Cabernet Sauvignon Grapevines Research Articles

Improving grape fruit quality through soil conditioner: Insights from RNA-seq analysis of Cabernet Sauvignon roots.

The application of fertilizers and soil quality are crucial for grape fruit quality. However, the molecular data linking different fertilizer (or soil conditioner [SC]) treatments with grape fruit quality is still lacking. In this study, we investigated three soil treatments, namely inorganic fertilizer (NPK, 343.5 kg/hm2 urea [N ≥ 46%]; 166.5 kg/hm2 P2O5 [P2O5 ≥ 64%]; 318 kg/hm2 K2O [K2O ≥ 50%]), organic fertilizer (Org, 9 t/hm2 [organic matter content ≥ 35%, N + P2O5 + K2O ≥ 13%]), and SC (SC, 3 t/hm2 [humic acid ≥ 38.5%; C, 56.1%; H, 3.7%; N, 1.5%; O, 38%; S, 0.6%]), on 4-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines. Compared with the NPK- and Org-treated groups, the SC significantly improved the levels of soluble solids, tannins, anthocyanins, and total phenols in the grape berries, which are important biochemical indicators that affect wine quality. Furthermore, we conducted RNA-seq analysis on the grapevine roots from each of the three treatments and used weighted gene co-expression network analysis to identify five hub genes that were associated with the biochemical indicators of the grape berries. Furthermore, we validated the expression levels of three hub genes (ERF, JP, and SF3B) and five selected genes related to anthocyanin biosynthesis (UFGT1, UFGT2, UFGT3, GST, and AT) by using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Compared to the NPK and Org treatment groups, the SC treatment resulted in a significant increase in the transcription levels of three hub genes as well as VvUFGT1, VvUFGT3, VvGST, and VvAT. These results suggest that the SC can improve grape fruit quality by altering gene transcription patterns in grapevine roots and further influence the biochemical indices of grape fruits, particularly anthocyanin content. This study reveals that the application of SC can serve as an important measure for enhancing vineyard SC and elevating grape quality.

Influences of Cluster Thinning on Fatty Acids and Green Leaf Volatiles in the Production of Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes and Wines in the Northwest of China.

Cluster thinning has been widely applied in yield management and its effect on green leaf volatiles (GLVs) in wines has seldom been studied. GLVs are important flavor compositions for grapes and wines. This work aimed to investigate the impact of cluster thinning on these volatiles and their precursors in grapes and wines. Severe cluster thinning (CT1) and medium cluster thinning (CT2) were performed on Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) vines in two sites (G-farm and Y-farm) from Xinjiang province in the Northwest of China. The impact of cluster thinning treatments on the accumulation of GLVs and their precursors, long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) of grape berries and C6 volatiles, in resulting wines was investigated. Multivariate analysis showed that cluster thinning treatments induced significant changes in fruit and wine composition in both farms. In Y-farm, medium cluster thinning (CT2) significantly increased the average cluster weight of harvested berries. Additionally, both cluster thinning treatments (CT1 and CT2) increased fatty acids in harvested berries and CT2 led to an increase in C6 esters and a decrease in C6 alcohols in the wines of Y-farm under the warmer and drier 2012 vintage. However, the effect of cluster thinning was likely negative in G-farm due to its wetter soil and excessive organic matter. The treatments may be applicable for local grape growers to improve viticultural practices for the more balanced vegetative and reproductive growth of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines. This work also provided further knowledge on the regulation of fatty acids and the derived C6 volatiles through the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway.

ОПТИМИЗАЦИЯ ОБРЕЗКИ ПРИ ВЫСОКОШТАМБОВОЙ ФОРМИРОВКЕ ВИНОГРАДА СОРТА КАБЕРНЕ СОВИНЬОН

The influence of the length of the fruiting canes on the productive capacity of the Cabernet Sauvignon grapevine variety grown on the Umbrella formation in the soil and climatic conditions of southern Bulgaria was studied. The percentage of developed blind buds and fruiting shoots on knots and fruiting canes was found to be highest in variants with pruning for 6 winter eyes and longer with 9 winter eyes, while the trend was reversed for winter eyes allocated above blind bud. The winter eye fertility rate has been shown to be highest in the variant with the longest fruiting canes with 12 winter eyes. The values of this indicator for blind eyes of the fruiting canes decrease slightly with increasing length, while for winter eyes the decreasing order by variant is reversed. The yield per vine and per acre and the mass per bunch were shown to be highest in the variant with pruning of 10 knots of 2 winter eyes and 4 fruiting canes of 9 winter eyes, which under the soil and climatic conditions of the experiment should be preferred.

