Open Access
Structural and spatial shifts in the viticulture potential of main european wine regions as an effect of climate change
(MDPI, 2024) Irimia, Liviu Mihai; Patriche, Cristian Valeriu; Petitjean, Théo; Tissot, Cyril; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Neethling, Etienne; Foss, Chris; Le Roux, Renan; Quénol, Hervé; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Climate change modifies the base climate of the wine regions and, with it, the structure of their traditional types of wine production, imposing measures to adapt, mitigate, or capitalize on the newly emerging conditions. In order to assess the impact of climate change and establish the appropriate adaptation measures for each wine region, regional and local studies are needed, which allow knowledge of their current climate profile. The aim of this research was to identify the changes that appeared as an effect of climate change in the initial climate profile and the initial structure of the traditional types of wine production of Bordeaux (France), Loire Valley (France), Rhine-Main-Nahe (Germany), La Rioja (Spain) and Cotnari (Romania) wine regions, and also in climate suitability for wine production of the Sussex area from the UK. The study uses multi-year averages for the 1951¿1990 and 1991¿2010 time periods of reference bioclimatic indices for viticulture, namely the Average Temperature of the Growing Season (AvGST), the Huglin Index (HI), and the Oenoclimatic Aptitude Index (IAOe). The results of this research reveal significant changes in climate suitability for wine production of the studied wine regions: in the Bordeaux wine region, climate change led to the appearance of conditions for the cultivation of the Mediterranean climate varieties Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan; in the cool climate wine regions Rhine-Main-Nahe and Cotnari, traditional producers of white wines, the climate has also become suitable for the cultivation of Pinot noir and Cabernet franc varieties, and implicitly for the production of red wines; in all studied wine regions, the classes of climate suitability for viticulture shifted higher in altitude, as is the case of the La Rioja region, where, in the recent period, the grapevine can be grown up to 922.9 m asl, higher by 206.2 m compared to the 1951¿1990 time period; in the low area of each wine region, one or even two new climate suitability classes for wine grape growing appeared. The shifts revealed by this research generate solid conclusions regarding the effect of climatic change on the viticultural potential of geographical areas, namely: in the context of climate change, the altitude of the wine region has a major influence on the evolution of the local viticulture potential; a higher topography allows a better adaptation of the wine region to climate change; low-elevation wine regions are more vulnerable to climate changes, especially the further south they are located; as an effect of climate change, conditions appear in the wine regions for the cultivation of new grapevine varieties and the production of new types of wine.
Open Access
Oenological significance of vineyard management zones delineated using early grape sampling
(Springer, 2014) Urretavizcaya Sanz, Inés; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Tisseyre, B.; Guillaume, S.; Miranda Jiménez, Carlos; Royo Díaz, José Bernardo; Producción Agraria; Nekazaritza Ekoizpena; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, IIM11879.RI.1
Early definition of oenologically significant zones within a vineyard is one of the main goals of precision viticulture, as it would allow an increase in profitability through the adaptation of agronomic practices to the specific requirements of each zone, and/or segregation of the harvest into different batches to produce wines with different qualities. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether early grape sampling is a relevant tool for within-vineyard zone definition. The study was carried out in 2010 and 2011 in a 4.2 ha vineyard, where a grid of 60 sampling points was defined. 300-berry samples were picked from each sampling point after veraison and at harvest, post-veraison information being used to define zones within the vineyard after fuzzy k-means analysis and subsequent application of a zoning procedure that took into account membership degree and neighbourhood criteria. Two variations of the zoning procedure were used, standard (StdZ) and top (TopZ) zoning. Each was designed to meet different requirements of wineries; StdZ gave the same oenological relevance to all the zones, and TopZ differentiated the zones producing 'top class' grapes, minimizing the within-zone variability in the top-class zone. Grape composition obtained at harvest from the zones delineated post-veraison was compared. Zone delineation using post-veraison data was proved to be oenologically relevant, provided sampling is performed once veraison is completed. The two zoning algorithms designed were shown to be suitable for objective zone delineation according to the goals intended for each.
