Changes in vineyard productive attributes and phytochemical composition of sauvignon blanc grape and wine induced by the application of silicon and calcium

Abstract

BACKGROUND: It is important to increase productivity and improve plant quality at the same time as preserving the principles of safety and productivity. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of sodium metasilicate and calcium chloride, applied as fertilizers, on the productivity and phytochemical characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc grapes and their respective wines. RESULTS:The experiments were conducted using 2017 and 2018 vintages of commercial Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The treatments consisted of applying separately different concentrations of sodium metasilicate (0, 4, 8 and 12 g L −1 ) or calcium chloride (0, 5, 10 and 15 g L −1 ). The treatments were carried out during four phenological phases. The grapes were harvested at technical maturity and white wines were elaborated. The application of inorganic salts, silicon and calcium to the grapes had a significant effect on the vineyard productivity. The best results were obtained with 4 and 8 g L −1 silicon and 15 g L −1 calcium. An increase in the concentration of phenolics in the grapes was noted. These compounds have antioxidant capacity, which is one of the factors responsible for the resistance of the grapes to pathogens. CONCLUSION: The application of 4 and 8 g L −1 silicon and 15 g L −1 calcium to the grapes represents a potential alternative fertilizing strategy, which could increase the plant yield without damaging the phytochemical characteristics of the fruit and its derivatives.

Biosynthesis and Cellular Functions of Tartaric Acid in Grapevines

“…Accumulation of TA occurs in all V. vinifera cultivars and across the Vitaceae family (Stafford, 1959). TA levels in V. vinifera fruit are largely unaffected by environmental conditions other than in a small handful of studies that report responses to light (Melino et al, 2011;Reshef et al, 2017), water deficit (Grimplet et al, 2009;Savoi et al, 2017), fertilization with silicon and calcium chloride (Gomes et al, 2020), grafting onto different rootstocks (Zhang et al, 2020b) and seasonal variability due to water status and light exposure (Cholet et al, 2016). Notwithstanding these reports, there is no evidence that any one or combination of cultural practices can be used to modulate levels of TA in berries at harvest.…”

Rate and Timing of Application of Biostimulant Substances to Enhance Fruit Tree Tolerance toward Environmental Stresses and Fruit Quality

“…The Si concentration in the tested formulations varied a lot in the different experimental conditions. Under open field conditions, drenching applications generally were performed at higher Si concentrations (178-280 mM Si) [66,67] as compared to foliar sprays (0.05-98.2 mM Si) [35,68]. Under greenhouse conditions, with potted plants, Si was applied to the leaves or by fertigation at low concentrations, ranging from 0.08 to 0.5 mM Si [40,69].…”

Foliar Application of Silicon in Vitis vinifera: Targeted Metabolomics Analysis as a Tool to Investigate the Chemical Variations in Berries of Four Grapevine Cultivars

“…Several examples of studies considered the application of Si in viticulture, showing its usefulness [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. The tolerance against abiotic and biotic stress in plants of Vitis vinifera L. cv.…”

“…Establishing the possible relationships between Si application and berry metabolites can be a challenge due to the complex phytoconstituents and the multiple metabolic pathways involved [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. In this regard, new information can be obtained by applying a metabolomic based approach.…”