Open Access
Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis as a promising resource for improving berry quality in grapevines under changing environments
(Frontiers Media, 2018-06-29) Torres Molina, Nazareth; Antolín, M. Carmen; Goicoechea, Nieves; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Climate change and their resulting impacts are becoming a concern for winegrowers due to the high socioeconomic relevance of the winemaking sector worldwide. In fact, the projected climate change is expected to have detrimental impacts on the yield of grapevines, as well as on the quality and properties of grapes and wine. It is well known that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve the nutritional quality of edible parts of crops and play essential roles in the maintenance of host plant fitness under stressed environments, including grapevines. The future scenarios of climate change may also modify the diversity and the growth of AMF in soils as well as the functionality of the mycorrhizal symbiosis. In this review, we summarize recent research progress on the effects of climate change on grapevine metabolism, paying special attention to the secondary compounds involved in the organoleptic properties of grapes and wines and to the levels of the phytohormones implied in the control of berry development and fruit ripening. In this context, the potential role of AMF for maintaining fruit quality in future climate change scenarios is discussed.
Open Access
Conventional and newly bred rootstock effects on the ecophysiological response of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo
(Elsevier, 2023) Buesa, Ignacio; Torres Molina, Nazareth; Tortosa, Ignacio; Marín Ederra, Diana; Villa Llop, Ana; Douthe, Cyril; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Medrano, H.; Escalona, José M.; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Achieving more environmentally sustainable vineyards, particularly regarding efficient water use, is paramount in semi-arid grape-growing regions. Rootstocks may be a possible strategy to address these challenges, but require a comprehensive evaluation of their effect on the scion, including ecophysiological traits. The objectives of this study were 1) to characterize the physiological response of Tempranillo cultivar grafted onto five commercial (1103 P, 110 R, 140Ru, 420 A, and SO4), and seven recently bred (RG2, RG3, RG4, RG6, RG7, RG8 and RG9) rootstocks and 2) to elucidate the relationships between agronomic and physiological traits conferred by grapevine rootstocks. This was carried out over three seasons (2018–2020) in a typical Mediterranean vineyard by determining water relations, leaf gas exchange, carbon isotope ratios and vegetative development and yield components. The results highlighted the different behaviour of ‘Tempranillo’ vines due to the rootstock effects on vine water status, photosynthetic performance, hydraulic conductance, vegetative growth and yield parameters. Overall, rootstocks inducing vigour and yield in the scion, such as 140Ru and RG8, showed higher leaf gas exchange rates and hydraulic conductance at the whole-plant level due to less negative water potentials, suggesting a higher water uptake and transport capacity than RG2, RG7 and RG9. The RG rootstocks showed a very wide range of ecophysiological responses, but only RG8 outperformed compared to the most widely used commercial rootstocks. Moreover, this response was modulated by the season and the block soil type, suggesting the importance of rootstock selection according to the edaphoclimatic conditions. Therefore, this study highlights the high potential of rootstocks to adapt to water scarcity by improving crop water productivity in vineyards and provides physiological insights for future studies and breeding programmes.
