Role of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma minutum in biological control of the grape berry moth, Endopiza viteana

During a survey for natural enemies of thegrape berry moth (GBM) Endopiza viteana(Clemens) in northwestern Pennsylvania, wefound that Trichogramma minutum Riley isthe only native egg parasitoid with thepotential to limit berry damage by preventingegg hatch. Natural parasitism, however, wasfound to be unreliable for providing economicpest suppression. Early season populations ofthe parasitoid are extremely low and may be theresult of inadequate alternative host eggs foroverwintering. Also, wild grapes and theirwooded habitats were found to be favored byT. minutum. Parasitism was low incultivated grapes and in wild grapes growingclose to commercial vineyards (possibly due tothe deterrent effect of insecticides) andhighest in sites 1.5 km from commercialvineyards. Adult T. minutum emergingfrom GBM eggs were exceptionally small andshowed little vigor. Parasitized eggs oftenfailed to produce adult parasitoids. Pre-adults in such eggs had poorly formed mouth-parts or lacked them altogether. Inundativereleases of laboratory-reared T. minutumin border rows of vineyards are suggested as apossible alternative to the current practice ofapplying carbamate and organophosphateinsecticides, which are inimical to beneficialarthropods.     

Developmental changes in the diurnal water budget of the grape berry exposed to water deficits

The diurnal water budget of developing grape (Vitis vinifera L.) berries was evaluated before and after the onset of fruit ripening (veraison). The diameter of individual berries of potted ‘Zinfandel’ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ grapevines was measured continuously with electronic displacement transducers over 24 h periods under controlled environmental conditions, and leaf water status was determined by the pressure chamber technique. For well-watered vines, daytime contraction was much less during ripening (after veraison) than before ripening. Daytime contraction was reduced by restricting berry or shoot transpiration, with the larger effect being shoot transpiration pre-veraison and berry transpiration post-veraison. The contributions of the pedicel xylem and phloem as well as berry transpiration to the net diurnal water budget of the fruit were estimated by eliminating phloem or phloem and xylem pathways. Berry transpiration was significant and comprised the bulk of water outflow for the berry both before and after veraison. A nearly exclusive role for the xylem in water transport into the berry was evident during pre-veraison development, but the phloem was clearly dominant in the post-veraison water budget. Daytime contraction was very sensitive to plant water status before veraison but was remarkably insensitive to changes in plant water status after veraison. This transition is attributed to an increased phloem inflow and a partial discontinuity in berry xylem during ripening.     

Identification of different species ofPenicillium causing deterioration of the Moroccan table grapes during storage

Penicillium glabrum, P. purpurescens, P. decumbens, P. expansum, P. chrysogenum, P. crustosum andP. aurantiogriseum are responsible for some of the alterations noticed on Moroccan table grapes cold stored. Contamination of these table grapes withPenicillium species occurs in the vineyard and inside the cooling station where other fruits which are often fungus-contaminated are also kept. All of thesePenicillium species were able to grow at 0°C apart fromP. glabrum andP. purpurescens. Consequently, refrigeration of grapes during long-term storage is not sufficient in itself in preserving their initial qualities.     

Root-fed salicylic acid in grape involves the response caused by aboveground high temperature

In order to investigate the transportation and distribution of salicylic acid (SA) from root to aboveground tissues in response to high temperature, the roots of grape plant were fed with 14C-SA before high temperature treatment. Radioactivity results showed that progressive increase in SA transportation from root to aboveground as compared with the control varied exactly with the heat treatment time. Radioactivity results of leaves at different stem heights indicated that the increase in SA amount at the top and middle leaves during the early period was most significant in comparison with the bottom leaves. The up-transportation of SA from root to aboveground tissues was dependent on xylem rather than phloem. Auto-radiographs of whole grape plants strongly approved the conclusions drawn above. Root-derived SA was believed to be a fundamental source in response to aboveground high temperature.     

Study of beta-glucosidase production by wine-related yeasts during alcoholic fermentation. A new rapid fluorimetric method to determine enzymatic activity

AIMS: The beta-glucosidase activity is involved in the hydrolysis of several important compounds for the development of varietal wine flavour. The aim of the present study was to investigate the production of beta-glucosidase in a number of wine-related yeast strains and to measure and identify this activity over the course of grape juice fermentation. METHODS AND RESULTS: beta-glucosidase activity was measured as the amount of 4-methylumbelliferone released from 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside substrate. Intact cells of some grape and wine-spoilage yeasts showed beta-glucosidase activity much higher than those observed in wine yeasts "sensu stricto". During fermentation, three Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, one Hanseniaspora valbyensis strain and one Brettanomyces anomalus strain showed beta-glucosidase activity both intra- and extracellularly. CONCLUSIONS: In the studied strains, beta-glucosidase activity was at its maximum when the cells were in the active growth phase. However, a lowering of medium pH to values around 3 during fermentation led to total loss of activity. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: During the course of this study, a new, rapid and reproducible method to assay beta-glucosidase activity was developed. The fact that Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeast strains are able to express beta-glucosidase activity during the alcoholic fermentation sheds new light on the contribution of these yeasts in the aroma expression of wines.     

