Study for the development of a rapid and non-destructive method for copper analysis in vineyards towards a precision fungal defense strategy

In the defense against downy mildew, copper is still widely used, particularly in organic management. At any rate, specific investigations are needed to significantly reduce the use of copper and minimize its environmental impact. This study, conducted in several farms in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Northeast Italy), aimed to evaluate the concentration of copper on leaves in various climatic conditions, in order to create an important database for the development of a rapid control system through image analysis. The tests involved sampling leaves and grapes from bud break until the last treatment with copper-based products. After copper recovery using a nitric acid solution, the copper values were analyzed via ICP-AES analysis. Cuprotesmo imprints were also made on the same leaves to develop an application (APP) capable of quickly and non-destructively detecting copper on the leaf surface through image analysis. The analytical data revealed significant correlations between image analysis and copper values only in certain situations involving adult leaves. However, due to the variability in treatment situations, the use of the APP with image analysis for all copper defense scenarios is not yet feasible. Nevertheless, the results are encouraging and will serve for further extensive investigations to develop an image analysis system capable of detecting truly active copper and optimizing pesticide treatments for a precision defense strategy. This strategy aims to ensure low environmental impact, production sustainability, and grape quality

Study for the development of a rapid and non-destructive method for copper analysis in vineyards towards a precision fungal defense strategy

In the defense against downy mildew, copper is still widely used, particularly in organic management. At any rate, specific investigations are needed to significantly reduce the use of copper and minimize its environmental impact. This study, conducted in several farms in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Northeast Italy), aimed to evaluate the concentration of copper on leaves in various climatic conditions, in order to create an important database for the development of a rapid control system through image analysis. The tests involved sampling leaves and grapes from bud break until the last treatment with copper-based products. After copper recovery using a nitric acid solution, the copper values were analyzed via ICP-AES analysis. Cuprotesmo imprints were also made on the same leaves to develop an application (APP) capable of quickly and non-destructively detecting copper on the leaf surface through image analysis. The analytical data revealed significant correlations between image analysis and copper values only in certain situations involving adult leaves. However, due to the variability in treatment situations, the use of the APP with image analysis for all copper defense scenarios is not yet feasible. Nevertheless, the results are encouraging and will serve for further extensive investigations to develop an image analysis system capable of detecting truly active copper and optimizing pesticide treatments for a precision defense strategy. This strategy aims to ensure low environmental impact, production sustainability, and grape quality

Formazione in un'azienda di auto supersportive e implementazione del Training Center: il caso di Automobili Lamborghini

la formazione aziendal

Analysis of organic wine market needs

In the last years the market for organically produced wine has developed significantly. But until now only few data are available about the actual organic wine market and market needs as well as future market trends. Therefore, the conduction of a trans-national study was seen as necessary within the ORWINE project. The aim of this market study was to get a clear picture about the national structure as well as the development and the potential of the domestic and international organic wine market. This report gives the results and main trends concerning organic wines markets of the first step of this study: status quo analysis from experts’ survey and literature analysis and operators’ market survey with qualitative and quantitative data. The second step of the study will be end, in December 2007, more interviews will be led with operators from other countries: producing European countries and European and non European consuming countries

Australian schools 'facing psychological health crisis'

Dr Monika Thielking from the Australian Psychological Society and Associate Professor Mark Terjeson from New York's St John's University join ABC News breakfast to discuss the importance of school psychologists

Prelliminary assessment on the use immobilized yeast cells in sodium alginate for sparkling wine processes

Use of alginate-immobilized yeasts in the production of sparkling wine using the "champenois" method was investigated. The results indicate that there are no variations in the principal chemical-physical characteristics between sparkling wines obtained through immobilized yeast and traditional sparkling wines

Immobilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in calcium alginate gel and its application to bottle-fermented sparkling wine production

The production of bottle-fermented sparkling wine using yeasts immobilized info calcium alginate beads is reported. In particular, the concentration of cells in the gel, the kinetics of fermentation, the transfer of calcium during fermentation, and the clarity and quality of the sparkling wines obtained were studied. The resuits show that: (1) the use of immobilized cells does not cause any significant change in the refermentation processes; (2) a relationship exists between the quantity of beads used and the increase of calcium content in sparkling wine; (3) celi release does not affect the clarity of the wine; and (4) the main components (ethanol, organic acids, total nitrogen, and higher alcohols) are not appreciably different in sparkling wines obtained by immobilized yeasts when compared with traditional sparkling wines, but some differences are found as regards certain amino acids and some aroma components

Bulk sparkling wine production by external encapsulated yeast bioreactor

A new method for bulk sparkling wine production is proposed. The use of an external bioreactor with high immobilized yeast loading for second fermentation was studied. The new process in much faster than the traditional one and the sparkling wines obtained are perfectly clear without showing quality faults

A non-destructive method for quantifying Cu, monitoring its residues, and downy mildew incidence on grapevine leaves after the application of copper-based antifungals

Perennial crops such as grapevine are often sprayed with copper-based antifungals against one of the most important diseases in viticulture, downy mildew (DM), which is caused by the biotrophic oomycete Plasmopara viticola. Although the European Union has limited the use of copper-based fungicides in organic farming since 2002, the likely negative effects on the environment, human health and wine quality, as well as soil contamination from diffuse sources in some agricultural regions, should be taken into account. The aim of this work, funded by the INTAVIEBIO project (PSR - FVG), was 1) to minimise the copper use by studying the variance of Cu coating on vine leaves and 2) to develop a non-destructive and rapid method to detect Cu on treated leaves using a new chemical probe that can detect the presence of Cu by image analysis. This study was carried out on five organically managed vineyards in north-eastern Italy. Copper-based fungicides were applied to the canopy at different times during two growing seasons. The Cu dose applied to the grapevine leaves ranged from 1.00 to 3.6 kg ha-1. Cu concentration was analysed in the laboratory using ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectroscopy) after the leaves were collected and washed with a 1% nitric acid solution (HNO3). For direct Cu analysis of the leaves, we also used Cuprotesmo™ papers, which are particularly sensitive to the presence of copper salts and turn pink in the presence of the chemical (the colour changes when the paper is moistened). Images of the coloured papers were taken with a smartphone camera. The Cu concentration data obtained from a mobile device application developed in the INTAVIEBIO project and that measured with ICP-AES were compared on the same leaves. The data evidences that this approach (once well developed) can be used as a non-destructive, rapid and minimal knowledge required method for Cu measurement by farm managers. The mean values of accumulated Cu on the leaves ranged from 1.67 to 7.91 (μg/cm2), with different Cu concentration on young and old leaves. Consequently, the effectiveness of Cu protection against DM and the correlation between concentration and disease incidence was evaluated