Embargo
Upgrading and validating a soil water balance model to predict stem water potential in vineyards
(Elsevier, 2024-12-15) Mirás-Ávalos, José M.; Escalona, José M.; Pérez-Álvarez, Eva Pilar; Romero Azorín, Pascual; Botia, Pablo; Navarro, Josefa; Torres Molina, Nazareth; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Uriarte, David; Intrigliolo, Diego S.; Buesa, Ignacio; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Efficient water management is pivotal for viticulture sustainability. Decision support tools can advise on how to optimize irrigation or on the feasibility of growing grapes in rainfed conditions, but reliable algorithms for assessing vine water status are required. In this context, the aim of the current study was to upgrade a soil water balance model specific for vineyards by incorporating meteorological, soil and vine vigor in equations that transform the fraction of transpirable soil water into midday stem water potential (Ψstem). The model's sensitivity to variations in the magnitude of input parameters was analyzed. Furthermore, the model was tested in a broad scope of Spanish vineyards with different grapevine cultivars (both red and white), rootstocks, plant age, soil and climatic conditions, and water regimes, totaling 129 scenarios. The model was only slightly sensitive to variations in the magnitude of most inputs, except for the fraction of transpirable water at which leaf stomatal conductance begin to decline. Moreover, the model satisfactorily reproduced the evolution of Ψstem over the growing season, although it slightly overestimated the measured ¿stem values, as the slopes of the fitted regression lines were lesser than 1 on most occasions, 76 out of 129. Nonetheless, the coefficients of determination for these relationships were greater than 0.9, except for 21 datasets. Mean errors averaged 0.024 ± 0.015 MPa, while root mean square errors averaged 0.27 ± 0.01 MPa. The index of agreement was greater than 0.75 in 51 datasets, with only three datasets showing an index of agreement lower than 0.5. Nevertheless, the deviations between observed and simulated Ψstem values did not alter the classification of the water stress undergone by grapevines. This upgraded model could constitute the core of a decision support system for water management in vineyards, applicable to both rainfed and irrigated conditions.
Open Access
Flavonoid and amino acid profiling on vitis vinifera L. cv tempranillo subjected to deficit irrigation under elevated temperaturas
(Elsevier, 2017-05-03) Torres Molina, Nazareth; Hilbert, Ghislaine; Luquin, Josu; Goicoechea, Nieves; Antolín, M. Carmen; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Throughout the southern Mediterranean regions of Europe, projected climate warming combined with severe droughts during the growing season may alter grape metabolism, thus modifying the nutritional value of berries and the quality of wines. This study investigated the effects of pre- and post-veraison drought under elevated temperatures on berry skin metabolism of two Tempranillo clones (CL). Experimental assays were performed on fruit-bearing cuttings from CL-1089 and CL-843 of Vitis vinifera (L.) cv. Tempranillo subjected to two temperature regimes (24/14 °C or 28/18 °C (day/night)) combined with three irrigation regimes during berry ripening: (i) water deficit from fruit set to veraison (early deficit, ED); (ii) water deficit from veraison to maturity (late deficit, LD); and (iii) full irrigation (FI). At 24/14 °C, the LD treatment performed better than the ED treatment. Differences were attenuated at 28/18 °C and responses were modulated by type of clone. Elevated temperatures induced the accumulation of hexoses and amino acids in berries. ED at 24/14 °C reduced anthocyanins and flavonols, which may decrease the antioxidant properties of fruits. In contrast, the levels of these secondary metabolites did not decrease when LD was applied. Our results suggest that the adaptation of grapevines for climate change might be plausible with the optimization of timing of water deficit and the appropriate selection of clones.
Open Access
Arbuscular mycrorrhizal fungi inoculation and applied water amounts modulate the response of young grapevines to mild water stress in a hyper-arid season
(Frontiers Media, 2021-01-14) Torres Molina, Nazareth; Yu, Runze; Kurtural, Sahap Kaan; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Several factors may affect the success of a replanting vineyard. Given the current environmental conditions, an optimized irrigation schedule would still be one of the most desirable tools to improve crop productivity and fruit quality. On the other hand, the symbiosis of grapevines with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a key component of the vineyard production systems improving the vine growth, nutrient uptake, and berry quality. The aim of this study was to characterize the response of Merlot grapevines to AMF inoculation and two different irrigation amounts in their first productive year. The experiment was conducted on 2-year Merlot grapevines inoculated with AMF (I) or not-inoculated (NI) and subjected to two irrigation amounts, full irrigated (FI), where the amount of water was enough to maintain expansive growth and half irrigated (HI) where plants received the half of the amount of water of FI plants. Water status, gas exchange parameters, growth, mineral content, berry composition, and mycorrhizal colonization were monitored through the season. AMF inoculation improved the grapevine vegetative growth, water status, and photosynthetic activity, especially when vines were subjected to HI irrigation; however, no effect was observed on the leaf mineral content, must pH, total soluble solids, or total acidity. The main effects were observed on the flavonoid composition of berry skins at harvest. Irrigation amounts and mycorrhizal inoculation modified cyanidin and peonidin derivatives whereas flavonol composition was mainly affected by irrigation treatments. A strong relationship between the mycorrhizal colonization rate of roots and total quercetins, cyanidins, and peonidins was found. Findings support the use of a mycorrhizal inoculum and a better water management in a hyper-arid growing season; however, these results may be affected by edaphoclimatic characteristics and living microbiota in vineyard soils, which should be taken into account before making the decision of inoculating the vineyard.
