Productiveness and Berry Quality of New Wine Grape Genotypes Grown under Drought Conditions in a Semi-Arid Wine-Producing Mediterranean Region

One alternative for adapting viticulture to high temperatures and the scarcity of water is the development of new varieties adapted to such conditions. This work describes six new genotypes, derived from Monastrell x Cabernet Sauvignon (MC16, MC19, MC72, MC80) and Monastrell x Syrah (M5104, MS49) crosses, grown under deficit irrigation and rainfed conditions in a semiarid wine-producing area (Murcia, southeastern Spain). The effect of genotype, year, and irrigation treatment on the phenological, productiveness, morphological, and grape quality data was evaluated. The study material was obtained and selected as part of a breeding program run by the Instituto Murciano de Investigacion y Desarollo Agrario y Medioambiental (IMIDA). The results obtained show that under rainfed conditions, the values for productive variables decreased, while those referring to the phenolic content increased. Notable variation in the parameters evaluated was also seen for the different genotypes studied. The behavior of the genotypes MC80 and MS104 under rainfed conditions was noteworthy. In addition to maintaining very adequate yields, phenolic contents, must pH, and total acidity values, MC80 fell into the best 'phenolic quality group' and MS104 returned a low Baume value, ideal for the production of low-alcohol-content wines. These genotypes could favor the development of sustainable quality viticulture in dry and hot areas.

Automated summary

One alternative for adapting viticulture to high temperatures and the scarcity of water is the development of new grape varieties adapted to such conditions. This study describes the evaluation of six new genotypes derived from different crosses under deficit irrigation and rainfed conditions. The results show significant variation in productivity, phenolic content, and other parameters among the different genotypes, with two genotypes showing noteworthy performance under rainfed conditions and potential for sustainable high-quality viticulture in dry and hot areas.