Influence of Training System on the Reproductive Development and Hormonal Levels of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo

¹ Departamento de Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de Navarra, c/ Irunlarrea s/n E-31008 Pamplona, Spain
² Institut de la Vigne de Bordeaux, Laboratoire des Sciences de la Vigne, Avenue des Facultés, Université de Bordeaux I, 33405 Talence, Cedex France
³ Estación de Viticultura y Enología de Navarra (EVENA), Valle de Orba 34, Olite 31390, Spain

email: msanchez{at}unav.es

Grapevine training systems affect fruit composition due to the effects of microclimate on fruit ripening. However, recent studies have shown that hormone levels (especially polyamines) have an essential role in grapevine floral initiation and fruit set. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of two training systems on grapevine leaf physiology and hormone concentrations (abscisic acid and polyamines) and their relationships with yield and fruit quality in Tempranillo grapevines grown under field conditions. Leaf water status, leaf gas exchange, berry respiration, polyamines in leaves, flowers, and berries, abscisic acid in flowers and berries, and yield and fruit composition at harvest were measured in cordon- and head-trained vines. All measurements were made at four developmental stages: flowering, green berry, veraison, and end of ripening (harvest). Head-trained vines had higher CO₂ assimilation rate and stomatal conductance than cordon-trained vines at the end of the reproductive cycle (veraison and harvest). Head-trained berries also had higher total polyamine content and free-to-bound polyamine ratio than cordon-trained vines at veraison and harvest. Abscisic acid in berries showed an increase at veraison in both training systems and was higher in head-trained vines than in cordon-trained vines. Head-trained vines had lower yields but higher fruit quality at harvest, mainly due to a higher total soluble solids (Brix). Results indicated that training system particularly affected the hormonal content of berries, which may have affected yield and fruit composition.

Note:
Acknowledgments: The authors thank A. Urdiáin for help and technical support during field measurements, Department of Viticulture of EVENA for field managing, and Department of Enology for must analysis. H. Baigorri was the recipient of a grant from INIA (Madrid, Spain). This research was supported by the Fondo para la Cooperación Aquitania/Euskadi/Navarra (OF 129/1998 and OF 146/1999, Gobierno de Navarra).

Key words: Abscisic acid, fruit quality, polyamines, Tempranillo, training system, yield

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