Annual Urea Nitrogen Contribution to the Nutrition of Cabernet Sauvignon Grapevine Grown in Sandy and Clayey Soil

The timing of nitrogen fertilizer application in vineyards can determine the amount of nitrogen (N) absorbed, distributed, and accumulated in grapevine organs. The study aimed to evaluate the annual contribution of N from urea, applied at different times in Cabernet Sauvignon, grown in sandy and clayey soil in a subtropical climate. The sandy soil received 21.42 kg N ha−1 and the clayey soil 30 kg N ha−1, both enriched with 3% excess 15N atoms, applied at different times. The N derived from the fertilizer in grapevines, at all times of N application, and in sandy and clayey soil did not exceed 8%, with the highest values being observed in annual organs, especially in the leaves. The application of N marked at the phenological stages of IBB (50% at beginning of budbreak + 50% at full budbreak) enabled greater absorption of N derived from the fertilizer by the vines grown in both sandy and loamy soil. The N present in the annual organs (leaves, berries, stalks, and shoots) and in the perennial organs (stems and canes) of Cabernet Sauvignon grown in sandy and clayey soil was derived in greater percentages from the soil.

Scalable early detection of grapevine virus infection with airborne imaging spectroscopy.

The US wine and grape industry suffers $3B in damages and losses annually due to viral diseases such as Grapevine Leafroll-associated Virus Complex 3 (GLRaV-3). Current detection methods are labor intensive and expensive. GLRaV-3 undergoes a latent period in which the vines are infected but do not yet display visible symptoms, making it an ideal model to evaluate the scalability of imaging spectroscopy-based disease detection. We deployed the NASA Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) to detect GLRaV-3 in Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines in Lodi, CA in September 2020. Foliage was removed from the vines as part of mechanical harvest soon after imagery acquisition. In both Sept. 2020 and 2021, industry collaborators scouted 317ac on a vine-by-vine basis for visible viral symptoms and collected a subset for molecular confirmation testing. Grapevines identified as visibly diseased in 2021, but not 2020, were assumed to have been latently infected at time of acquisition. We trained spectral models with random forest and synthetic minority oversampling technique to distinguish non-infected and GLRaV-3-infected grapevines. Non-infected and GLRaV-3 infected vines could be differentiated both pre- and post-symptomatically at 1m through 5m resolution. The best-performing models had 87% accuracy distinguishing between non-infected and asymptomatic vines, and 85% accuracy distinguishing between non-infected and asymptomatic + symptomatic vines. The importance of non-visible wavelengths suggests this capacity is driven by disease-induced changes to overall plant physiology. Our work sets a foundation for using the forthcoming hyperspectral satellite Surface Biology and Geology for regional disease monitoring.

Data-driven irrigation scheduling increases the crop water use efficiency of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines

