Section 2 Vine Technology

Enology and Viticulture. 2015;66: 531-541. DOI: 10.5344/ajev.2015.15023

Advances in Grape and Wine Biotechnology

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[38] Lacombe T, Boursiquot JM, Laucou V, Di Vecchi-Staraz M, Péros JP, This P. Large-scale parentage analysis in an extended set of grapevine cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.). Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 2013;126(2):401-414. DOI: 10.1007/s00122-012-1988-2

**73**

**Chapter 5**

**Abstract**

Composition

anthocyanins, aroma compounds

**1. Introduction**

Effects of Vine Water Status on

Yield Components, Vegetative

Response and Must and Wine

*José Ramón Lissarrague, David Uriarte and Mar Vilanova*

Despite *Vitis vinifera* L. is a drought-tolerant species—rainfed traditionally grown in a very diversity of climates—irrigation has more and more become a usual practice aimed to obtain regular yields along seasons and to control must composition. Results on vineyard irrigation are dependent on the timing, length and intensity of the water deficit. From budbreak to flowering, shoot growth is very sensitive to water stress, while reproductive growth is almost unaffected. Severe water deficit during fruit set can reduce yield by affecting ovary cell multiplication and expansion. During maturation water stress induces yield reduction by limiting berry growth; along this phase must composition is also affected. There is a positive, linear relationship between must sugar content and available water; however, no relationship has been found to either total acidity or pH. Biosynthesis of anthocyanins and fruity aromas is enhanced by water deficit. Usually, wines from moderate irrigation treatments scored the highest. There is a general agreement that severe, long water deficits diminish must quality, leaf area, fertility and yield, and it has a negative carryover effect on the next

*Pilar Baeza, Pedro Junquera, Emilio Peiro,* 

seasons by limiting wood reserves to be used the following seasons.

**Keywords:** wine grapes, *Vitis vinifera* L., irrigation, water potential, yield, berry size, shoot growth, vigour, soluble solids, pH, total acidity, organic acids, polyphenols,

Wine grapes are grown over a very wide diversity of environmental conditions. Originally, wine grapes were confined around the Mediterranean basin, but as humans spread around the world, these plants were able to conquer new habitats. Vineyards now exist in areas with Mediterranean climatic conditions (i.e. with relatively long, dry summers) in Europe, South America and North America but also in Atlantic regions in Europe and North America and in places with a similar climate in New Zealand. In recent decades, *V. vinifera* vineyards have been established in North Beijing and Washington State (USA) where winters are cold and even tropical areas in Thailand. This highlights the plasticity of *V. vinifera* cultivars, which have become adapted to very different climatic conditions, producing reputable wines and table grapes under most of them.
