Wine - Multiple roles of plant volatiles

Grapevines release a bouquet of volatiles to protect flowers and green fruit against fungal pathogens. Insect herbivores exploit these signals, for host finding at a distance. The flavour of mature berries attracts avian and mammalian foragers for seed dispersal, and determines the varietal character of grapevines. Plant volatiles serve a diversity of functions. They protect against environmental stress factors, and mediate biotic interactions with other plants, microorganisms, and animals. Grapevine Vitis vinifera provides a fascinating example for these multiple roles of volatile organic plant compounds.

Assigning a function to grape volatiles with respect to infestation by insects and fungi, and with respect to human consumption is an urgent current research challenge, towards breeding of new grape varieties.

New grape cultivars should be tolerant to fungal diseases and insect attack, for sustainable pesticide-free farming. They should also be of high sensorial quality and produce grapes of pleasant aroma and flavor. Winegrowing has considerable economic potential also in Sweden, especially in touristic areas.

Collaboration

Istituto Agrario San Michele all'Adige, IASMA

University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg

Staatliches Weinbauinstitut Freiburg, WBI

Personnel

Marie Bengtsson, Peter Witzgall

Selected references

Tasin M, Anfora G, Ioriatti C, Carlin S, De Cristofaro A, Schmidt S, Bengtsson M, Versini G, Witzgall P (2005) Antennal and behavioral responses of grapevine moth Lobesia botrana females to volatiles from grapevine. J chem Ecol 31, 77-87

Tasin M, Bäckman A-C, Bengtsson M, Ioriatti C, Witzgall P (2006) Essential host plant cues in the grapevine moth. Naturwissenschaften 93, 141-144

Tasin M, Bäckman A-C, Bengtsson M, Varela N, Ioriatti C, Witzgall P (2006) Wind tunnel attraction of grapevine moth females, Lobesia botrana,to natural and artificial grape odour. Chemoecology 16, 87-92

Tasin M, Bäckman A-C, Coracini M, Casado D, Ioriatti C, Witzgall P (2006) Synergism and redundancy in a host volatile blend attracting gravid grapevine moth females.

Phtytochemistry (in press)

Winegrowing in Sweden

Gustafsson J-G, Mårtensson A (2005) Potential for extending Scandinavian wine cultivation. Acta Agric Scand 55 B, 82-97

Torstensson L, Pappinen L (2002). Odla och tillverka vin. Pagina, Sundbyberg