In the context of water management in agriculture, irrigation scheduling is critically important as it optimises water application to crops and can also target specific production goals. However, there is no consensus on the ideal irrigation scheduling strategy regarding crop water use efficiency (WUEc). In a premium Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in Coonawarra, South Australia, over three growing seasons, irrigation scheduling strategies based on experience or historical knowledge (‘GROW’ treatment) were compared to data-driven strategies including crop evapotranspiration, and plant and soil water status thresholds to evaluate their effects on leaf- and vine-level WUEs. A final treatment, GROW + , that doubled the GROW level of irrigation was also evaluated in the third season. The WUE metrics were determined at the leaf, vine, and fruit scales as intrinsic WUE (WUEi), crop WUE (WUEc), and carbon isotope ratio (δ13C), respectively. Furthermore, the irrigation strategies were evaluated in the background of two contrasting soil types: Terra Rossa (light clay, well-drained) and Rendzina (heavier clay, poorly drained). Seasonal soil and vine water status, leaf gas exchange, and light interception were measured, and yield components and pruning weights were obtained following harvest. The amount of seasonal irrigation water based on the data-driven strategies was up to 65% lower across both soil types compared with the GROW or GROW + approaches. WUEi and δ13C were largely similar between treatments. However, for vines grown on Terra Rossa soil, little to no yield penalty was observed when data-driven irrigation scheduling was applied, in addition to increased WUEc values of up to 41%. It can be concluded that irrigation scheduling decisions based on data were superior to the conventional irrigation scheduling method on account of reducing irrigation water volume and increasing WUE, particularly in Terra Rossa soils.

Hydric Behavior: Insights into Primary Metabolites in Leaves and Roots of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache Grapevine Varieties under Drought Stress

The classification of grapevine cultivars into isohydric and anisohydric categories depends on their ability to close stomata under conditions of low soil water availability or high atmospheric demand. This study aimed to compare the responses of Grenache, classified as isohydric, and Cabernet Sauvignon, classified as anisohydric, both grafted onto Richter 110 rootstock, and subjected to severe drought stress. Three cycles of drought stress were applied, followed by watering, while a well-watered treatment served as the control. Stomatal conductance and stem water potential were measured at predawn and midday during the drought cycles, and primary metabolites were analyzed in leaves and roots using gas chromatography. We found that Grenache had significantly higher stomatal conductance than Cabernet Sauvignon under both well-watered and water-stressed conditions. There were no significant differences in stem water potential between the two varieties, but the control treatment maintained a higher stem water potential at predawn and midday for both varieties. Primary metabolite analysis showed that both varieties accumulated sugars and polyols in their leaves and roots under drought stress, while organic acids were more abundant in leaves than in roots. Overall, the results suggest that the hydric behavior of grapevines depends on the intensity and duration of drought stress. In this study, both varieties exhibited near-isohydric behavior by regulating stomatal closure under drought stress. The metabolites identified in this study may serve as potential biomarkers of water drought stress in Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines under the conditions of this experiment.

Investigating Grapevine Red Blotch Virus Infection in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes: A Multi-Omics Approach.

Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) is a recently identified virus. Previous research indicates primarily a substantial impact on berry ripening in all varieties studied. The current study analyzed grapes' primary and secondary metabolism across grapevine genotypes and seasons to reveal both conserved and variable impacts to GRBV infection. Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) grapevines grafted on two different rootstocks (110R and 420A) were analyzed in 2016 and 2017. Metabolite profiling revealed a considerable impact on amino acid and malate acid levels, volatile aroma compounds derived from the lipoxygenase pathway, and anthocyanins synthesized in the phenylpropanoid pathway. Conserved transcriptional responses to GRBV showed induction of auxin-mediated pathways and photosynthesis with inhibition of transcription and translation processes mainly at harvest. There was an induction of plant-pathogen interactions at pre-veraison, for all genotypes and seasons, except for CS 110R in 2017. Lastly, differential co-expression analysis revealed a transcriptional shift from metabolic synthesis and energy metabolism to transcription and translation processes associated with a virus-induced gene silencing transcript. This plant-derived defense response transcript was only significantly upregulated at veraison for all genotypes and seasons, suggesting a phenological association with disease expression and plant immune responses.

Mycoparasitism capability and growth inhibition activity of Clonostachys rosea isolates against fungal pathogens of grapevine trunk diseases suggest potential for biocontrol.