Metabolism of phenolic compounds in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vitis riparia</Emphasis> seeds during stratification and during germination under optimal and low temperature stress conditions

We studied the alterations in phenolic compounds in grape seeds during their stratification and germination under optimal conditions (+25 °C) and at low temperature (+10 °C). Biological materials in the study were seeds of Vitis riparia. Phenolic compounds were extracted from defatted seeds using 80 % methanol or 80 % acetone. The content of total phenolics was determined with the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent, while the content of tannins was determined by vanillin assay and the protein (BSA) precipitation method. The RP-HPLC method was used to determine phenolic compounds (phenolic acids, catechins) in the extracts. High amounts of tannins, catechins, gallic acid and lesser amounts of p-coumaric acid were found in the seeds. The content of total phenolics in acetone extracts was higher than that obtained using methanol. The amounts of phenolic acids and tannins found in V. riparia seeds after stratification were much lower. It may confirm a possible role of these compounds in dormancy of V. riparia seeds. After 72 h of low temperature treatment, inhibition of grape root growth and biochemical changes in seeds were detected. The chilling stimulated increased accumulation of some phenolic compounds (free gallic acid and catechins) in the seeds. These substances can protect plants against some abiotic stressors.     

Diurnal change of tartrate dissimilation during the ripening of grapes

l(+)-tartrate-[U-¹⁴C] or sucrose-[U-¹⁴C] was fed into grape berries and ¹⁴CO₂ evolution was determined. ¹⁴CO₂ evolution front l(+)-tartrate-[U-¹⁴C] was slightly higher in mature than immature berries, and that from sucrose-[U-¹⁴C] was higher in immature than mature ones. ¹⁴CO₂ evolution from l(+)-tartrate-[U-¹⁴C] was irregular throughout the day until 2 or 3 weeks after flowering. This stage shifted to regular ¹⁴CO₂ evolution until 6 or 7 weeks after flowering, and the mode of ¹⁴CO₂ evolution showed diurnal variation; higher in the day than at night. Then the stage without variation of ¹⁴CO₂ evolution followed 10 weeks after flowering. These observations indicate that tartrate is not biochemically inert in grape berries, while the amount of ¹⁴CO₂ evolution from sucrose-[U-¹⁴C] was higher at night than in the day through the whole ripening process, except in the early stage.     

葡萄VvIQD10果形相关基因定位及其互作研究

以葡萄6个不同果形品种盛花期花序为材料,通过荧光定量PCR方法分析比较葡萄IQ67结构域(IQ67 domain, IQD)基因家族成员VvIQD10的表达;从椭圆形葡萄品种‘天山’中克隆出VvIQD10基因编码区序列,对其进行生物信息学分析,采用亚细胞定位瞬时表达载体转化烟草的方法研究VvIQD10蛋白在细胞中的分布情况,并通过酵母双杂交实验和双分子荧光互补试验进行蛋白互作研究。结果表明:(1)VvIQD10基因在长果形葡萄品种中的表达量高于近圆形葡萄品种。(2)VvIQD10基因开放阅读框长度为1 401 bp,编码466个氨基酸。(3)VvIQD10蛋白为不稳定亲水性蛋白,无信号肽和跨膜区,但含保守的IQ67结构域,主要结构为α螺旋和随机卷曲,与猕猴桃IQD家族成员(PSS09955.1)亲缘关系最为接近。(4)VvIQD10蛋白主要定位于微管和质膜,并且直接与细胞骨架组织相关蛋白——钙调素类蛋白(VvCML)相互作用。研究认为,VvIQD10基因可能参与葡萄果形调控,葡萄VvCML蛋白从胞质到微管的募集依赖于VvIQD10,推测VvIQD10蛋白可能通过和钙调素类蛋白相结合来调控细胞骨架运动,进而参与葡萄果实形状的变化。     

Effects of grape seed extract as a natural antioxidant on growth performance,carcass characteristics and antioxidant status of rabbits during heat stress

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of dietary supplementation of grape seed extract (GSE) on growth performance, carcass traits and antioxidant status of rabbits under heat stress conditions (temperature humidity index 87.5–93.5). Weaned male New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits about 6 weeks old (n = 144, mean body weight 705 g) were randomly allotted to four dietary groups. The Control group was fed a basal diet without GSE; the experimental groups received the basal diet with 100, 200 and 300 mg GSE/kg (Groups 100 GSE, 200 GSE and 300 GSE, respectively). The experimental period lasted for 8 weeks. Compared with other groups, rabbits of Group 300 GSE had the best body weight gain and feed conversion ratio and the lowest mortality. Dietary GSE improved carcass weight, percentage of hot carcass, intestine and edible giblets, while total non-edible parts were reduced (p ≤ 0.05) in comparison with the Control group. In Groups 200 GSE and 300 GSE, plasma total protein, albumin and globulin were increased (p ≤ 0.05). In contrast, all supplementation levels of GSE reduced (p ≤ 0.05) the plasma concentrations of total lipids, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins. Antioxidant enzymes of rabbits (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione transferase) and total antioxidant capacity in blood were increased (p ≤ 0.05) by adding dietary GSE. However, malondialdehyde was reduced (p ≤ 0.001) with increasing GSE levels. Generally, grape seeds can be considered as rich source of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The results of the study revealed that all tested levels of GSE were useful as a natural protection against heat stress to maintain performance, carcass traits and antioxidant status and could reduce the negative effects of heat stress in rabbits.