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EFFECT OF ETHEPHON APPLICATION ON GRAPE RIPENING AND WINE QUALITY DURING TWO YEARS EFECTO DE LA APLICACIÓN DE ETEFÓN EN EL VIÑEDO. EFECTO SOBRE LA MADURACIÓN DE LA UVA Y LA CALIDAD DEL VINO DURANTE DOS AÑOS
SANTAMARÍA, Pilar; PORTU, Javier; LÓPEZ-ALFARO, Isabel; GONZÁLEZ-ARENZANA, Lucía; GUTIÉRREZ, Ana Rosa; LÓPEZ, Rosa* ICVV, Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y el Vino (Gobierno de La Rioja, Universidad de La Rioja, CSIC). Finca La Grajera, Ctra. Burgos, km 6 (LO-20-Salida 13), 26071 Logroño, Spain. *Corresponding author: rosa.lopez@icvv.es
Abstract: Ethephon is known to be a growth regulator that, when applied to the plant, is metabolized into ethylene. In this study, it has been evaluated the foliar application at the beginning of veraison of a commercial product (Fruitel 180, 18% w/v ethephon) in a Vitis vinifera L. cv. red Tempranillo vineyardin La Rioja (north of Spain). The study was carried out in 2014 and 2016with the aim to balance both grape sugar and phenolic ripeness. Only the first year, grapes coming from vines treated with ethephon showed lower sugar content than those from control. Both years, treated grapes had higher anthocyanin and total polyphenol content than control grapes. In 2014, physicochemical parameters of wines after malolactic fermentation showed significant differences regarding alcohol content, which was lower in wines made with grapes treated. Wines from the ethephon treatments showed a tendency to have greater color intensity values, butwithout significant differences. In2016, significant differences were not found in the alcoholic content of winesbut differences in color parameters were significant and very marked in favor of wines coming from treated grapes. Wines from treated grapes were better evaluated in sensory properties both years. Therefore, regardless of the year, the foliar application of ethephon has allowed to approximate the technological and phenolic maturity of the grapes.
Keywords: ethephon, grape ripening, wine, phenolicquality
Abstract: Ethephon is known to be a growth regulator that, when applied to the plant, is metabolized into ethylene. In this study, it has been evaluated the foliar application at the beginning of veraison of a commercial product (Fruitel 180, 18% w/v ethephon) in a Vitis vinifera L. cv. red Tempranillo vineyardin La Rioja (north of Spain). The study was carried out in 2014 and 2016with the aim to balance both grape sugar and phenolic ripeness. Only the first year, grapes coming from vines treated with ethephon showed lower sugar content than those from control. Both years, treated grapes had higher anthocyanin and total polyphenol content than control grapes. In 2014, physicochemical parameters of wines after malolactic fermentation showed significant differences regarding alcohol content, which was lower in wines made with grapes treated. Wines from the ethephon treatments showed a tendency to have greater color intensity values, butwithout significant differences. In2016, significant differences were not found in the alcoholic content of winesbut differences in color parameters were significant and very marked in favor of wines coming from treated grapes. Wines from treated grapes were better evaluated in sensory properties both years. Therefore, regardless of the year, the foliar application of ethephon has allowed to approximate the technological and phenolic maturity of the grapes.
Keywords: ethephon, grape ripening, wine, phenolicquality