The present study aimed to examine the capability of Clonostachys rosea isolates as a biological control agent against grapevine trunk diseases pathogens. Five C. rosea and 174 pathogenic fungal strains were isolated from grafted grapevines and subjected to in vitro confrontation tests. Efficient antagonism was observed against Eutypa lata and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora while mycoparasitism was observed to the pathogens of Botryosphaeria dothidea and Diaporthe spp. pathogens in in vitro dual culture assays. The conidia production of the C. rosea isolates were also measured on PDA plates. One isolate (19B/1) with high antagonistic capabilities and efficient conidia production was selected for in planta confrontation tests by mixing its conidia with the soil of Cabernet sauvignon grapevine cuttings artificially infected with B. dothidea, E. lata and P. chlamydospora. The length and/or the incidence of necrotic lesions caused by E. lata and P. chlamydospora at the inoculation point were significantly decreased after a three months incubation in the greenhouse on cuttings planted in soils inoculated with the conidia of strain 19B/1, while symptom incidence and severity were unaffected in the case of the pathogen B. dothidea. Based on the above results, we consider C. rosea a promising biological control agent against some grapevine trunk diseases.

ВЛИЯНИЕ ОРГАНО-МИНЕРАЛЬНОГО УДОБРЕНИЯ НА ПРОДУКТИВНОСТЬ ВИНОГРАДНЫХ РАСТЕНИЙ

The results of studies on the effect of organo-mineral fertilizer on agrobiological and econom-ic indicators of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevine variety are presented. To determine the biologi-cal effectiveness of the fertilizer on grapevine, foliar feeding of Cabernet Sauvignon plants was carried out during the phase of inflo-rescence advancement and 15 days after. Foliar feeding of plants with organo-mineral fertilizer had a positive effect on the formation of berries and clusters, contributing to an increase in their mass. At the drug consumption rate of 5.0 l/ha and 7.0 l/ha, both the number of berries in a bunch and the weight of one berry significantly increased compared to the control. The use of organo-mineral fertilizer also contributed to bet-ter pollination and an increase in berries in bunches, which together contributed to an in-crease in yield, depending on the applied con-sumption rates, by 8.7‒11.6 %. Estimation of quality characteristics of berry juice during har-vesting showed its compliance with standard varietal conditions in all variants of the experi-ment, despite the significant differences in the mass concentration of sugars between the con-trol and variant 3 (7.0 l/ha). The acidity of berry juice differed insignificantly between the vari-ants and the control. When feeding plants with organo-mineral fertilizer, the growth activity of shoots significantly increased in all variants of the experiment compared to the control variant. An increase in the activity of growth processes led to a decrease in shoot maturation (73.2‒74.4 %) at all drug consumption rates compared to the control (84.9 %). However, the percentage of shoot maturation in all variants is high enough for successful overwintering of plants.

Inflorescence temperature influences fruit set, phenology, and sink strength of Cabernet Sauvignon grape berries.

The temperature during the bloom period leading up to fruit set is a key determinant of reproductive success in plants and of harvest yield in crop plants. However, it is often unclear whether differences in yield components result from temperature effects on the whole plant or specifically on the flower or fruit sinks. We used a forced-convection, free-air cooling and heating system to manipulate the inflorescence temperature of field-grown Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines during the bloom period. Temperature regimes included cooling (ambient −7.5°C), heating (ambient +7.5°C), an ambient control, and a convective control. Cooling significantly retarded the time to fruit set and subsequent berry development, and heating shortened the time to fruit set and accelerated berry development relative to the two controls. Fruit set was decreased in cooled inflorescences, but although the cooling regime resulted in the lowest berry number per cluster, it also decreased seed and berry weight at harvest while not affecting seed number. Cooling inflorescences slightly decreased fruit soluble solids and pH, and increased titratable acidity, but did not affect color density. The inflorescence temperature did not impact leaf gas exchange and shoot growth, and shoot periderm formation occurred independently of the timing of fruit ripening. These results suggest that the temperature experienced by grape flowers during bloom time impacts fruit set and subsequent seed and berry development. Suboptimal temperatures not only reduce the proportion of flowers that set fruit but also limit the sink strength of the berries that do develop after fruit set. Shoot vigor and maturation, and leaf physiology, on the other hand, may be rather insensitive to temperature-induced changes in reproductive development.