Open Access
Exploring phenotypic diversity and stability of key traits for apple breeding in northeastern Spanish germplasm
(Frontiers Media, 2025-09-16) Bielsa González, Francisco Javier; Errea, Pilar; Pina, Ana; Iturmendi Vizcay, Nerea; Irisarri, Patricia; Navarro Huidobro, Montserrat; Castel, Lourdes; Urrestarazu Vidart, Jorge; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Miranda Jiménez, Carlos; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD
Malus x domestica Borkh is a key temperate fruit crop globally, but climate change and market demands highlight the need to broaden its narrow genetic base. The collection and conservation of local germplasms support breeding efforts by enabling the development of resilient phenotypes with improved traits. Under this framework, a set of 130 apple accessions (recovered from Northeastern Spain and 14 commercial cultivars were analyzed in terms of 12 phenotypic traits (firmness, SSC, malic acid, enzymatic browning (EB) susceptibility, fructose and glucose content, and phenolic content in peel and pulp). A statistical framework was developed to assess trait stability under shifting climatic conditions and detect significant correlations between climatic variables and phenotypical performance of apple trees. The results revealed a wide phenotypical variation across the studied traits, with the distribution of physicochemical traits strongly influenced in a genotype-dependent manner. A correlation matrix was obtained for studied traits revealing positive correlations between harvest date and SSC, enzymatic browning and firmness. Furthermore, uni- and multifactorial ANOVA revealed that genetic group (GG) is a key factor influencing all measured traits, especially pH, SSC, EB, and browning speed. Several interaction effects were also statistically significant, especially those involving ploidy level, which strongly influenced malic acid content and EB responses. Additionally, significant differences in fructose content were observed depending on peel coloration, and year-to-year phenotypic variation appeared to be predominantly governed by genotypic response to environmental conditions. Moreover, obtention of a mean stability index (Di) for each trait allowed the identification of ‘Pinova’,’Fuji’ and ‘Gala’ as the most stable cultivars among 11 commercial cultivars. These findings will support future research on development of functional cultivars and selection of ideal genotypes under shifting conditions.
Open Access
Onfield estimation of quality parameters in alfalfa through hyperspectral spectrometer data
(Elsevier, 2024) Gámez Guzmán, Angie Lorena; Vatter, Thomas; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Araus, José Luis; Aranjuelo Michelena, Iker; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Alfalfa is a forage of vast importance around the world. In the past, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique have been explored in the lab to determine quality traits such as fibre content in dried and ground material. During the last decade, portable hyperspectral devices have emerged as a tools for in-field prediction, of not only crop yield but also a large range of quality and physiological markers. The objective of this study was to estimate quality parameters in an alfalfa crop using hyperspectral data acquired from a full-range (350–2500 nm) spectrometer under field conditions. Reflected spectra were measured in single leaves as well as at the canopy level, then reflectance was related to target parameters such as biomass, leaf pigments, sugars, protein, and mineral contents. Due to their large effect on crop quality parameters, meteorological conditions and phenological stages were included as predictors in the models. We found that meteorological and phenological variables improved the accuracies and percentage of variance explained (R2) for most of the parameters evaluated. Based on R2 values, the best prediction models were obtained for biomass (0.71), sucrose (0.65), flavonoids (Flav) (0.56) and nitrogen (0.70) with normalized root mean squared errors of 0.196, 0.32, 0.087 and 0.08, respectively. These parameters were associated mainly with visible (VIS) (approx. 350–700 nm) and near infrared (NIR) (700–1250 nm) regions of the spectrum. Regarding mineral composition, the best prediction models were developed for P (0.51), B (0.50) and Zn (0.44), associated with the short-wave infra-red (SWIR) region (1250–2500 nm). The results of this study demonstrated the potential of hyperspectral techniques to be used as a base for performing initial evaluations in the field of quality traits in alfalfa crops.
Open Access
Identificación de síntomas previsuales de salinidad mediante imágenes hiperespectrales infrarrojas en vid
(Sociedad Española de Ciencias Hortícolas, 2022) Arazuri Garín, Silvia; Pérez Roncal, Claudia; Jarén Ceballos, Carmen; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Marín Ederra, Diana; Miranda Jiménez, Carlos; López Maestresalas, Ainara; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Ingeniería; Ingeniaritza; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD
Los niveles altos de salinidad que se pueden producir en un viñedo, asociados generalmente al uso de aguas de baja calidad genera un tipo de estrés abiótico que limita la producción de la uva y afecta a la calidad de los vinos. Teniendo en cuenta la importancia de la monitorización de los cultivos en la toma de decisiones para una buena gestión del viñedo, se plantea como objetivo de este trabajo la identificación previsual de síntomas de estrés abiótico en viña por medio de la tecnología de imágenes hiperespectrales en el infrarrojo cercano (HSI-NIR). Para llevar a cabo este objetivo, se realizó un ensayo en maceta en la Finca de Prácticas de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y Biociencias de la UPNA. El ensayo se realizó con plantas de un año de la variedad Monastrell sobre dos portainjertos 110R y 1103P. Se establecieron dos tratamientos: control (regado con agua de riego no salina) y salinidad (agua de riego con una concentración de sal común de 1,6 g/l). Entre finales de agosto y principios de septiembre se realizaron tres muestreos de hojas, analizando un total de 600 hojas (100 hojas/tratamiento y día). Las imágenes se tomaron con una cámara hiperespectral Xeva 1.7-320-100Hz, con rango espectral 900-1700nm. Una vez procesadas las imágenes se realizó una clasificación mediante un análisis discriminante por mínimos cuadrados parciales (PLS-DA) obteniéndose un porcentaje de muestras correctamente clasificadas en su grupo de origen (control o salinidad) del 82 % el primer día de muestreo, y del 87 % a partir del segundo día. A partir de estos datos podemos concluir que es posible identificar, mediante la tecnología HSI-NIR, síntomas en plantas sometidas a un tratamiento de riego con agua salina antes de que aparezcan síntomas en las hojas.