Open Access
Evaluation of the influence of rootstock cane characteristics on grafting success rate
(International Viticulture and Enology Society (IVES), 2025-03-10) Villa Llop, Ana; Crespo Martínez, Sara; Marín, Diana; Torres Molina, Nazareth; Cookson, Sarah Jane; Loupit, Grégoire; Bonhomme, Pierre-Olivier; Prodhomme, Duyên; Gramaje, David; Bujanda, Rebeca; Eraso Zabalegui, Javier; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
The success of grafting in grapevine nurseries can vary significantly depending on the wood used, even if the same scion and rootstock are used, yet the underlying causes of this variation remain poorly understood. To elucidate the factors influencing grafting success, rootstock wood (Vitis berlandieri x V. rupestris cv. 110 Richter) from ten production fields - each representing different rootstock origins - in Spain and France was characterised and grafted to cv. Tempranillo, and grafting success rates were subsequently determined. Histological analysis of the rootstock canes was carried out to evaluate tissue dimensions (pith, xylem, and phloem), number of xylem vessels, and hydraulic conductivity, revealing significant differences, particularly in the size and presence of large vessels. Metabolite analysis (starch, sucrose, glucose, fructose, and proteins) and isotopic composition (δ 13C and δ 15N) further differentiated the batches. Grafting success rates were recorded after uprooting and showed positive associations with parameters of water status (δ 13C), nitrogen assimilation (δ 15N), and anatomical characteristics of the rootstock canes. These findings underscore the complex interaction of physiological, anatomical, and environmental factors influencing grafting outcomes in grapevines.
Open Access
The role of rootstocks for grape growing adaptation to climate change: meta-analysis of the research conducted in Spanish viticulture
(International Viticulture and Enology Society, 2023) Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Rekarte, Isabel; Torres Molina, Nazareth; Galar Martínez, Mónica; Villa Llop, Ana; Visconti, Fernando; Intrigliolo, Diego S.; Escalona, José M.; Herralde, Felicidad de; Miranda Jiménez, Carlos; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Rootstock election is one of the key decisions when designing a vineyard. Although the research performed to determine the effect they induce in the behaviour of scion varieties is not scarce, it is not easy to have a global idea, as results are usually published scattered. In this work, we re-examine previous research conducted in Spain on rootstock implications on vine agronomic performance through the performance of a meta-analysis (MA). As a result, we were able to integrate the information reported in 20 articles that included rootstock experimentation conducted with 36 different varieties and 47 different rootstocks, totalling 764 individual records. However, when the information was filtered before the meta-analysis, this number decreased to 312 records, for which rootstock Response Ratios (RR) were calculated. The characteristics conferred by the rootstock were more closely related to the rootstock itself, rather than to the characteristics of the Vitis sp. crossing used to create the rootstock. Several rootstocks were identified as more suitable for adapting to future climate change conditions, as far as they were able to moderate sugar accumulation and pH (161-49 C, 41-B MGt and 420A MGt). Meanwhile, 140 Ru and 5-BB were observed to provide high pH and sugar contents despite their high yield. In conclusion, despite being based on data from a single country, the meta-analysis was shown to be a useful tool for enhancing the value of previous research on rootstocks. Combining articles from both peer-reviewed and technical journals helped in the assessment of the implications of different rootstocks, although further steps should be taken to facilitate data integration (harmonisation of measurement and reporting procedures, open data repositories, etc).
