Development of C13-norisoprenoids, carotenoids and other volatile compounds in Vitis vinzfera L. Cv. Pinot noir grapes

Developmental changes in the carotenoids and volatile compounds of Pinot noir grape berries were investigated in this study from pea size to harvest during 2012. HPLC analysis showed continued decrease of lutein, beta-carotene, neochrome a and neoxanthin continued to decrease during berry development, with rapid decrease of lutein and (9'z)-neoxanthin occurred two weeks before veraison. Neochrome b and violaxanthin accumulated at early development and started to decrease two weeks before veraison. Volatile analysis demonstrated that total beta-damascenone, TDN and vitispirane all increased dramatically, especially at later stage of ripening, whereas the changes for alpha-ionone and beta-ionone were not obvious. The correlation between carotenoids and C-13-norisoprenoids in the grape berries was compound-dependent, suggesting dependency on enzyme activity and specificity. In addition, C-6-alcohols accumulated before veraison and decreased towards maturation, and 3-isobuty1-2-methoxyprazine decreased with increasing maturity. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.