Background and Aims Modern viticulture requires robust, fast, non‐destructive methods to assess berry composition. We tested a chlorophyll fluorescence screening method to estimate berry phenolic substances. Methods and Results We focused on anthocyanin and flavonol in red and white cultivars. The ANTH_RG index was dependent on the cultivar anthocyanin profile. In Nebbiolo, in which dihydroxylated anthocyanins prevail, ANTH_RG was 2.4 times higher than in Barbera, in which trihydroxylated anthocyanins prevail. Considering the profiles of the two cultivars at similar anthocyanin concentration and their relative in vitro absorbance, a bathochromic shift of 10 nm emerged, which can explain the different screening effect exerted by anthocyanin on chlorophyll fluorescence. As to flavanols, we propose the calibration of a new spectroscopic index, the FLAV_UV, in coloured and white berries, finding good correlation with flavonol concentration determined analytically (R2 higher than 0.7). Conclusions Spectroscopic indices can estimate the concentration of anthocyanin and flavonol in grape berries. Significance of the Study A calibration curve for Nebbiolo, which has a distinctive anthocyanin profile, and the calibration of a new index, the FLAV_UV, able to estimate flavonol concentration in both red and white cultivars, are described for the first time. These indices can effectively be applied for non‐destructive assessment of grape flavonoid.

27Flavour analysis of grape is a key step in quality evaluation. The Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction 31(North-western Italy). Volatile constituents of grapes were identified and quantified by GC-MS. 32We demonstrate the influence exerted by the growing location on volatile concentration and 33 profile, as well as on the timing of volatile accumulation. The accumulation of certain classes of 34 compounds, considered favourable for defining berry quality, followed common patterns, and 35 was negatively correlated to that of compounds with herbaceous and grassy notes, such as the C6 36compounds. 37PCA analysis shows that the concentrations of varietal and pre-fermentative volatiles were more 38 effective in separating growing areas than dates of harvest. Grapes from the Barbaresco area, 39showing higher values of the concentration ratio between favourable and unfavourable 40 compounds throughout ripening, could be statistically separated from grapes from the other areas.

The evolution of pre-fermentative volatiles and of the global aroma potential in three Italian neutral varieties ('Nebbiolo', 'Barbera' and 'Dolcetto') was assessed from véraison to harvest by SBSE-GC/MS. C6 and C9 compounds, benzene derivatives, bound monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes showed differences among varieties in quantity and profiles during berry ripening. Quantitatively, the most of total monoterpenes, C-13 norisoprenoids and sesquiterpenes were detected after acid hydrolysis. Among prefermentative norisoprenoids, exclusively β-ionone was detected with different kinetics among varieties. Monoterpene accumulation started around véraison with the exception of (E)-geranylacetone, whose content was already high at véraison. (E)-geranylacetone, deriving from the degradation of carotenoids, could become a target molecule to study indirectly the accumulation of carotenoids. Data allowed to measure the global aroma potential and the pre-fermentative volatiles of grapes: result interpretation suggested a number of implications on biosynthetic processes that have been addressed.

No abstract

Starting in 1931, Giovanni Dalmasso carried out intense grapevine breeding activity, creating more than 100 wine and table grape crosses. He sought to contribute to the economic development of Italian viticulture, but also left considerable genetic material for further breeding programs. Owing to the current strong interest in the genetic improvement of grapevines, the pedigrees of varieties released by breeders must be determined. The aim of this study was to genetically characterize and verify the disclosed pedigrees of Dalmasso's crosses (IDs). Nuclear microsatellite profiles (n-SSR) of 42 ID accessions and 22 genotypes declared as parents were obtained at 22 loci. By cross-validation of allele size, declared parentages were verified. When one or both disclosed parents were found to be incorrect due to inconsistent genetic data, putative parent(s) were sought via SSR profile comparison within the grapevine molecular database of CNR-Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, and the probability estimated via IDENTITY v. 4.0 software. Through microsatellite analysis, three duplicated genotypes were discovered and twenty ID parentages out of 39 were confirmed. In 13 IDs, one parent was incorrect, in 2 IDs, both parents were inconsistent with microsatellite profiles, and in 4 IDs the pedigree could not be verified since the pollen donor was not available. Apart from invalidated crosses likely due to pollen contamination, 5 accessions were mislabelled, either when both parents were invalidated or when two specimens of the same offspring were differently labelled. Verification of breeder's declared parentages revealed 43% of invalidated pedigrees within the investigated wine and table crossbreeds. The results provide additional insight into grapevine available diversity, and may aid the development of further breeding programs.