Impact of biodynamic and organic vineyard management on the microorganism community and aroma characteristics of cabernet sauvignon wine

This aim of this study was to examine the effects of vineyard management and spatial heterogeneity of soil on chemical and microbial variables in comparison with an adjacent forest fragment. In 2000, two field experiments with Vitis labrusca (L.) were set up on an Oxisol of North Parana, Brazil. In 2004, soil samples were taken to evaluate the following factors: (i) conventional (CONV) and organic (ORG) vineyard management and (ii) spatial heterogeneity of soil, row or inter-rows cultivation and at different sampling depths (0-10 cm and 10-20 cm), in a split-plot arrangement fitted to a randomized complete block with six replicates. The forest adjacent fragment was considered as undisturbed agricultural (or control) area. Chemical attributes of the soil in the ORG vineyard were improved in comparison to the soil in the forest, at a depth of 0-10 cm, with the exception of total carbon. To microbial carbon (Cmic) values the both factors (vineyard management and special soil heterogeneity) contributed to changes in the contents this microbiological soil attributes in the areas evaluated. While, the spatial heterogeneity of the soil was the main factor to changes in soil microbial basal respiration, with higher values in the CONV rows. Regardless of the depth, the lowest qCO2 values were observed in the soil from the ORG vineyard and the forest. The cluster analysis showed that, represented on the Axis-X, the CONV vineyards, ORG vineyards and forest clustered from the negative to the positive, progressively, indicating greater similarity between ORG and forest. Moreover, when the spatial heterogeneity of the soil was plotted on the Axis-Y, the 0-10 cm layer appeared in the positive portion, and the 10-20 cm layer appeared in the negative portion. In the short term, it appears that different vineyard management methods affected microbial variables and some similarity between ORG and forest soil.

Environmental conditions strongly influence grape amino acid profiles, which are key for fermentation and wine aroma. However, the combined effects of climate-driven warming and reduced rainfall together with vineyard management on berry amino acid composition remain poorly understood under field conditions. This study evaluated the effects of warming (W) and reduced rainfall (RR) on the nitrogen composition of cv. Monastrell berries under conventional (CON) and organic (ORG) vineyard management systems. A field experiment was established in 2023 in a rainfed vineyard (Murcia, SE Spain) using open-top chambers and rain-exclusion shelters to simulate warming and reduced rainfall respectively, with ambient conditions as controls. Individual amino acids and ammonium were analyzed by HPLC at harvest in 2023 and 2024, and nitrogen parameters including total free amino acids (FAN), yeast-assimilable nitrogen (YAN) and precursor aromatic nitrogen (PAN) were determined. ORG management showed higher amino acid concentrations than CON, with increases exceeding 100 % for GABA and proline. In 2023, climate treatments significantly affected 13 amino acids, whereas vineyard management effects and vineyard management × climate interactions were each significant for 4. Warming increased FAN, AAN, YAN and PAN by 25–75 % under ORG and by 111–160 % under CON, while ammonium increased by 96 % and 28 % under ORG and CON, respectively. Reduced rainfall had negligible effects in both years, confirming temperature as the dominant driver. These findings indicate that warming strongly alters grape nitrogen metabolism, whereas organic management mitigates its impact, supporting its role as a sustainable strategy to preserve nitrogen compounds under future climate scenarios.

Chemical and sensory characterisation of Sangiovese red wines: Comparison between biodynamic and organic management

Comparison of Sangiovese wines obtained from stabilized organic and biodynamic vineyard management systems

This study aimed to discriminate red wines obtained from organic and biodynamic management by means of proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) and metabonomic investigation. Red wines were produced from Sangiovese grapes over the three harvests 2010-2012 from two parcels of a vineyard, managed according to organic (ORG) or biodynamic (BIO) protocol, respectively. Every year the vinifications were performed with commercial selected yeasts (CSY) according to the organic protocol. Moreover, in 2012, CSY vinification was flanked by a spontaneous vinification (SPO) carried out by microorganisms naturally present on the grapes. To gain information about the effects of production year, vineyard management, vinification protocol and vines site in the field on the wine characteristics, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were registered by means of a spectrometer operating at 600 MHz and multivariate analysis was carried out. Production year and vinification protocol were found to be the factors affecting most the characteristics of wine metabolome. Vineyard management seemed to have more limited consequences on the wine composition, with effects on some aminoacids (proline, aspartic acid and valine), alcohols and some polyphenols. The latter observation could not be considered as certain, as vines site in the field acted, in this respect, as a confounding element.

Is the detection of phosphonic and ethyl-phosphonic acid in organic wines an evidence of fosetyl-Al application in organic vineyards?

