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Field applications of auxin postpone berry ripening in grapevine by altering hormonal dynamics and gene expression
Get PDFClimate change and rising temperatures exert significant influence on viticulture by advancing phenological progression and accelerating berry development. These shifts result in modifications to grape chemical composition and are often associated with a decline in fruit quality parameters. Auxin hormones are well known modulators of berry maturation, and their application during pre-veraison period has been shown to delay ripening. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this delay remain largely unexplored. This study applied an exogenous auxin to Chardonnay and Corvina grape clusters during pre-veraison period, leading to a significant delay in ripening development. Key ripening parameters, including total soluble solids, berry weight, pH, and total acidity, were indeed postponed in both varieties following the treatment. Hormonal profiling revealed a delay in the accumulation of the two indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) conjugated forms. A delay in the accumulation of free abscisic acid (ABA) and ABA-glucosyl ester during the veraison interval was also observed. Gene expression analysis aligned with the measurements of technological parameters and hormones concentration demonstrating a delay in the induction of key ripening-associated transcription factors. This study provides insights into the molecular regulation of ripening onset in grape berries recommending auxin application as a potential tool for mitigating the effects of climate change on the acceleration of grapevine phenolog
Multi-disciplinary approach to understanding emerging ecological interactions in an Alpine mammal community
No full textStudy of the wine lees by-product metabolomic and peptidic fingerprint produced by various yeast strains and their evaluation as internal circular economy agent against grapevine pathogens
No full textA warming welcome? Belgium’s increasing suitability for Aedes albopictus
Get PDFAedes albopictus, commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito, is an invasive species of significant public health concern due to its ability to transmit dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses. Since arriving in Europe in the late 1970s, this mosquito species has progressively expanded its range, with Belgium marking an important step in its northward spread. The increasing frequency of its introduction raises the urgent question of whether Ae. albopictus could become permanently present in the country. This study investigates the potential for the establishment of Ae. albopictus populations in Belgium using a mechanistic model and assessing the likelihood of successful establishment based on simulated introduction events. Our results indicate that the probability of establishment is highest in Flanders, particularly under scenarios of early and multiple introductions during the summer months, even though the interannual climatic variability still plays a major role in establishment success. The establishment of Ae. albopictus in Belgium would introduce new epidemiological risks, as the species could facilitate the transmission of non-native viruses during particularly warm summers. While the transmission windows may remain limited compared to Mediterranean regions, continued introductions and climate change could expand these periods, increasing the likelihood of local outbreak
Northward expansion of the thermal limit for the tick Ixodes ricinus over the past 40 years
Get PDFBackground The sheep tick Ixodes ricinus is the vector associated with the highest incidence of vector-borne disease in humans in Europe. Several studies have been published about the effect of future climate change on the potential distribution of I. ricinus, despite a limited understanding of how climate change has resulted in distribution changes to date. The objective of the present study was to assess whether temperature changes have already influenced the northern distribution limit of I. ricinus in Europe. To this end, we estimated a thermal threshold for the presence of the species and then used this estimated threshold to hindcast the geographical location of the thermal limit over the past 40 years. Methods We used a public dataset of I. ricinus abundance at the northern edge of its European distribution for 2016–2017 and temperature data obtained from the ERA5Land dataset to identify a thermal threshold for I. ricinus distribution. We first modelled nymphal tick abundance as a function of cumulative annual degree days (ADD) > 0 °C stratified by biogeographical regions using observations for 2016–2017. We then identified the thermal limit for each biogeographical region as the minimum DD > 0 °C value where the predicted nymph abundance is greater than zero and projected it onto ERA5Land temperature data for the period 1979–2020. Results Hindcasting the identified thermal limit suggested that I. ricinus has expanded its range by approximately 400 km in the Boreal biogeographical region between 1979 and 2020. This finding helps explain numerous observations of I. ricinus in areas presumed to be newly colonised. Conclusions Our findings suggest a substantial northward expansion of I. ricinus over the past four decades. Our approach appears promising for understanding species distribution changes driven by recent climate change, acknowledging that multiple other factors affect tick distribution and abundance at the local scale, such as host distribution and microhabitat. Our results underline the relevance of long-term time series data and the risk associated with short time series for observing changes in distributio
Impact of strawberry LED light treatments on strawberry quality during cold storage
No full textStrawberries are highly perishable, demanding effective postharvest quality strategies. This study examined initial postharvest LED light treatments on 'Elsanta' strawberry quality during 7 days of cold storage at 5±1 DC. Fruits received monochromatic LED illumination (blue, red, far-red at 80 umol m-2s-1; UV-A at 30μmol m-2s-1) either continuously for 48 hours or intermittently (12 h/day) for two days. Dark-stored fruits served as controls. LED illumination significantly impacted quality. Intermittent blue and far-red light positively affected SSC/TA and dry matter. Continuous illumination with all LED types increased total anthocyanin content by approximately 20%. Blue and red LEDS, especially with continuous irradiation, enhanced key ester compounds, improving strawberry aroma. These results suggest targeted LED treatments can effectively enhance strawberry quality and market valu
Use of non-conventional yeasts for enhancing the sensory quality of craft beer
No full textIn recent years, craft beer production has grown significantly, sparking interest in using non-conventional yeasts to produce beers with distinctive flavors. This work investigated the impact of unconventional yeast strains, including Hanseniaspora uvarum YGA34 (EP1), Lachanchea thermotolerans MNF105 (EP2), Candida oleophila YS209 (EP3) and Starmerella lactis-condensi MN412 (EP4), as innovative co-starter cultures alongside the widely used Saccharomyces cerevisiae US-05 . The control trial was inoculated with S. cerevisiae US-05 (TC) alone. For the first time, C. oleophila and St. lactis-condensi have been applied for beer production and also result have been compared with H. uvarum and L. thermotolerans. These strains, selected from high-sugar matrices such as manna and fermented honey by-products, exhibited logarithmic growth cycles of 5-8 during fermentation. Starmerellalactis-condensi MN412 and L.thermotolerans MNF105 efficiently consumed fructose, glucose, and sucrose in beer must before the addition of S. cerevisiae US-05, with L.thermotolerans also effectively consuming maltose. The highest glycerol content (3.36 g/L) was observed in the EP4 trial with St. lactis-condensi MN412. Esters were the dominant volatile compounds in all samples (91.2-237.3 mg/L), with the EP2 trial showing the highest ester content (237.3 mg/L), primarily due to ethyl octanoate (125.5 mg/L). EP2 also had the most favourable sensory profile, excelling in 10 attributes, while other beers showed notable performances. These unconventional yeast strains exhibited significant differences compared to beers brewed with S. cerevisiae alone. Additionally, their application led to an increase in volatile organic compounds. In conclusion, novel yeast strains isolated from high-sugar matrices showed excellent technological properties, making them promising co-starters and starter in innovative craft beer productio