The Effect of Spur Position and Pruning Severity on Shoot Development

Adjusting yearly pruning severity is a common vineyard management practice employed to manipulate vegetative and reproductive growth in grapevines. Although the effects of pruning on total vegetative growth are well documented, there is little research on the effects of adjusting shoots meter−1 via dormant season pruning on addressing mid-cordon shoot weakness and developmental delays. Cordon-trained, spur-pruned vines are thought, by many growers, to be especially prone to weaker positions and delayed development at mid-cordon positions. This phenomenon is also thought to become more exaggerated as the vine ages. Therefore, the effects of shoot density manipulation, implemented via dormant pruning practices, to homogenize shoot and cluster development along the length of the cordon were examined. In this research, Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines were pruned to either 5.5 shoots meter−1 (5.5) or 11.1 shoots meter−1 (11.1). To control for variations in light interception into the fruiting zone, a control of 11.1 shoots meter−1 with sensor guided leaf thinning (11.1LT) was implemented at full berry set to match the canopy light of the 5.5 shoots meter−1 treatment. It was found that individual shoot growth and yield were directly impacted by manipulation of pruning severity. Shoot growth response varied primarily by growing season, including shoot length and internode length. Yield components were significantly lower in the 5.5 treatment during the first two years of the study but were not significantly different during the last year of the study. The 5.5 treatment resulted in the highest pH and total soluble solids at harvest in 2016 and 2017.

Long-term drought adaptation of unirrigated grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.)

Resilience to drought stress is an important crop selection and breeding target particularly under an environment of increasing freshwater scarcities resulting from higher evapotranspiration rates and reduced precipitation. Identifying new genetic material and clones with superior drought tolerance would increase available genetic resources and germplasm for both grapevine breeders and propagators, providing genetic material that has greater water use efficiency thereby reducing reliance on supplemental irrigation. Towards this goal, we explored the long-term drought adaptation of field-grown, unirrigated (or dry-grown) and own-rooted grapevines of pre-clonal origin from shallow (SR) and deep (DR) soils representing low and high soil water availability, respectively, in a South Australian vineyard. Despite lower soil moisture available to SR vines, both deep and shallow-rooted vines had similar vine water status, based on measurements of midday stem water potential ({Psi }_{s}), and leaf net photosynthesis (An). Due to the lower stomatal conductance (gs), SR had higher intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi) than DR, however the carbon isotope ratio ({delta }^{13}C) of the fruit at harvest was similar between the two groups. Our observations suggest a degree of drought adaptation in the SR vines resulting from multi-decadal cyclical droughts. Overall, we demonstrate that pre-clonal Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines dry-grown in shallow soils have an enhanced resilience to drought compared to dry-grown vines in deep soils. This study has implications for selection of crop genetic material in a changing climate.

Effects of Irrigation and N Fertilization on 15N Fertilizer Utilization by Vitis vinifera L. Cabernet Sauvignon in China

This study investigated the interactions between different irrigation and nitrogen (N) fertilization rates and their effects on the 15N fertilizer absorption and utilization of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines in a vineyard near Xinjiang, China. The fertilizer treatments consisted of three 15N-labeled urea nitrate fertilizer applications (191.4, 254.4, and 317.4 kg/ha). The irrigation treatments included two fractions (0.75 and 1.0) of estimated vineyard water use (ETc). The results showed that: (i) the residual amount of 15N fertilizer in the soil was mainly in the surface layer (0–20 cm), the residual fertilizer N in the surface layer accounted for 68–87% of the total residual N, the residual 15N fertilizer at different depths differed significantly, and the residual 15N was positively correlated with the amount of fertilizer applied (p < 0.05); (ii) The absorption of fertilizer N by grapevines accounted for only 12–17% of the total N absorption, and the proportion absorbed from soil N was as high as 82–87%. There was no significant difference in the amount of N absorbed between different water and fertilizer treatments; (iii) The 15N uptake under the different water and fertilizer treatments differed and was significantly higher in the roots than in other organs, followed by the fruit, the leaves, and finally, the stems. Our results provide a reference for improving the soil environment and encouraging a sustainable development of the grape industry. According to the experimental results, it was recommended that farmers adopt irrigation levels of 1.0 ETc and fertilizer application of 254.4 kg N/ha.

