Destructive and non‐destructive early detection of postharvest noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) in wine grapes aimed at producing high‐quality wines

Abstract

BACKGROUNDBotrytis cinerea (Bc) is the causative agent of gray mold disease in wine grape bunches. Under particular climatic and edaphic conditions, typical of some wine regions, the grapes infected by this fungus can develop noble rot, the basic phenomenon for the production of sweet botrytized wines or some high‐quality dry wines, such as Amarone. The possibility of early detection of noble rot on plants and at postharvest is an interesting option for managing botrytized wines.RESULTSThe present work aimed at early detection of noble rot and monitoring its development, at postharvest, on Trebbiano wine grapes by means of destructive and non‐destructive analytical approaches (e.g., electronic nose and near‐infrared spectroscopy). The development of Bc led to substantial modifications in grape composition, including dehydration, biosynthesis, and accumulation of different compounds due to Bc metabolism, grape stress responses, or both. However, these modifications are appreciable, notably at advanced stages of infection. Consequently, a specific focus was to monitor the infection in the first 72 h post inoculation for testing, potentially through non‐destructive technologies, and to identify the real early stages of Bc development.CONCLUSIONThe destructive chemical analyses performed over the 16 monitored days confirmed what is widely reported in the literature regarding the metabolic/compositional changes that occur following the development of Bc. Moreover, non‐destructive technologies allowed us to identify the evolution of Bc, even at early stages of its presence. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Enzymes in “Green” Synthetic Chemistry: Laccase and Lipase

“…Today, these wines are also produced in regions of the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, where favorable conditions for noble rot exist [ 145 ]. The development of desirable fungus infections, known as noble rot, occur under ideal climatic and soil conditions—notably, constant water availability and in soils poor in nutrients [ 146 ]. These conditions most readily occur due to the stimulation of infection from nocturnal humidity, morning dew, or fog that occurs in valleys or areas bordering bodies of water [ 147 ].…”

Recent Advances and Future Perspectives in the E-Nose Technologies Addressed to the Wine Industry

“…There is also great interest in the use of MOS-based E-noses to select different winemaking practices [106,111,112] or assess the activity of added enzymes on the aroma pattern [108]. On the other hand, QMB-based E-noses have been used to monitor carbonic maceration in certain types of wine [108], to detect the development of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) and its effect on the quality attributes of rotten grapes [110], or to monitor the aromatic differences between refermented wines produced with Charmat or traditional methods [109]. A QMB-based E-Nose combined with volatilome analysis has also been tested with the aim of discriminating sparkling wines obtained under different temperature and yeast conditions [88].…”