Open Access
Phenotyping xylem connections in grafted plants using X-ray micro-computed tomography
(Wiley, 2024) Camboué, Marilou; Janoueix, Anne; Tandonnet, Jean‐Pascal; Spilmont, Anne‐Sophie; Moisy, Cédric; Mathieu, Guillaume; Cordelières, Fabrice; Teillon, Jérémie; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Ollat, Nathalie; Cookson, Sarah Jane; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Plants are able to naturally graft or inosculate their trunks, branches and roots together, this mechanism is used by humans to graft together different genotypes for a range of purposes. Grafts are considered successful if functional vascular connections between the two genotypes occur. Various techniques can evaluate xylem connections across the graft interface. However, these methods are generally unable to assess the heterogeneity and three-dimensional (3D) structure of xylem vessel connections. Here we present the use of X-ray micro-computed tomography to characterize the 3D morphology of grafts of grapevine. We show that xylem vessels form between the two plants of natural root and human-made stem grafts. The main novelty of this methodology is that we were able to visualize the 3D network of functional xylem vessels connecting the scion and rootstock in human-made stem grafts thanks to the addition of a contrast agent to the roots and improved image analysis pipelines. In addition, we reveal the presence of extensive diagonal xylem connections between the main axial xylem vessels in 2-year old grapevine stems. In conclusion, we present a method that has the potential to provide new insights into the structure and function of xylem vessels in large tissue samples.
Open Access
Four-year field study reveals variable effects of phytohormone- and natural-based elicitors on anthocyanin metabolism in Tempranillo grapes
(Wiley, 2025-08-08) Crespo Martínez, Sara; Torres Molina, Nazareth; Loidi Erviti, Maite; Miranda Jiménez, Carlos; Astráin, Jesús; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Urrestarazu Vidart, Jorge; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa, OTRI 001-1365-2022-000273
OBJECTIVES/BACKGROUND: Climate change has raised concerns about the imbalance between anthocyanin and sugar levels in grapevines. High temperatures tend to reduce anthocyanin content by inhibiting its synthesis and increasing degradation, while simultaneously enhancing sugar accumulation. The application of elicitors, which promote the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, may help alleviate this imbalance. METHODS: To investigate this, a four-year field trial was conducted on Vitis vinifera cv. Tempranillo to assess the effects of four commercial products: two natural-based (an antioxidant-mannitol and an alginic acid-mannitol products) and two phytohormone-based (an abscisic acid and an ethephon-based products). The study evaluated the effect of these treatments on the phenyl propanoid pathway gene expression, various yield parameters, and the content of primary and secondary metabolites. RESULTS: Although none of the treatments consistently increased anthocyanin levels across seasons, the results varied depending on the year. Two products influenced some parameters in specific seasons: the ethephon-based product, which influenced the anthocyanin-to-sugar ratio through the reduction of TSS and induced the expression of key anthocyanin genes, and the natural-based antioxidant-mannitol product, which transiently increased the expression of some phenylpropanoid genes. CONCLUSIONS: None of the treatments increased anthocyanin levels across seasons. Ethephon (Fruitel) showed greater effectiveness under temperature stress and reduced sugar accumulation, which may be advantageous in a warming climate. Natural elicitors like antioxidant-mannitol elicitor (Vitalfit) had short-term effects on gene expression but no lasting impact on anthocyanins. Further research is needed to assess their influence on other polyphenols and their potential for commercial use.