Cabernet Sauvignon Grapevine (Vitis Vinifera L.) Non-Structural Carbohydrates and Flavonoids are Not Redistributed with Source-Sink Manipulation in Plants with Grapevine Red Blotch Virus

Cabernet Sauvignon Grapevine (Vitis Vinifera L.) Non-Structural Carbohydrates and Flavonoids are Not Redistributed with Source-Sink Manipulation in Plants with Grapevine Red Blotch Virus

Effects of Irrigation at Different Fractions of Crop Evapotranspiration on Water Productivity and Flavonoid Composition of Cabernet Sauvignon Grapevine.

Climate change models predict lower precipitation and higher air temperatures that will negatively affect viticultural regions. Irrigation of vineyards will be crucial for mitigating abiotic stress during the growing season. However, the environmental impact of irrigation requires consideration for ensuring its sustainability in the future. We evaluated the standard irrigation practices on grapevine water use efficiency, berry flavonoid composition, vineyard water footprint, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-grapevine symbiosis in two seasons with contrasting amounts of precipitation. The irrigation treatments consisted of weekly replacement of 25, 50, and 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) during two growing seasons. Irrigation in grapevine vineyards mitigated the water scarcity when precipitation during the dormant season was not sufficient. The results provided field data supporting that despite the low rainfall recorded in one of the seasons, increasing the amount of irrigation was not advised, and replacing 50% ETc was sufficient. In this treatment, berry composition was improved with increased contents of total soluble solids, anthocyanins, and flavonols, and a stable flavonoid profile without an economic decrease in yield. In addition, with 50% ETc, the mycorrhizal symbiosis was not compromised and water resources were not highly impacted. Altogether, our results provide fundamental knowledge for viticulturists to design an appropriate irrigation schedule under the future warming scenarios with minimal environmental impact in semi-arid regions facing warming trends.

Same Season and Carry-Over Effects of Source-Sink Adjustments on Grapevine Yields and Non-structural Carbohydrates

The grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is managed to balance the ratio of leaf area (source) to fruit mass (sink). Over cropping in the grapevine may reveal itself as spontaneous fruit abortion, delayed ripening, or as alternate bearing. The aim of this work was to study the same season and carry-over effects of manipulating source to sink ratios on grapevine phenology, leaf gas exchange, yield components, berry soluble solids accumulation, and reserve carbohydrate and soluble sugar concentration in roots. Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines were subjected to defoliation (33, 66, and 100% of the leaves retained) and fruit removal treatments (33, 66, and 100% of clusters retained) arranged in a factorial design. Results from two seasons of source-sink manipulations were substantially different. In both seasons defoliation treatments affected season-long net carbon assimilation (AN) and stomatal conductance (gs) where the less leaves were retained, the greater the AN and gs, and fruit removal had no impact on leaf gas exchange. In the first season, leaf area to fruit mass was hardly related to berry soluble solids and in the second season they were strongly correlated, suggesting a degree of acclimation. Defoliation treatments had great impacts on berry size, berries per cluster, and total soluble solids in both years. Fruit removal treatments only had effects on berry mass and berries per cluster in the first season, and only on berry soluble solids in the second. The predominant effect of defoliation (carbon starvation) cascaded onto reducing root starch content, root mass and delaying of veraison and leaf senescence, as well as harvest which was delayed up to 9 weeks with 33% of the leaves retained. In a third season, where grapevines grew without treatments, defoliation treatments had resultant carryover effects, including reduced leaf area, number of berries per cluster, clusters per vine, and yield, but not on leaf gas exchange dependent on previous seasons' severity of defoliation. Balancing source-to-sink ratio is crucial to obtain an adequate speed of ripening. However, this was the culmination of a more complex whole-plant regulation where the number of leaves (source strength) outweighed the effects of fruits (sink strength).

Foliar Delivery of siRNA Particles for Treating Viral Infections in Agricultural Grapevines.

