Abstract
In recent years, it has been demonstrated that the application of elicitors such as methyl-jasmonate (MeJ) and benzothiadiazole (BTH) to wine grapes can increase their phenolic and aromatic compounds if they are treated at the beginning of ripening (veraison). However, the veraison period is short, and it is not always possible to apply the treatments in a few days. Therefore, it would be of great interest to optimize the moment of elicitor application or extend the treatment period. The aim of this paper was to analyze during two consecutive years (2016–2017) the foliar application of MeJ, BTH, and a combination of both, during two different ripening periods of Monastrell grapes (veraison and mid-ripening), and determine the more appropriate moment to increase the concentration of anthocyanins. To carry out this aim, analysis of anthocyanins by HPLC in grapes and wines was mainly performed. The most suitable period for the application of MeJ, BTH, and MeJ + BTH was at mid-ripening, since the grapes showed a greater accumulation of anthocyanins at harvest. However, the MeJ + BTH treatment applied during veraison also obtained similar results, which would allow extending the application period if necessary. However, the increase in the anthocyanin content of grapes was not reflected in all the wines, which may have been due to reinforcement of the skin cell wall as a result of the application of elicitors. Further analysis is needed to improve the maceration process of the Monastrell grapes and the extraction of the anthocyanins that were increased by the treatments applied in the vineyard.
Highlights
There is growing interest in phenolic compounds as bioactive compounds because of their impact on human well-being, which is mainly influenced by their chemical structures [1]
It has been demonstrated that the application of elicitors such as methyl-jasmonate (MeJ) and benzothiadiazole (BTH) to wine grapes can increase their concentration of anthocyanins [15,16,17], stilbenes [21,22], and aromatic compounds [23], if they are treated at the onset of maturation
To optimize the moment of elicitor application or extend the treatment period, it would be of great interest to determine the maturation stage (s) most suitable for the application of MeJ and/or BTH to favor the accumulation of anthocyanins in grapes
Summary
There is growing interest in phenolic compounds as bioactive compounds because of their impact on human well-being, which is mainly influenced by their chemical structures [1]. The veraison period is short, and it is not always possible to apply the treatments in a few days, so planning to use elicitors in large areas of vineyards or in unfavorable environmental conditions can become complicated. In this period, the grapes undergo critical physiological changes such as an increase in soluble solids, berry softening, and coloring [24], but these changes do not occur simultaneously and can vary widely among cultivars [25]. To optimize the moment of elicitor application or extend the treatment period, it would be of great interest to determine the maturation stage (s) most suitable for the application of MeJ and/or BTH to favor the accumulation of anthocyanins in grapes
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