydrostatic pressure is a nonthermal technology which was applied to pasteurize table olives and to extend their shelf life, preserving the amount of phenolic compounds and preventing acrylamide formation. The frying treatments after HHP contributed to phenols reduction and acrylamide formation. However, the olives with the highest content of natural phenols showed the lower formation of acrylamide

Improving the Phenolic Content of Tempranillo Grapes by Sustainable Strategies in the Vineyard

Wine phenolics are of considerable interest due to their implication in the organoleptic appreciation of wines and due to their bioactive functions as antioxidants. In this work, the effects of sustainable strategies in the vineyard, regulated deficit irrigation treatments (RDI) and crop load level (CL) on Tempranillo grape phenolics over two seasons was studied. Rainfed (T), early (EDI) and late (LDI) regulated deficit irrigation was applied. Cluster thinning (TH) and control (C) without cluster removal were also applied under each irrigation treatment. The effect of CL remained independent of RDI for all compounds, except for phenolic acids. The RDI influence on the grape skin phenolic profile was higher than CL in the dry season (2009); however, in 2010, the effect of CL was greater. In 2009, a tendency to increase anthocyanin and hydroxycinnamic acid content in grape skins was registered in EDI with respect to T. However, significant decreases in hydroxycinnamic and flavanol compounds were found in LDI. In 2010, the wettest year, CL increased all phenolic families’ content. Thus, it can be concluded that the effects of RDI and cluster thinning treatments depend on the family of compounds considered and the meteorological conditions of the year.This research has been supported in part by the National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA) research project RTA-2008-0037

Effects of preflowering leaf removal on phenolic composition of tempranillo in the semiarid terroir of Western Spain

© 2015 by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture. All rights reserved. The effects of preflowering defoliation on the qualitative and quantitative composition of phenolic compounds in the grape skins of Tempranillo grapevines grown in a semiarid terroir of western Spain, Badajoz, were determined. Control vines were compared with defoliation carried out before flowering (ED) in 2009 and 2010. Forty-two phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in the grape skins, including anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanols (cathechin and epi-cathechin and the flavanol dimmers B1, B2, and B3), and hydroxycinnamic acids, as both simple and conjugated molecules. ED did not significantly alter the concentration of total anthocyanidins, although in 2009, 3-O-acylated monoglucosides and p-coumaroylglucoside forms were more abundant in this treatment. A nonsignificant tendency toward increased total flavanols due to defoliation treatment was observed. Leaf removal increased concentrations of flavonols (glycosides of myricetin, quercetin, kaempherol, and isorhamnetin), hydroxycinnamic acids, and stilbenes in season-specific ways. Preflowering leaf removal may contribute to increased concentrations of compounds that can form complexes with anthocyanins (copigments) and may thus improve wine color stability.This research was supported by funds from INIA-FEDER RTA2008-0037 and GOBEX GR10006. D. Moreno is grateful to the Extremadura Government and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).Peer Reviewe

Variability in chemical composition of Vitis vinifera cv Mencía from different geographic areas and vintages in Ribeira Sacra (NW Spain)

A chemical study was conducted from 2009 to 2012 to examine spatial and seasonal variability of red Vitis vinifera Mencía located in different geographic areas (Amandi, Chantada, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeiras do Sil and Ribeiras do Miño) from NW Spain. Mencía samples were analysed for phenolic, (flavan-3-ols, flavonols, anthocyanins, acids and resveratrol), nitrogen (TAC, TAN, YAN and TAS) and volatiles compounds (alcohols, C6 compounds, ethyl esters, terpenes, aldehydes, acids, lactones, volatile phenols and carbonyl compounds) by GC-MS and HPLC. Results: showed that the composition of Mencía cultivar was more affected by the vintage than the geographic area. The amino acid composition was less affected by both geographic origin and vintage, showing more varietal stability. Application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to experimental data showed a good separation of Mencía grape according to geographical origin and vintages. PCA also showed high correlations between the ripening ratio and C6 compounds, resveratrol and carbonyl compounds.This work was partially supported by the Project 08MRU029403PR from Galician government, Spain (Principal Research: M. Vilanova). The authors would like to thank to Ribeira Sacra AOC (Galicia, NW Spain), Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness from Spain Government.Peer Reviewe

Composición nitrogenada de las variedades blancas Airén, Cigüente, Moscatel de Alejandría y Verdejo, cultivadas en España. Incidencia del régimen hídrico