Grapevine leafroll disease (GLD) is a globally spreading viral infection that causes major economic losses by reducing crop yield, plant longevity and berry quality, with no effective treatment. Grapevine leafroll associated virus-3 (GLRaV-3) is the most severe and prevalent GLD strain. Here, we evaluated the ability of RNA interference (RNAi), a non-GMO gene-silencing pathway, to treat GLRaV-3 in infected Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines. We synthesized lipid-modified polyethylenimine (lmPEI) as a carrier for long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA, 250-bp-long) that targets RNA polymerase and coat protein genes that are conserved in the GLRaV-3 genome. Self-assembled dsRNA-lmPEI particles, 220 nm in diameter, displayed inner ordered domains spaced 7.3±2 nm from one another, correlating to lmPEI wrapping spirally around the dsRNA. The particles effectively protected RNA from degradation by ribonucleases, and Europium-loaded particles applied to grapevine leaves were detected as far as 60-cm from the foliar application point. In three field experiments, a single dose of foliar administration knocked down GLRaV-3 titer, and multiple doses of the treatment kept the viral titer at baseline and triggered recovery of the vine and berries. This study demonstrates RNAi as a promising platform for treating viral diseases in agriculture.

Estimation of Grapevine Crop Coefficient Using a Multispectral Camera on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Crop water status and irrigation requirements are of great importance to the horticultural industry due to changing climatic conditions leading to high evaporative demands, drought and water scarcity in semi-arid and arid regions worldwide. Irrigation scheduling strategies based on evapotranspiration (ET), such as regulated deficit irrigation, requires the estimation of seasonal crop coefficients (kc). The ET-driven irrigation decisions for grapevines rely on the sampling of several kc values from each irrigation zone. Here, we present an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based technique to estimate kc at the single vine level in order to capture the spatial variability of water requirements in a commercial vineyard located in South Australia. A UAV carrying a multispectral sensor is used to extract the spectral, as well as the structural, information of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines. The spectral and structural information, acquired at the various phenological stages of the vine through two seasons, is used to model kc using univariate (simple linear), multivariate (generalised linear and additive) and machine learning (convolution neural network and random forest) model frameworks. The structural information (e.g., canopy top view area) had the strongest correlation with kc throughout the season (p ≤ 0.001; Pearson R = 0.56), while the spectral indices (e.g., normalised indices) turned less-sensitive post véraison—the onset of ripening in grapes. Combining structural and spectral information improved the model’s performance. Among the investigated predictive models, the random forest predicted kc with the highest accuracy (R2: 0.675, root mean square error: 0.062, and mean absolute error: 0.047). This UAV-based approach improves the precision of irrigation by capturing the spatial variability of kc within a vineyard. Combined with an energy balance model, the water needs of a vineyard can be computed on a weekly or sub-weekly basis for precision irrigation. The UAV-based characterisation of kc can further enhance the water management and irrigation zoning by matching the infrastructure with the spatial variability of the irrigation demand.

Effects of Defoliation at Fruit Set on Vine Physiology and Berry Composition in Cabernet Sauvignon Grapevines.

Grapevine canopy defoliation is a fundamentally important technique for the productivity and quality of grapes. Leaf removal is a pivotal operation on high-density vines which aims to improve air circulation, light exposure, and leaf gas exchange. The effects of leaf removal (LR) on vine physiology and berry composition in Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines were studied during the 2018–2019 growing season in the Bolgheri area, Tuscany, Italy. The basal leaves were removed at fruit set at two severity levels (removal of four basal leaves of each shoot (LR4) and removal of eight basal leaves (LR8)). The two treatments were compared with the not defoliated control (CTRL). The following physiological parameters of vines were measured: leaf gas exchange, leaf water potential, chlorophyll fluorescence and indirect chlorophyll content. The results showed that defoliation increased single leaf photosynthesis. In addition, qualitative grape parameters (phenolic and technological analyses) and daytime and night-time berry temperature were studied. The results showed that leaf removal had an impact on total soluble solids (°Brix), titratable acidity, and pH. The LR8-treated grapes had higher titratable acidity, while those in the LR4 treatment had higher °Brix and extractable anthocyanin and polyphenol content. Berry weight was not significantly influenced by the timing and severity of basal defoliation. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the effects of defoliation at the fruit set on vines performance.