Projects / Programmes
Facilitating green care in viticulture by means of metabolomic-based front line conception
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 4.03.04 |
Biotechnical sciences |
Plant production |
Sustainable agriculture |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T430 |
Technological sciences |
Food and drink technology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 4.01 |
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries |
sustainable viticulture, canopy microclimate, pre-flowering leaf removal, Botrytis cinerea, fungicides, yeasts, biocontrol, metabolomics
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
17102 |
PhD Melita Sternad Lemut |
Plant production |
Head |
2016 - 2017 |
0 |
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
1540 |
University of Nova Gorica |
Nova Gorica |
5920884000 |
0 |
Abstract
The growing demand of consumers for environment-friendly and safe food products has already forced many wine producers to restrict the application of synthetic fungicides to earlier season, trying to reduce the risk of residues being detected in the wines. Main risk for infection by B. cinerea, however, occurs later in the season and without suitable protectant, a serious yield and quality loss may occur. In addition, climate change/global warming happenings are increasingly affecting the balance of pests and diseases in the vineyards. With very few and quite unreliable “green” alternatives, winegrowers (not only ecological, but also conventional) are left utterly unassisted in fighting for their crop, quality and nonetheless their survival in a globalized wine market.
To support a significant improvement in whole-season B. cinerea green care, we plan first to explore our own (Wine Research Centre at UNG) existing yeast genetic bank of nearly 2000 yeast strains and yeast-like microorganisms, isolated in the wine cellar, vineyards and non-vineyards environments in Slovenian Primorje region and to test the most promising ones for their ability to inhibit B. cinerea strains as well as their broader potential to be used as a biocontrol agent.
Furthermore we plan to design a field experiment in two vineyards of red and white grape variety (susceptible for B. cinerea) and to study different combinations of optimized canopy microclimate manipulation techniques with new potential yeast-based biocontrol candidates (PBC). We want to observe the ability of PBC (in different microclimate scenarios induced by canopy microclimate manipulation) to: (1) maintain the adequate populations needed to provide effective biological control; (2) the length of the period during which a threshold population density is sustained and (3) reach the magnitude of disease control provided by introduced agent.
In parallel, the basic grape quality and quantity parameters will be observed as well as cluster compactness index will be calculated as another risk-related factor of microbial infection. Climatic data (mezzo- and microclimate) will be monitored throughout the whole growing season to support the understanding of microclimate influences on the observed parameters. To obtain even more complex quality and safety-related information on the “grape-to-wine” basis, we will subject separately collected grapes from all the treatments to variety-typical winemaking processes and chemically as well as sensorialy evaluate the quality of experimental wines.
Moreover we will apply targeted metabolomics as one of the newest analytical approaches to the study, to not only define best possible vineyard green strategy combinations (which can vary between vintages and different geo-climatic condition) but more importantly, to improve the existing knowledge, particularly about plentiful less studied compounds involved or allegedly involved in the plant protection mechanisms (e.g. lipids) and to upgrade the understanding of plant metabolic changes and shifts involved.
On the other hand, untargeted metabolomics will be performed in order to define some potential new biomarkers related to different approaches of green vineyard management on one side and to the risk for plant diseases on the other side.
Finally we want to assess (under real vineyard conditions) quality to energy consumption and cost-benefits relationships of new green management systems in order to compare investment and sustainability level for all the treatment variants.
The most promising outcomes of the project will be presented to winemakers and scientific public and be integrated into the pedagogical work with the students (lectures, conferences, scientific articles).
Significance for science
The research project has noticeable scientific (and applicative) relevance. Studying the potential of yeasts as a bio-control product in viticulture (and wider), carrying out a complex study of new «greener« viticulture techniques on different grapevine varieties, and the paralleled implementation of the most advanced analytical methods (metabolomics) has contributed: (1) Enlargement of genetic bank of Slovene (and foreign) autochthonous yeasts and expanded knowledge about them; a better knowledge of these organisms, their properties and their potential in sustainable agriculture or food industry can lead to new scientific ideas and ideas for the development of new or improved food/ agricultural products in the future. The methods introduced for testing the yeasts on selected properties are set up on a way to allow the transfer of existing studies to other plants/ technologies. It is important to emphasize that the collection will also be accessible to other domestic and foreign researchers, regardless of the area of their work, and thus potentially contribute to the development of a platform for various further studies of the yeasts. (2) Growth of the database of documented plant biosynthetic responses to various abiotic and biotic environmental factors; the project will thus represent a step forward in understanding the interactions between the vine and its environment and to some extent also help to fill up the gaps in knowledge about the complex biosynthetic behavior of the grapevine, the effects on it, the possibilities of manipulation with new technologies and the importance of some metabolites (technological and biological - for the plant), which is especially true for the poorly or not yet studied metabolites of the grapevine. In addition, in agriculture, complex research data is urgently needed in as many different geo-climatic conditions as possible and on different varieties as the results are not easily transferable; therefore, the growth of such database is particularly important. (3) Addition of new complex data on the impact of new viticulture practices and the use of potential biocontrol yeasts (or combinations of these strategies) on the final product - wine. The vast majority of research focuses only on grapes, but not on the possible consequences for the quality or safety of the wine. (4) Addition of some useful information in direction of possible adaptation to global warming/ climate change; better knowledge and understanding of plant responses to climate factors can support further research and solutions in this direction. 5) Enhancement of scientifically supported data for the possibilities of more sustainable management of the vineyard.
Significance for the country
The project and its objectives are in accordance with the Strategy for the Development of Slovenian Agriculture and other development documents, which define the orientation towards the stable production of quality and low-cost food, and ensure the food security of Slovenia while respecting the high environmental standards. Environmentally friendly food production methods, sustainable agricultural management or related policies are often the priority areas in the context of the European calls for proposals as well. Promising related preliminary results and acquired specific know-how increase the attractiveness of the group for foreign partners, and thus the possibility of acquiring relevant foreign partnerships, and consequently for successful candidacy for such assets. The inclusion of the most advanced analytical techniques (metabolomics) in our research, with paralleled enhancement of fruitful research cooperation with foreign, well equipped institutions, is therefore of great importance not only for achieving internationally comparable quality of our work with access to state-of-the-art techniques and apparatuses, but also for a better presentation of activities and the potential of Slovenian scientists of our field on an international scale. Studying the potential of new viticulture techniques or more "green" combinations of viticulture strategies in Slovenia's geo-climatic conditions brings important new data and ideas to Slovene producers and the presentations of very complex data (from a quality, sustainable and cost-effective perspective) help make their decisions when it comes to more modern, more environmentally friendly higher quality-oriented production strategies while looking for opportunities to reduce costs in parallel, which can enable them to increase their competitiveness in foreign markets. Within the framework of the project, the upgraded collection of (autochthonous and foreign) yeasts, as well as the introduced methods for testing their properties and potentials, are expanded and with an abundance of new data represent an intractable set for further research as well as carefully preserved natural heritage. Some of the results obtained in the project have opened new interesting scientific issues where we have engaged Master and Doctoral students. By this, at the same time we have ensured that sustainably directed research and activities towards the enrichment of the yeast gene bank will continue to be successful.
Most important scientific results
Final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report,
final report
