Effects of irrigation and rootstock onVitis vinifera(L.) cv. Shiraz berry composition and shrivel, and wine composition and wine score

Abstract

Background and Aims We investigated rootstock effects on the response of fruit and wine composition to reduced irrigation in vines growing on saline soil. Methods and Results Drip‐irrigated Shiraz vines on five rootstocks were subjected to industry standard and 30% reduced irrigation over four consecutive seasons. Fruit composition during berry shrivel and at harvest was assessed in each season and wine was made and assessed in two seasons. Rootstock and irrigation independently affected fruit anthocyanins concentration and wine spectral properties. In two seasons, reduced irrigation affected the accumulation of anthocyanins and total soluble solids during berry shrivel. Fruit from 110 Richter had a 16% higher concentration of anthocyanins and wine a 29% higher colour density than that of fruit and wine from Ramsey. Sodium and chloride concentration in wine from 110 Richter was 27 and 50% less than in wine from Ramsey. In one of two seasons, reducing irrigation improved the sensory score from wines on 110 Richter and 140 Ruggeri rootstocks. Yield and berry mass accounted for 25% and less than 1%, respectively, of the variation in concentration of fruit anthocyanins over four seasons. Conclusion Reducing irrigation and substitution of 110 Richter for Ramsey rootstock both improved fruit composition, but reduced yield. In the early 2000s, the extra payment for higher quality did not offset the loss due to lower yield. Significance of the Study Wine from vines on 110 Richter had higher colour and a lower concentration of sodium and chloride than that wine from vines on Ramsey.

Effect of rootstock on yield, grape composition and wine sensory attributes of Shiraz grown in a moderately saline environment

“…Furthermore, in a study involving several rootstocks treated with standard and reduced (30% less than standard) irrigation, Shiraz on Ramsey and 140 Ruggeri produced a significantly higher yield than Shiraz on 110 Richter at both irrigation treatments (Stevens et al ), similar to our observations and those of Hedberg et al (). Wine colour density of Shiraz wine from 110 Richter was 29% higher than that from Shiraz on Ramsey, and Na + and Cl − concentration in wine from 110 Richter was, respectively, 27 and 52% less than in wine from Ramsey (Stevens et al ), which was similar to our observations.…”

Effects of Pre-Harvest Deficit and Excess Irrigation Water on Vine Water Relations, Productivity and Quality of Crimson Seedless Table Grapes

“…Soil volumetric water contents measured by time domain reflectometry (TDR) as well as by neutron probe were directly related to imposed irrigation regimes (Edwards and Clingeleffer, 2013). Moreover, similar results for reduced and fluctuated SVWC under deficit irrigation were reported by Stevens et al (2016), who found that SVWC reached 16.6, 17.4, 18.7 & 17.5 % in 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2014, respectively, when imposing 30 % irrigation cut-off. Mean midday leaf water potential (Ψ l ) data presented in Table 1 showed that Ψ l (MPa) after one day of treatments, was -1.08 and -0.98 for 100% ETc treated vines in 2011 and 2012, respectively.…”

Challenges of viticulture adaptation to global change: tackling the issue from the roots

“…For instance, a trial with cv. Shiraz during four consecutive seasons, where five rootstocks and two levels of water availability were compared (Stevens et al 2016), showed that variations in yield accounted for 25% of the differences in anthocyanin concentration when data were pooled across the four seasons. More clearly, in an experiment where the performance of cv.…”