Water stress improves whole-canopy water use efficiency and berry composition of cv. Sangiovese (Vitis vinifera L.) grapevines grafted on the new drought-tolerant rootstock M4

M.C. Merli, E. Magnanini, M. Gatti, F.J. Pirez, I. Buesa Pueyo, D.S. Intrigliolo and S. Poni

Agricultural Water Management, 2016, vol. 169, issue C, 106-114

Abstract: Testing of new rootstocks for drought tolerance targets traditionally rain-fed districts where supplemental irrigation is more frequently needed due to the pressures of global warming. A seasonal evaluation of whole-canopy gas exchange, water-use efficiency (WUEc), yield components and compositional traits of Vitis vinifera cv. Sangiovese grafted to the new drought-tolerant genotype M4 against the commercial SO4 stock is reported. The experiment was conducted in 2015 on twelve four-year-old, fruiting potted Sangiovese grapevines grafted on M4 and SO4 stocks and assigned to SO4-WW (well-watered), SO4-WS (water-stressed), M4-WW and M4-WS treatments. Water deficit was imposed pre-veraison by reducing water supply to 50% of whole-canopy demand derived from concurrent measurements of transpiration in WW and maintained until three weeks after veraison prior to full rewatering. While WUEc was unchanged in WS-SO4 as compared to WW-SO4, WUEc in WS-M4 increased by 22% vs. WW-M4 over the whole water deficit period and such gain was partially maintained upon rewatering. Higher WUEc in WS-M4 resulted from an ability to maintain canopy photosynthesis similar to WS-SO4 at a reduced water use. Although yield per vine was similarly reduced in the two WS treatments (about 1kg less than WW), overall grape composition was improved in WS-M4 and worsened in WS-SO4 when compared to the WW controls. Total soluble solids (°Brix) rose by 11% in WS-M4 vs. the respective control, whereas in WS-S04 there was a slight decrease (−0.6 Brix). Most notably, anthocyanins accumulation was largely limited in vines grafted on SO4 (−45% vs. WW-SO4 when given on a concentration basis), while in M4-grafted plants berry pigmentation slightly improved vs. WW (+12.5%). Hypothesis is made that grafting onto different stocks can trigger differential gene regulation under water stress and high temperatures leading to different sensitivity in synthesis and/or degradation of already formed anthocyanins.

Keywords: Gas exchange; Leaf–water potential; Rootstock; Water-use efficiency; Water stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:169:y:2016:i:c:p:106-114

DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2016.02.025

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