Vineyard protection with rain-shelter: relationships between radiometric properties of plastic covers and table grape quality

Laura de Palma,Vittorino Novello,Sandra Pati,Patrizio Limosani,Giuliano Vox,Evelia Scettini,lva Marasovic,S. Poni

doi:10.1051/bioconf/20191304007

Abstract

The rise of unpredictable, heavy rainfalls increases incidence of diseases, berry rot, berry cracking, and enhance the need for rain shelters. The influence of the type of rain shelter on microclimate and grape quality is still little explored. The aim of this trial was to investigate the radiometric properties of a new type of cover, its effect on vineyard microclimate and on table grape quality, as compared with a reference cover, during a vintage with unusually abundant precipitation for Southern Italy. The new cover was characterized by lower transmissivity to IRshort radiation, and by a very higher transmissivity to UV radiation. It showed a tendency to decrease air temperature by 1 °C, increase RH by 2–3%, reduce VPD, and improve vine water status with respect to the reference. At harvest, grapes covered with the new sheet had higher TSS concentration, TSS / TA ratio, total skin polyphenol and flavonoids content, and berry skin resistance to rupture. Those berries, moreover, increased the level of volatile compounds such as linalool, typical of ‘Italia’ muscat aroma, and terpineol.

Highlights

2 Materials and methodsThe rise in unpredictability of heavy rainfalls enhances incidence of diseases, berry rot, berry cracking, and consequent use of pesticides.Rain shelters can be used to mitigate these effects
The influence of the type of rain shelter on microclimate and grape quality is still little explored. The aim of this trial was to investigate the radiometric properties of a new type of cover, its effect on vineyard microclimate and on table grape quality, as compared with a reference cover, during a vintage with unusually abundant precipitation for Southern Italy
Before the cover set-up, in order to estimate the influence of the hail net on the amount of photosynhetically active radiation (PAR) available for vines, the photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) filtering though the net over canopy was measured at 15 vine positions/treatment, and compared with that available in open air

Summary

Introduction

2 Materials and methodsThe rise in unpredictability of heavy rainfalls enhances incidence of diseases, berry rot, berry cracking, and consequent use of pesticides.Rain shelters can be used to mitigate these effects. The aim of the present trial was to investigate the features of a new type of rain shelter, and to compare it with a reference cover, by analysing the sheet radiometric properties and their effects on the canopy microenvironment and on the quality attributes of table grapes during a vintage with unusually abundant precipitation for Southern Italy.

Results

Conclusion