Open Access
Nature-based strategies to regenerate the functioning and biodiversity of vineyards
(Wiley, 2024) Ochoa‐Hueso, Raúl; Cantos‐Villar, Emma; Puertas, Belén; Aguiar del Río, Juan F.; Belda, Ignacio; Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel; Fernández, Victoria; Gallardo, Antonio; García-Morales, José L.; Garde-Cerdán, Teresa; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Lazcano, Cristina; Liberal, Isabel M.; Serrano-Grijalva, Lilia; Tortosa, Germán; Casimiro‐Soriguer, Ramón; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Grapevine is one of the most important perennial fruit crops worldwide. Historically, vineyards were compatible with soil conservation practices and multitrophic biodiversity, but vineyards are now generally eroded and biologically impoverished, making them more susceptible to pests and diseases. However, the idiosyncrasy of the wine sector places wine growers in a unique position to lead the adoption of a range of sustainable management strategies and, thus, to pioneer a wider transformation of the agricultural sector. In this article, we provide an overview of nature-based management strategies that may be used for the regeneration of the functioning and biodiversity of vineyards and that may also lead to improved plant nutrition, grape berry quality and the suppression of pathogens and pests. These strategies include the use of microbial and nonmicrobial biostimulants, fertilization with organic amendments as well as foliar fertilization with nature-based products, the use of cover crops and the reintegration of livestock in vineyards, especially sheep. We will also pay special attention to the implementation of circular economy in the vineyard in relation to the previously mentioned management strategies and will also discuss the importance of considering all these aspects from a holistic and integrative perspective, rather than taking them into account as single factors. Assuming the integral role of soils in the functioning of agroecosystems, soils will be considered transversally across all sections. Finally, we will argue that the time is now ripe for innovation from the public and private sectors to contribute to the sustainable management of vineyards while maintaining, or even improving, the profit margin for farmers and winemakers.
Open Access
Challenges of viticulture adaptation to global change: tackling the issue from the roots
(Wiley, 2021) Marín Ederra, Diana; Armengol, J.; Carbonell-Bejerano, P.; Escalona, José M.; Gramaje, David; Hernández-Montes, E.; Intrigliolo, Diego S.; Martinez-Zapater, J. M.; Medrano, H.; Mirás-Ávalos, José M.; Palomares Rius, Juan Emilio; Romero Azorín, Pascual; Savé, R.; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Herralde, Felicidad de; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Viticulture is facing emerging challenges not only because of the effect of climate change on yield and composition of grapes, but also of a social demand for environmental-friendly agricultural management. Adaptation to these challenges is essential to guarantee the sustainability of viticulture. The aim of this review is to present adaptation possibilities from the soil-hidden, and often disregarded, part of the grapevine, the roots. The complexity of soil-root interactions makes necessary a comprehensive approach taking into account physiology, pathology and genetics, in order to outline strategies to improve viticulture adaptation to current and future threats. Rootstocks are the link between soil and scion in grafted crops, and they have played an essential role in viticulture since the introduction of phylloxera into Europe at the end of the 19th century. This review outlines current and future challenges that are threatening the sustainability of the wine sector and the relevant role that rootstocks can play to face these threats. We describe how rootstocks along with soil management can be exploited as an essential tool to deal with the effects of climate change and of emerging soil-borne pests and pathogens. Moreover, we discuss the possibilities and limitations of diverse genetic strategies for rootstock breeding.
Open Access
Relevance of sink-size estimation for within-field zone delineation in vineyards
(Springer, 2017) Urretavizcaya Sanz, Inés; Royo Díaz, José Bernardo; Miranda Jiménez, Carlos; Tisseyre, B.; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Producción Agraria; Nekazaritza Ekoizpena; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, IIM11879.RI.1
Source to sink size ratio, i.e.: the relative abundance of photosynthetically active organs (leaves) with regards to photosynthate demanding organs (mainly bunches), is widely known to be one of the main drivers of grape oenological quality. However, due to the difficulty of remote sink size estimation, Precision Viticulture (PV) has been mainly based on within-field zone delineation using vegetation indices. This approach has given only moderately satisfactory results for discriminating zones with differential quality. The aim of this work was to investigate an approach to delineate within-vineyard quality zones that includes an estimator of sink size in the data-set. The study was carried out during two consecutive seasons on a 4.2 ha gobelet-trained cv. 'Tempranillo' vineyard. Zone delineation was performed using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) and bunch number (BN) data. These variables were considered separately, in pairs, or the three altogether, using fuzzy k-means cluster analysis for combinations. The zones delineated based on single variables did not allow a sufficient discrimination for grape composition at harvest, NDVI being the only variable that by itself resulted in zones that to some extent differed in grape composition. On the contrary, when two variables were combined, discrimination in terms of grape composition improved remarkably, provided the sink size estimation variable (BN) was included in the combination. Lastly, the combination of the three variables yielded the best discriminating zoning, improving slightly on those provided by NDVI + BN and ECa + BN combinations. Thus, the relevance of including a variable related to sink size (in this case the number of bunches per plant) has been confirmed, which makes its consideration highly advisable for any PV work aiming at zone delineation for grape quality purposes.