To investigate the effect of mountain-basin system on wine quality, four different regions were selected according to altitude and latitude. This work analyzed the differences in physicochemical properties, organic acids, monomeric phenols, antioxidant activity and volatile compounds of Cabernet Sauvignon wine between four regions. Comparative analysis revealed that there were significant differences in alcohol content and pH, respectively. Malic acid in organic acids was the main acid to distinguish the four regions. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between physicochemical properties and climatic conditions in the four regions. There were significant differences in most of the monomeric phenols, and the antioxidant capacity was also significantly different. A total of 60 volatile compounds were detected, including 11 key volatile compounds, and there were significant differences in the composition of wines in the four regions. Methyl salicylate, ethyl caprate and ethyl hexanoate were the characteristic aromas in mountain front (MF) and intermontane basin (IB) regions, decanal was the characteristic aroma in sloping field (SF) region, and ethyl butyrate was the characteristic aroma in near desert (ND) region. This study further clarified the influence of climate and terrain on wine quality, and provided a better theoretical basis for the fine management of small producing areas.

Grapevines in cold regions are prone to frost damage in winter. Due to its adverse effects on soil structure, plant damage, high operational costs, and limited mechanization feasibility, buried soil overwintering has been gradually replaced by no-burial overwintering techniques, which are now the primary focus for mitigating frost damage in wine grapes. While current research focuses on the selection of thermal insulation materials, less attention has been paid to the insulation mechanism of covering materials and covering methods. In this study, we investigated the insulation performance of two covering materials (tarpaulin and insulation blanket) combined with six height treatments (5–30 cm) to analyze the effect of insulation space volume on no-buried-soil overwintering. The results show that the thermal insulation performance of the insulation blanket is significantly better than that of the tarpaulin. The 5 cm height treatment under the tarpaulin cover and the 25 cm height treatment under the insulation blanket cover exhibited the best thermal insulation performance. Using a neural network machine learning approach, we constructed a model related to the height of the insulation material and facilitate the model’s accurate predictions, in which tarpaulin R²_branches = 0.92, R²_{20 cm} = 0.99, and R²_{40 cm} = 0.99 and insulation blanket R²_branches = 0.89, R²_{20 cm} = 0.98, and R²_{40 cm} = 0.99. The model predicted optimal insulation heights of 6 cm for the tarpaulin and 22 cm for the insulation blanket. Factors like solar radiation within the insulation space, ground radiation, airflow, and material thermal conductivity affect the optimal insulation height for different materials. This study used a neural network model to predict the optimal insulation heights for different materials, providing systematic theoretical guidance for the overwintering cultivation of wine grapes and aiding the safe development of the wine grape industry in cold regions.

Overwintering frost damage is a major challenge for the wine grape industry in northern China. This study investigates overwintering treatments to improve survival rates and mitigate frost damage in the wine grape production area of the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains. Seven overwintering treatments were tested: soil-covered striped cloth, striped cloth, sandwiched striped cloth, thickened striped cloth, double-layered striped cloth, heat-insulating striped cloth, and heat-insulating sandwich striped cloth. Temperature and humidity were continuously monitored during the overwintering period, both aboveground and at depths of 20 and 40 cm underground. By analyzing temperature trends, the duration of low temperatures, and temperature fluctuations, comprehensive overwintering indices were derived through principal component analysis to assess heat retention, moisture preservation, and the impact on grapevine survival. The results showed that the sandwiched striped cloth treatment provided the best insulation, with a 4.4 °C higher minimum daily temperature and a 356% increase in overwintering indices compared to striped cloth alone. The double-layer striped cloth treatment also improved safety, with a 130% increase in overwintering indices. Other treatments, including the soil-covered and the heat-insulating striped cloth, showed reduced performance. The sandwiched striped cloth and double-layer striped cloth treatments are recommended for northern China’s wine grape regions, with further research needed to evaluate their economic viability.

Introduction: Tomato is one of the most widely cultivated vegetable crops worldwide, with China as the leading producer. Xinjiang is a major tomato-producing region; however, it is frequently exposed to persistent wind and sand conditions that severely threaten seedling establishment in early spring. Method: This study investigated the effects of combined Wind-sand stress on tomato seedling growth using controlled wind-tunnel experiments. Seedlings were subjected to varying intensities of wind alone (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 m/s) and sand-laden wind (5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 m/s). Changes in physiological parameters, morphology, and endogenous hormone levels (IAA, GA, Zeatin, ABA, JA, and SA) were analyzed to assess stress responses and the growth–defense balance. Result: The results showed that (1) Both wind alone and sand-laden wind inhibited photosynthesis, with sand-laden wind exerting a more pronounced effect. At 13 m/s, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) decreased by 71% under wind alone and by 98% under sand-laden conditions compared with the control. (2) Sand-laden wind caused more severe membrane damage, accompanied by higher antioxidant enzyme activities and greater accumulation of osmolytes. (3) High-intensity wind–sand stress resulted in mechanical injury, leading to systemic physiological imbalance and loss of cellular homeostasis. For example, exposure to sand-laden wind at 11 m/s damaged 89% of leaves and stomata, caused complete cuticle exfoliation, and induced abnormal physiological responses, including increased intercellular CO ₂ concentration and reduced enzymatic activity. (4) Sand-laden wind significantly increased stress-related hormones, with jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, and salicylic acid rising by 6,126.3%, 205%, and 302.6%, respectively, while significantly suppressing the synthesis of growth-promoting hormones such as auxin, gibberellins, and zeatin. These pronounced hormonal changes indicate that wind–sand stress triggers a defense-oriented physiological reprogramming at the expense of growth, providing strong hormonal evidence for a growth–defense trade-off in tomato seedlings. Meaning: This study elucidates the key physiological and hormonal Responses associated with combined wind-sand stress and provide a theoretical basis for stress-resilient cultivation of processing tomatoes and for the development of field-level wind damage mitigation strategies in wind–sand-prone regions.

Climate fluctuations due to global warming significantly impact the wine grape industry. This study introduces the Standardized Temperature Adaptation Index (STAI), which is specifically designed to isolate temperature trends and quantify the effects of temperature fluctuations on low-temperature stress affecting Cabernet Sauvignon branches and yields in the wine grape production regions of Xinjiang. A low-temperature fluctuation experiment was conducted on Cabernet Sauvignon branches to simulate the temperature conditions and fluctuations experienced by wine grapes during the overwintering period. The treated branches then underwent recovery growth experiments, during which key physiological stress parameters were measured to assess the impact of temperature fluctuations on grape growth and development during overwintering. The results indicated that under identical low-temperature conditions, increased temperature fluctuations led to a 62% reduction in the budding rate of Cabernet Sauvignon branches, a 6% increase in relative conductivity, and elevated levels of proline, malondialdehyde, and soluble proteins. Additionally, the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase initially rose and then declined, indicating that temperature fluctuations intensified low-temperature stress. Data analysis from four wine grape production regions in Xinjiang between 2000 and 2020 revealed that temperature fluctuations corresponded with the peaks and troughs of yield fitting curves, demonstrating a negative correlation. As temperature fluctuations increased, yields decreased. The STAI introduced in this study is a straightforward, standardized measure that accurately reflects the effects of temperature fluctuations on grapes and is a valuable tool for future research on temperature variability and its impacts.