Benzothiadiazole Affects Grape Polyphenol Metabolism and Wine Quality in Two Greek Cultivars: Effects during Ripening Period over Two Years
Dimitrios-Evangelos Miliordos,
Anastasios Alatzas,
Nikolaos Kontoudakis,
Marianne Unlubayir,
Polydefkis Hatzopoulos,
Arnaud Lanoue,
Yorgos Kotseridis
Affiliations
Dimitrios-Evangelos Miliordos
Laboratory of Oenology and Alcoholic Beverage Drinks, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, 11855 Athens, Greece
Anastasios Alatzas
Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, 11855 Athens, Greece
Nikolaos Kontoudakis
Laboratory of Oenology and Alcoholic Beverage Drinks, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, 11855 Athens, Greece
Marianne Unlubayir
EA 2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologie Végétales, UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Université de Tours, 31 Av. Monge, F37200 Tours, France
Polydefkis Hatzopoulos
Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, 11855 Athens, Greece
Arnaud Lanoue
EA 2106 Biomolécules et Biotechnologie Végétales, UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Université de Tours, 31 Av. Monge, F37200 Tours, France
Yorgos Kotseridis
Laboratory of Oenology and Alcoholic Beverage Drinks, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, 11855 Athens, Greece
Grape berries are one of the most important sources of phenolic compounds, either consumed fresh or as wine. A pioneer practice aiming to enrich grape phenolic content has been developed based on the application of biostimulants such as agrochemicals initially designed to induce resistance against plant pathogens. A field experiment was conducted in two growing seasons (2019–2020) to investigate the effect of benzothiadiazole on polyphenol biosynthesis during grape ripening in Mouhtaro (red-colored) and Savvatiano (white-colored) varieties. Grapevines were treated at the stage of veraison with 0.3 mM and 0.6 mM benzothiadiazole. The phenolic content of grapes, as well as the expression level of genes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway were evaluated and showed an induction of genes specifically engaged in anthocyanins and stilbenoids biosynthesis. Experimental wines deriving from benzothiadiazole-treated grapes exhibited increased amounts of phenolic compounds in both varietal wines, as well as an enhancement in anthocyanin content of Mouhtaro wines. Taken together, benzothiadiazole can be utilized to induce the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites with oenological interest and to improve the quality characteristics of grapes produced under organic conditions.
