The Impact of Early Basal Leaf Removal at Different Sides of the Canopy on Aglianico Grape Quality

Luigi Tarricone, Michele Faccia, Gianvito Masi and Giuseppe Gambacorta
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Luigi Tarricone: CREA, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Center for Viticulture and Enology, via Casamassima 148, 70010 Bari, Italy
Michele Faccia: Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science (DISSPA), University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
Gianvito Masi: CREA, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Center for Viticulture and Enology, via Casamassima 148, 70010 Bari, Italy
Giuseppe Gambacorta: Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science (DISSPA), University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-13

Abstract: It is known that early removal of basal leaves improves the exposure of cluster to direct sunlight and UV radiation, which positively influence the phenolic compounds and anthocyanin concentration of berries. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of leaf removal applied before flowering to the basal zone of the canopy at different sides (fruit-zone north canopy side, south canopy side and north–south canopy side, respectively) of Aglianico vines trained to vertical shoot position system and row oriented to east–west (EW). The study was conducted in the controlled and guaranteed designation of origin (CGDO) Castel del Monte area (Apulia region, Italy). The treatment did not affect yield per vine, and nor sugar, pH, and total acidity of grapes. When it was applied to the basal south canopy side, the concentration of proanthocyanidins and total polyphenols of grapes increased, as well as antioxidant activity. In particular, anthocyanins content, determined by HPLC, increased by 20% with respect to control when treatment was applied to south and north–south canopy sides. Interaction between season period and treatment was found for all anthocyanins except for petunidin-3-coumaroyl-glucoside. Basal leaf removal applied to the north canopy side caused an increase in malvidin-3-O-glucoside content in grapes in 2016 and 2018, but not in 2017. Our results indicate that basal leaf removal (six basal leaves removed from the base of the shoots) before flowering (BBCH 57) can be used as an effective strategy to improve grape total polyphenols, anthocyanins concentration and antioxidant activity in vineyards cultivated under warm climate conditions. The treatment could represent a sustainable alternative to manual cluster thinning since it does not reduce yield per vine and can be performed mechanically.

Keywords: leaf removal; row orientation; grape yield; berry composition; polyphenols; antioxidant activity; anthocyanin profile (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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