The Cape Floristic Region (CFR), South Africa, is a biodiversity hotspot challenged by intensive wine production. Innovative approaches are being explored to optimize wine production without compromising biodiversity. As organic farming enhances biodiversity conservation in many other regions, the aim here was to assess the potential of organic vineyard management for conserving CFR soil surface arthropod diversity. Pitfall traps were used to sample arthropods in three study areas, each of which included an organic vineyard, an integrated vineyard and a natural vegetation reference habitat. Overall arthropod morphospecies richness was highest in natural sites, followed by organic vineyards and then integrated vineyards. The same trend was seen for predators, saprophages and phytophages. The ability of organic vineyards to sustain more morphospecies than integrated vineyards were partially due to higher non-crop vegetation complexity and less intense management in the organic vineyards. Arthropod assemblages were similar in organic and integrated vineyards, while both land-uses differed greatly from natural sites. Variation among natural vegetation assemblages in different study areas was also much greater than among assemblages of cultivated sites. Organic vineyard management has the potential to make an important contribution to arthropod conservation in the CFR at the field scale. However, at the landscape scale, natural habitat supports a much wider variety of morphospecies, and the preservation of natural fragments in the vineyard landscape may be the most effective measure to increase biodiversity in the winelands.

O cultivo orgânico com inclusão de material orgânico fresco altera propriedades físicas e químicas do solo e, com isso, pode resultar em modificações nas características biológicas deste. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi estudar os efeitos do manejo da videira (Vitis labrusca L.) sobre as propriedades químicas e microbianas do solo. Em outubro de 2006, amostras de solo foram coletadas de dois experimentos instalados em 2000 e de uma área adjacente com floresta. Os seguintes tratamentos foram avaliados em um esquema fatorial 2 x 2 x 2: (i) orgânico (ORG) e convencional (CONV); (ii) dos cultivares (IAC-766/Isabel e IAC-766/Bordô); e (iii) da heterogeneidade espacial (linha e entrelinha) sobre as propriedades químicas e microbianas de um solo arenoso. Foi observada a formação de três grandes grupos (CONV, ORG/linha e ORG/entrelinha), que se destacaram na área de floresta. As variáveis químicas e microbianas, com exceção do K, foram alteradas em relação aos manejos da videira. Houve efeitos do cultivar no N da biomassa microbiana e na respiração basal (CO2). Também foram observados efeitos de heterogeneidade espacial do solo no C da biomassa microbiana e em atributos químicos, como P, pH, Mg e micronutrientes. No sistema orgânico da videira, aumentaram-se o carbono orgânico do solo (COS) e a biomassa microbiana na linha e entrelinha, em comparação com a videira convencional. Os aumentos foram de 172 % no SOC, 100 % no Cmic e 223 % no Nmic, na linha do orgânico. Os manejos da videira e a heterogeneidade espacial do solo foram os fatores mais relevantes no agrupamento (ou separação) das áreas devido às mudanças nos atributos químicos do solo, principalmente o COS, e na biomassa microbiana.

The Industrial Revolution and intensification of agriculture have, in some cases, led to economic activities that profoundly influenced the ecosystem to the point where environmental stability and geographic political security are jeopardized. The uncertainty about oil reserves, rising energy prices and the threat of harmful climate change effects has intensified the search for alternative farming systems that reduce negative environmental impact. This study reports the ecological impact of conventional (CON), integrated (INT), organic (ORG) and biodynamic (BD) farming systems calculated from data collected in a field trial at Maribor, Slovenia, and interpreted using the SPIonExcel tool. This tool is a member of the ecological footprint family and describes the area necessary to embed a human activity sustainably into the ecosphere. Three-year results show a markedly reduced ecological footprint of the ORG and BD systems in production of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ‘Antonius’) and spelt (Triticum spelta L. ‘Ebners rotkorn’), mainly due to the absence of external production factors. When yields were also considered, the ORG and BD systems again had a reduced overall footprint per product unit and increased ecological efficiency of production. Thus, ORG and BD farming systems present viable alternatives for reducing the impact of agriculture on environmental degradation and climate change. Nevertheless, room for improvement exists in the area of machinery use in all systems studied and yield improvement in the ORG farming system.

The rising energy prices and climatic changes have intensified the search for alternative farming systems where energy consumption per unit would be lowered. A long-term field trial, started in 2007 at the University of Maribor, focuses on food quality and the ecological footprint of conventional (CON), integrated (INT), organic (ORG) and biodynamic (BD) farming systems. The gained data has been evaluated and interpreted using the SPIonExcel tool. Results from the first year show better environmental performance of both, ORG and BD systems in production of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spelt (Triticum spelta L.), mainly due to the non-use of external synthetic production factors. When yields are added to the equation, the ORG and BD systems emerge also as more efficient per unit of land area. Thus, the ORG and BD farming systems present viable alternatives for reducing the impact of agriculture on climate change, while ensuring a more sustainable food security.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of integrated (INT), organic (ORG) and biodynamic (BD) management systems with similar C- and N-inputs on soil microbiology in a viticultural long-term field trial.Methods and results: Within the systems comparison, soil samples were taken 10 years after conversion, throughout the growing season. To gather information about microbial community structure, the activity of five soil enzymes was measured, and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and neutral lipids fatty acids (NLFA) profiles were analysed accompanied by comprehensive soil analysis. pH associated with BD was significantly higher compared to INT soil. Copper and N-min values in INT were significantly lower compared to the organic systems. BD and ORG were characterised by a higher b-D-glucosidase and urease activity and a higher abundance of fungi and bacteria. INT had larger quantities of mycorrhizae indicator NLFAs.Significance and impact: Results from this study contribute to a better understanding of the microbial community structure and nutrient cycling under organic and biodynamic viticulture.

