Damiano, Nicola (2022) Relations between plant hydraulics and wine production: morpho-functional and isotopic traceability to evaluate sustainability in a climate change context. [Tesi di dottorato]

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In the Mediterranean region, climate change is leading to an increase in temperature and in the frequency and severity of prolonged droughts, that are affecting grapevine growth and reproduction with consequences on grapes yield and quality. Climate change is one of the major challenges for future viticulture, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of Europe, since it has been forecasted a dramatic change in the landscape with geographical shifting of the grapevine production regions. In this thesis project (funded by the Campania region, in the framework of POR Campania FSE 2014-2020 ASSE III – Ob. Sp. 14 Az. 10.5.2. “Dottorati di Ricerca con Caratterizzazione Industriale” – D.D. n.155 del 17.05.2018), the impact of pedo- climatic variability on growth and productivity of four Falanghina vineyards (Controlled designation of origin– DOC/AOC) in southern Italy (Guardia Sanframondi, Benevento, Campania region) has been analysed over three years. The vineyards were selected and studied (SL-Santa Lucia, GR-Grottole, CA-Calvese, AC- Acquafredde) within the fields of the La Guardiense farm. The vineyards were similar for plant material and cultivation techniques, apart from water availability and pedo-climatic conditions. The vineyards were compared in terms of their eco-physiological history (through the retrospective analysis of vine-wood ring series by applying dendroanatomical and dendroisotopic approach) and in terms of growth, ecophysiology and production over the last three years. The in-vivo measurements were performed with morphological analysis (e.g. leaf area, bunch weight) and eco-physiological measurements (gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence emission) to analyse the plant vigor. Microscopy analyses on leaves of the vines from the four experimental vineyards were also performed to quantify stomata and vein traits to understand how they are modulated by the environmental conditions during leaf development. δ¹³C was analysed on three different matrixes, namely wood, leaf and must in order evaluate the most representative matrix of the vine water status and to setup a simplified method to analyse it. The retrospective investigation with δ13C and wood anatomical analyses (e.g. vessel lumen area, potential hydraulic conductivity, hydraulic diameter) showed the occurrence of differences among the four studied vineyards indicating different levels of drought stress and therefore different WUE, confirming the results obtained in the in-vivo measurements. The application of δ13C analysis was useful to reconstruct vine status following the isotopic trace throughout the plant up to berries/must and results were in line with in-vivo measurements and wood anatomical parameters. The overall results of the morpho-physiological chemical and retrospective sanalysis showed differences in characteristics of the four vineyards, with the field CA (Calvese) and GR (Grottole) showing pedoclimatic conditions limiting for growth and yield compared to SL (Santa Lucia) and AC(Acquefredde). In the latter, the application of supplemental irrigation was useful to mitigate the effects of water deficit during summer.

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