Trabajo presentado en las Jornadas organizadas por la SECH (Sociedad Española de Ciencias Hortícolas) celebradas en Logroño el 19 y 20 de noviembre de 2014.- 7 páginas, 3 tablas y 1 figura.Dada la importancia de la composición nitrogenada del mosto, por sus consecuencias en el aroma del vino, es imprescindible conocer el efecto que las diferentes prácticas agronómicas tienen en estas sustancias, tanto en el aspecto cualitativo como en el cuantitativo. En la campaña 2012 se estudiaron, en vendimia, los efectos de diferentes tratamientos de riego (dosis y momento de aplicación) en la composición nitrogenada de cuatro variedades blancas de vid: Airén (Ai), en Albacete; Cigüente (Ci) en Badajoz, Moscatel de Alejandría (Mo) en Valencia y Verdejo (Ve) en Valladolid. En todos los casos, son viñedos conducidos en espaldera, mediante posicionamiento vertical de la vegetación, podados en cordón Royat bilateral y sometidos a similares prácticas de cultivo. En cada localización, la fertilización nitrogenada fue idéntica para todos los tratamientos. Independientemente del régimen hídrico impuesto, arginina y prolina fueron los aminoácidos mayoritarios en todos los casos. Los mayores valores de TAC (Contenido Amínico Total) y NFA (Nitrógeno Fácilmente Asimilable) se hallaron en la variedad Mo, seguida de Ci, Ai y, finalmente Ve. Las cantidades de prolina (aminoácido no asimilable por las levaduras) siguieron la misma tendencia. Las variedades Ci y Mo presentaron respectivamente los mayores y los menores valores de asparagina, treonina y fenilalanina, aminoácidos importantes como precursores de aromas fermentativos. En general, los diferentes regímenes hídricos apenas incidieron en los perfiles amínicos de Ai y Mo, pero sí en Ci y Ve, con parecidas tendencias en ambas variedades.Este trabajo forma parte del proyecto INIA RTA2011-00100-C05. Los autores agradecen a INIA y a fondos FEDER la financiación del mismo.Peer reviewe

San Pedro de la Mata (Sonseca, Toledo): construir y decorar una iglesia altomedieval en piedra

89, págs. 45-69Este trabajo pretende ofrecer los primeros resultados obtenidos mediante el análisis arqueológico, estilístico y geológico de la iglesia de San Pedro de La Mata, de sus materiales constructivos y decorativos y de sus canteras. La combinación de estos estudios (y metodologías) ha permitido reconocer la forma originaria de la iglesia, determinar la procedencia de sus materiales y caracterizar así la habilidad de los talleres responsables de su obra y decoraciónInstituto de Historia (IH-CSIC)Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME)Urbe pro OrbeUniversidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM

Gas exchange and water-use efficiency of cv. Sangiovese grafted to rootstocks of varying water-deficit tolerance

Testing of new rootstocks for drought tolerance targets traditionally rain-fed districts where supplemental irrigation is more frequently needed due to the pressures of global warming. A seasonal evaluation of gas exchange and water-use efficiency (WUE) of cv. Sangiovese grafted to the new drought-tolerant genotype M4 in a dry-down trial against the commercial SO4 stock is reported. The experiment was conducted in 2014 on twelve 2-year-old, non-fruiting potted Sangiovese grapevines grafted on M4 and SO4 stocks and assigned to SO4-WW (well-watered), SO4-WS (water-stressed), M4-WW and M4-WS treatments. Progressive water deficit was imposed by reducing water supply to 70, 50 and 30 % of whole-canopy demand derived from concurrent measurements of transpiration in WW. Unlike SO4, M4 showed slower stress progression, as highlighted by pre-dawn leaf water potential, and retained higher whole-canopy net CO2 exchange rates (NCER) and transpiration rates per unit of leaf area at all replenishment levels as well as exhibiting higher canopy WUE at both 50 and 30 % WW. Although single-leaf assessment was in partial disagreement with data recorded on the whole-canopy basis, robust data were acquired to confirm that the M4 stock performs better than SO4 at any water replenishment level in terms of higher NCER/leaf area and/or canopy WUE. Findings feed expectations that grafting Sangiovese to the M4 rootstock should result in a problem-solving tool for rain-fed areas subject to temporary summer drought