Fungi present on grape surface considerably impact grape growth and quality. However, information of the fungal community structures and dynamics on the worldwide cash crop, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, from the budding to ripening stages remains limited. Here, we investigated the succession of fungal communities on Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from an organic vineyard in Xinjiang, China at different developmental stages via high-throughput sequencing combined with multivariate data analysis. In total, 439 fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) from six phyla were identified. The fungal communities differed over the budding to the berry stages. Moreover, Aspergillus, Malassezia, Metschnikowia, and Udeniomyces were predominant during the unripe stage, whereas Erysiphe, Cryptococcus, Vishniacozyma, and Cladosporium were dominant in the ripe stages. Notably, Vishniacozyma was the most abundant genus, conserved in all development stages. Moreover, network analysis resulted in 171 edges—96 negative and 75 positive. Moreover, fungal genera such as Vishniacozyma, Sporobolomyces, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Erysiphe, Toxicodendron, and Metschnikowia were present in the hubs serving as the main connecting nodes. Extensive mutualistic interactions potentially occur among the fungi on the grape surface. In conclusion, the current study expounded the characteristics of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape fungal community during the plant growth process, and the results provided essential insights into the potential impacts of fungal communities on grape growth and health.

The contents of sugars, organic acids, total phenolic content, and the antioxidant activity were quantified in the flesh of red beet from conventional (CON), integrated (INT), organic (ORG), biodynamic (BD), and control farming systems using established methods. Significant differences were measured for malic acid, total phenolic content (TPC), and total antioxidant activity, where malic acid content ranged from 2.39 g kg(-1) FW (control) to 1.63 g kg(-1) FW (CON, ORG, and INT). The highest TPC was measured in BD and control samples (0.677 and 0.672 mg GAE g(-1), respectively), and the lowest in CON samples (0.511 mg GAE g(-1)). Antioxidant activity was positively correlated with TPC (r2=0.6187) and ranged from 0.823 μM TE g(-1) FW to 1.270 μM TE g(-1) FW in CON and BD samples, respectively, whereas total sugar content ranged from 21.03 g kg(-1) FW (CON) to 31.58 g kg(-1) FW (BD). The importance of sugars, organic acids, phenols, and antioxidants for human health, as well as for plant resilience and health, gained from this explorative study, is discussed and put into perspective.

Studies regarding soil quality and health often need to be up-to-date, as they feed new models for quantifying agricultural impacts on the environment. This study was established to understand how types of vineyard cultivation (organic and conventional) affect soil chemical and microbial attribute dynamics throughout different seasons. Vineyard management had a strong effect on chemical soil attributes. Organic carbon and phosphorus were 2.8 and 2.0 times greater, respectively, in organic vineyards than in conventional vineyards. Metabolic quotient (qCO2) values were lowest in summer and autumn, with an average of 2.31-2.49 µg C-CO2 h-1 g-1 soil, under organic management, indicating greater microbial growing efficacy. Regardless of season and sampling position, organic soil had a higher C microbial biomass than conventional vineyards, with values ranging from 179.79 to 284.71 µg g-1 soil, which were similar to those of the adjacent forest soil. Overall, there were increases in both the microbial and the chemical attributes of soil under organic vineyards compared relative to conventional management, which might have been due to the continuous input of organic matter, crop rotation, and alternative plant protection and fertilizer compounds used in organic farming.

Organic production is widely assumed to affect quality and nutritional parameters of arable crops. A field experiment was started in 2009 following integrated (INT), organic (ORG) and biodynamic (BD) production standards for wheat, maize and rapeseed production. With resort to standard analytical procedures and chemometrics, compositional parameters of Brassica napus L. 'Siska' seed (water, protein, oil and glucosinolate content) by non-destructive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and fatty acid composition determined by gas chromatography, were assessed. The BD and ORG production systems positively influenced oleic fatty acid and oil content in comparison to INT, which had higher levels of protein and water content (19.8% and 4.7%, respectively), as well as linolenic (3.8%), gadoleic (12.6%) and hexadecadienoic (15.5%) fatty acids. Increases in the listed parameters were linked to mineral fertilizer application in the INT production system. With principal component analysis (PCA) the INT samples were clearly differentiated. The PCA results were influenced by differences in linolenic, gadoleic and behenic fatty acid levels as well as protein and water content. Because quality parameters in rapeseed are increased in alternative production systems, production with an understanding of the soil processes and yield formation presents an opportunity for ORG and BD farmers. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.