Changes in Berry Tissues in Monastrell Grapevines Grafted on Different Rootstocks and Their Relationship with Berry and Wine Phenolic Content.

Josefa M Navarro,Pablo Botía,Pascual Romero

doi:10.3390/plants10122585

Abstract

Monastrell grapevines grafted on the rootstocks 140Ru, 1103P, 41B, 110R, and 161-49C were subjected to regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) and partial root-zone irrigation (PRI). We analyzed the effects of the rootstock and irrigation method on the phenolic concentration in different berry tissues, its dilution/concentration due to the berry size, the anatomical and morphological traits of berries related to the phenolic compounds concentration, and the relationships of all these parameters with the final berry and wine phenolic content. The rootstock had an important effect on the accumulation of total phenolic compounds and anthocyanins in the skin (berries from 110R and 140Ru had the highest values). Moreover, the rootstock modified some anatomical and morphological characteristics that had a direct relationship with the final phenolic compounds concentration in the must. Large grapes and high must percentages (110R and 140Ru) produced a dilution effect, whereas small berries and a low must percentage increased the concentration (161-49C). For 110R, the small size of the cells of the epidermis and hypodermis in the grapes also could have contributed to the high phenolic compounds concentration in the skin. The percentage of cells in the skin with a uniform coloration was positively correlated with its total phenolic compounds and anthocyanins concentration and also with the phenolic quality of the wine. The PRI modified some specific morphological/anatomical skin/berry traits, and these may have contributed to important changes in the final concentration of phenolic compounds, depending on the rootstock. The better phenolic quality of the must and wines observed in some rootstocks under PRI could be due to smaller cells in the epidermis and hypodermis of the skin (161-49C), a higher percentage of cells with a uniform coloration in the hypodermis (110R), or a lower number of seeds per berry (161-49C). In contrast, the lower phenolic compounds concentration in the must of grapes observed in the most vigorous rootstocks under PRI could be due to a greater thickness of the epidermis (140Ru), greater cuticle thickness (41B), a higher number of seeds (140Ru), a lower skin/pulp ratio and percentage of skin (140Ru), a greater percentage of cells in the epidermis without coloration or with large inclusions, and a lower percentage of cells with a uniform coloration in the epidermis (140Ru). The final quality of the grape is related to some changes in histological and morphological aspects of the grape produced by the rootstock and irrigation strategy.

Highlights

Monastrell (Mourvedre in France, and Mataro in Australia and California) is an ancient, native, black-skinned grape variety originating from the Spanish Levante that has been grown in vineyards all around the western Mediterranean countries for centuries
We found that the rootstock modified the distribution of the different types of cells in the epidermis and hypodermis, the grapes from 110R having the highest percentages of cells with a uniform coloration, traits that were related positively to the phenolic compounds concentration in the skin and berry (Figures 5 and 7, Tables 6 and 9)
Despite having high concentrations of total phenolic compounds and total anthocyanins in the skin, 110R and 140Ru had the biggest grapes and the highest must percentages, which lowered the concentrations of metabolites in the must and wine

Summary

Introduction

Monastrell (Mourvedre in France, and Mataro in Australia and California) is an ancient, native, black-skinned grape variety originating from the Spanish Levante (southeastern, Spain) that has been grown in vineyards all around the western Mediterranean countries for centuries. Its cultivation extends throughout Spain, southern France, California, and South Australia This variety is grown principally in semiarid areas of the southeast of Spain, covering 43,000 ha (4.4% of the total vineyard area in Spain [1]), since it is well adapted to these rigorous and dry climates of high temperatures and recurrent drought cycles. In this sense, certain physiological characteristics of tolerance to drought have been identified in Monastrell, which give it a good capacity to adapt to the lack of water and to water stress [2,3]. Adaptation measures are necessary, especially those related to the application of deficit irrigation, improvements in water use efficiency, and the selection of plant material (rootstocks, clones, new crosses/varieties of Monastrell) better adapted to the new climatic situation [5,6,7,8]

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