Annual grapevine pruning produces large amounts of unused waste as woody canes. The current study is aimed at the sustainable valorization of viticultural waste by establishing phenolic compound extraction conditions, composition, and biological potential of crude and purified cane extracts of three Vitis vinifera L. cultivars growing in temperate climate conditions. Grapevine canes proved to be rich in carbohydrates and minerals; chlorophyll and carotenoids were also quantified. The highest yield of phenolic compounds was obtained when dry canes (100 mg/mL). These findings indicate that grapevine canes represent a valuable source of natural bioactive compounds, that are currently insufficiently known and not exploited to their true functional and economic potential.

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) or biological decrease of wine acidity is defined as the enzymatic bioconversion of malic acid in lactic acid, a process performed by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The procedures for the isolation of new indigenous LAB strains from the red wines produced in Copou Iasi wine center (NE of Romania) undergoing spontaneous malolactic fermentation, resulted in the obtaining of 67 catalase-negative and Gram-positive LAB strains. After testing in the malolactic fermentative process, application of specific screening procedures and identification (API 50 CH), two bacterial strains belonging to the species Oenococcus oeni (strain 13-7) and Lactobacillus plantarum (strain R1-1) with high yield of malolactic bioconversion, non-producing biogenic amines, and with active extracellular enzymes related to wine aroma, were retained and characterized. Tested in synthetic medium (MRS-TJ) for 10 days, the new isolated LAB strains metabolized over 98% of the malic acid at ethanol concentrations between 10 and 14 % (v/v), low pH (>3.0), total SO₂ doses up to 70 mg/L and temperatures between 15 and 35 °C, showing high potential for future use in the winemaking process as bacterial starter cultures, in order to obtain high quality wines with increased typicity.

Climate change is currently the greatest threat to the environment as we know it today. The present study aimed to highlight the changes in the main climatic elements during the last five decades (1971–2020) in northeastern Romania (Copou-Iaşi wine-growing center) and their impact on grape quality, as part of precision viticulture strategies and efficient management of grapevine plantations. Data analysis revealed a constant and significant increase in the average air temperature in the last 50 years (+1.70 °C), more pronounced in the last 10 years (+0.61 °C), with a number of days with extreme temperatures (>30 °C) of over 3.5-fold higher, in parallel with a fluctuating precipitation regime. The increase in average temperatures in the last 40 years was highly correlated with the advancement of the grape harvest date (up to 12 days), a significant increase in Vitis vinifera L. white grape sugar concentration (+15–25 g/L), and a drastic decrease in total acidity (−2.0–3.5 g/L tartaric acid). The significant increase in the values of the bioclimatic indices require the reclassification of the wine-growing area in higher classes of favorability, raising the opportunity to grow cultivars that are more suited to warmer climates, ensuring the efficiency of the plantation, and meeting current consumer expectations.

The use of interspecific grapevine cultivars offers new perspectives for sustainable viticulture. Although the application of exogenous plant hormones has become widespread in recent years, data regarding the response of interspecific grapevine cultivars to treatments with biostimulants are scarce. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different doses of gibberellic acid (GA₃) (25, 50 and 100 mg L⁻¹), applied by spraying the inflorescences in the late flowering phenophase, and of the complex product Cropmax® (1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 mL L⁻¹) applied by spraying the leaves in three different phenophases, on the phenology, fertility, physiological characteristics, grape yield and quality of the interspecific table grape cultivar Moldova (Guzal kara × Seyve-Villard 12-375), growing in temperate climate conditions (N-E Romania). The application of GA₃ at 50 mg L⁻¹ increased the plant productivity (36%), promoted fruit growth and rachis elongation, improved the percentage of the marketable yield (by 5.5%), balanced the sugar/acidity ratio, but affected the synthesis of phenolic compounds. Foliar application of Cropmax® at 2.5 mL L⁻¹ significantly improved the berry diameter, and sugar and anthocyanin accumulation, but grape acidity remained high. All treatments allowed the normal development of plant phenophases and grape maturation, but GA₃ application slightly extended the number of days of the annual biological cycle of the Moldova hybrid cultivar (up to 5.5 days), probably due to a temporary variation in the physiological parameters (except for stomatal conductance), as determined in mature leaves after the application of the exogenous growth regulator.

Interspecific grapevine cultivars are the crossing product of two or more Vitis species. Due to the lack of information regarding the technological potential and quality characteristics of interspecific cultivars created in the last decades, the aim of this work was to evaluate the physico-chemical characteristics and physio-morphological particularities of grapes and leaves of three interspecific cultivars (‘Purpuriu’, ‘Radames’ and ‘Moldova’), highly demanded for planting in the temperate climate area, having the hybrid cultivar ‘Villard blanc’ as common genitor. Cultivars reached grape maturity in mid to late September, forming red to dark red-seeded grapes. Ripe grapes showed a balanced sugar/acid ratio, a high content of nitrogenous compounds and good antioxidant activity due to rich polyphenolic content. Ripe berries showed high resistance to mechanical deformations, proving an increased resistance to postharvest handling. Moreover, leaf shape and size and their pigment composition indicated a high ornamental potential of the studied cultivars. These research findings contribute to a better understanding of the economic, nutritional and ornamental potential of valuable grapevine hybrids and hence their value for further breeding programs.

The monitoring of new grapevine varieties with superior agrobiological and technological characteristics, in relation to the evolution of the climatic factors, represents an important and continuous objective of the worldwide viticultural research and breeding programs. Observations and determinations of the current study were performed on 11 new table grapes varieties created in Romania, growing in the Ampelographic collection of the University of Life Sciences Iasi, north-eastern area of Romania. The grapevine varieties were evaluated under the morpho-structural aspect, regarding the leaf area, the average weight of the grapes, the number and weight of the berries, rachis weight, the number and weight of the seeds, the weight of the skin and pulp, calculating the main technological indices. From a biochemical point of view, the content of photosynthetic pigments in leaves, the concentration of soluble dry solids and titratable acidity of the grapes were determined in the climatic condition of the Copou - Iasi vineyard. Therefore, the monitoring of genetic resources provides useful data for grape producers and researchers regarding the integration of new table grape varieties into the viticultural ecosystems, evaluating their yield and quality in correlation with the evolution and influence of the climatic factors.