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Abstract
Viticulture is a cropping system in which treatment against fungal diseases (in particular powdery and downy mildews) can be extremely frequent. Accordingly, a reduction in antimicrobial treatments and the application of environmentally-friendly compounds are becoming increasingly important for a more sustainable viticulture. In addition to their effect against pathogens, the impact of these products on the quality of the grapes is very important for the oenological industries, but unfortunately at present few data are available. We evaluated the effect of the application of biocontrol products and resistance inducers in the vineyard on the mechanical properties, microbial ecology, technological and phenolic maturity of Vitis vinifera “Nebbiolo” grapes at harvest. The yield and vigor of vines were not influenced by the treatments, nor were the production of primary and secondary metabolites. However, the active ingredients influenced the mechanical properties of the skin (hardness and thickness). A significant hardening of the skin was detected when laminarin and chito-oligosaccharides were used, and sulfur induced a thickening of the skin with potential consequences for wine quality. Furthermore, the yeast community present on grape berries was influenced by the treatments. The abundance of Aureobasidium pullulans, the dominant species on the grape berry, changed in response to the compounds used. In addition, Alternaria sp. was reduced in some treatments with a potentially positive effect on the quality and the safety of the grapes. This study provides an overview of the effect of biocontrol products and resistance inducers on microbial ecology and “Nebbiolo” grape quality, contributing to the establishment of more sustainable and effective defense strategies in viticulture.
Highlights
Powdery and downy mildews are among the key fungal diseases of European grape-growing regions, including Italy, significantly impacting crop quality and quantity
Treatments using acibenzolar-S-methyl (AcS-Met), potassium phosphonate (K-Pho), laminarin (Lam), chito-oligosaccharides and oligogalacturonides (Chito) and calcium (CaO) were effective compared to the standard treatment with sulphur (S)
This study was focused on possible indirect effects of vineyard treatments with chemical, biocontrol products and resistance inducers against downy and powdery mildews on “Nebbiolo” grapes at harvest
Summary
Powdery and downy mildews are among the key fungal diseases of European grape-growing regions, including Italy, significantly impacting crop quality and quantity. E. necator can cause a reduction in grape yield of up to 45%, as a consequence of smaller diseased berries (Calonnec et al, 2004). P. viticola may reduce grape yield and affects the aroma and flavors in wine, with organoleptic impact of the pathogen infection differing according to specific grape variety and impacts on berry quality and on the ability of a wine to age (Pons et al, 2018). These diseases are mainly controlled using chemical fungicides in conventional vineyards, where problems with pesticide residues and resistance to active ingredients are increasing. Copper and sulfur are used on organic farms (Gessler et al, 2011; Gadoury et al, 2012)
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