Dr Viviana Martins - Potential of vineyard calcium sprays to improve grape berry and wine quality

Calcium (Ca) supplements have increasingly beenused for improving fruit resistance to abiotic stress and shelf life, but littlewas known about the effects of Ca on grape berry quality. Following thedemonstration that Ca sprays increased grape berry firmness and cell wallpectin content [1], we hypothesized that exogenous Ca also influenced grapeberry polyphenolic composition, given the central role of Ca as secondarymessenger. Targeted UPLC-MS analysis was performed in fruits collected fromvines cv. “Vinhão” sprayed with 2% (w/v) CaCl2 throughout the fruitingseason, in two consecutive vintages. Results showed that Ca deflected grapeberry metabolism towards the production of more stilbenoids and lessanthocyanins, in line with the expression patterns of UFGT- and STS-encodinggenes [2]. The volatile profile of wines produced from these berries wasanalysed by GC-FID and SPE/GC-Ion Trap-MS, following vinifications at laboratoryscale. Results showed that Ca shifts wine volatile profile, affecting compoundsassociated to both varietal and fermentative aromas [3].

 [1] DOI:10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.02.033

[2] DOI:10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.126123

[3] DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2020.108983

 Acknowledgements: FCT (Portuguese) and EuropeanFunds [Contrato-Programa UIDB/04050/2020, FEDER/POCI/COMPETE2020, PTDC/BIA-FBT/28165/2017,PTDC/BIA-FBT/30341/2017]; COST Action CA 17111 INTEGRAPE; The Région-Centre Valde Loire (France) [Projects VITI'ACTIF and VINODRONE].