Open Access
Shifts in phenolic composition and aromatic profiles of Cabernet Sauvignon (vitis vinifera L.) wines are driven by different irrigation amounts in a hot climate
(Elsevier, 2021) Torres Molina, Nazareth; Yu, Runze; Martínez-Lüscher, Johann; Girardello, Raul C.; Kostaki, Evmorfia; Oberholster, Anita; Kurtural, Sahap Kaan; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Wine final color, taste and aroma are closely related to the accumulation of secondary metabolites that may be affected by deficit irrigation applied in viticulture. A two-year study was conducted to assess the different fractions of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) irrigation replacement on wine composition, addressing the analysis of flavonoids and volatiles under context of global warming. Irrigating with 100% ETc (full grapevine demand) enhanced wine hue, antioxidant capacity, and some aromas; however, it came with a diminution of flavonoids and a less stable flavonoid profile. Replacing 25 and 50% ETc in wine grape improved wine color intensity, concentration of flavonoids, and shifted the aromatic profiles. These treatments increased some terpenes and esters which may enhance the desirable aromas for Cabernet Sauvignon, and decreased C6 alcohols related to unpleasant ones. Therefore, despite the warming trends in Mediterranean climates, 100% ETc irrigation would be not advisable to improve or maintain wine quality, and 50% ETc was sufficient.
Open Access
Remote sensing for plant water content monitoring: a review
(MDPI, 2021) Quemada Mayoral, Carlos; Pérez Escudero, José Manuel; Gonzalo García, Ramón; Ederra Urzainqui, Íñigo; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Torres Molina, Nazareth; Iriarte Galarregui, Juan Carlos; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Las redes sociales se han convertido en una de las principales fuentes de información, especialmente entre los más jóvenes. Al mismo tiempo, se ha incrementado la producción y circulación de información falsa o fake news a través de las redes. En este contexto, resulta crucial que los jóvenes adquieran estrategias y competencias para realizar una lectura crítica de la información que consumen. Este estudio busca analizar el comportamiento del alumnado de secundaria ante la información falsa y el efecto de una intervención didáctica, realizada online durante la pandemia de la covid-19, cuyo objetivo era que el alumnado desarrollara competencias para detectar noticias falsas. Se trata de una investigación participativa con un diseño de pre-test y post-test. Los resultados muestran que el alumnado incrementó su competencia para identificar algunos tipos de falsedad como la información no probada y la información tergiversada, si bien tuvo problemas para reconocer información descontextualizada o el uso de lenguaje discriminatorio. Las estrategias que más utilizó son la comprobación de datos en internet y el uso de verificadores. Se observaron comportamientos diferenciados entre el alumnado que identificó la información falsa y el que no lo hizo. Las conclusiones apuntan a la necesidad de trabajar en el aula de forma integral, extensiva y transversal la evaluación de la información partiendo de las habilidades que el alumnado ya posee.
Open Access
Inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi and irrigation management shaped the bacterial and fungal communities and networks in vineyard soils
(MDPI, 2021) Torres Molina, Nazareth; Yu, Runze; Kurtural, Sahap Kaan; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Vineyard-living microbiota affect grapevine health and adaptation to changing environments and determine the biological quality of soils that strongly influence wine quality. However, their abundance and interactions may be affected by vineyard management. The present study was conducted to assess whether the vineyard soil microbiome was altered by the use of biostimulants (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation vs. non-inoculated) and/or irrigation management (fully irrigated vs. half irrigated). Bacterial and fungal communities in vineyard soils were shaped by both time course and soil management (i.e., the use of biostimulants and irrigation). Regarding alpha diversity, fungal communities were more responsive to treatments, whereas changes in beta diversity were mainly recorded in the bacterial communities. Edaphic factors rarely influence bacterial and fungal communities. Microbial network analyses suggested that the bacterial associations were weaker than the fungal ones under half irrigation and that the inoculation with AMF led to the increase in positive associations between vineyard-soil-living microbes. Altogether, the results highlight the need for more studies on the effect of management practices, especially the addition of AMF on cropping systems, to fully understand the factors that drive their variability, strengthen beneficial microbial networks, and achieve better soil quality, which will improve crop performance.