Understanding flavour development in interspecific hybrid grapes and wines

随着全球气候的变化，对适应性强的品种的需求正在增加，这些品种能够在各种生物和非生物条件下生产作物。然而，某些品质性状如抗病性和/或抗寒性的发生会导致水果作物生物化学的重大变化，这些变化可能影响风味的发育，并最终影响水果品质。尽管种间杂交葡萄（IHG）适合低农药和/或北方葡萄酒生产，但这种差异一直是限制其在葡萄酒生产中推广的主要因素。*** IHG和V. vinifera在果实成熟、生长条件和葡萄酒生产方面的生化差异研究甚少。在此背景下，我们的研究计划的长期目标是了解抗寒和抗病品质性状对葡萄果实生物化学和风味发育的影响，以及这些果实的化学成分与葡萄酒的化学成分之间的关系。在接下来的五年里，我们打算追求以下目标：1)研究生长温度对温室控制条件下浆果成熟过程中代谢物（如糖、有机酸、植物激素、挥发性化合物）积累的影响；2)鉴定和表征与葡萄有关的化合物，这些化合物与红酒中草本香气和其他异味的形成有关，重点是强效气味剂和新分子。我们的科学方法将包括对葡萄果实进行靶向和非靶向代谢组学表征，比较IHG和V. vinifera品种在果实生化、不同非生物条件下的葡萄物候和生理，以及葡萄与葡萄酒化学之间的关系。在加拿大许多地区，冷害是葡萄酒生产的主要限制因素，真菌病可能是全球葡萄栽培的主要问题。了解在适应或不适应挑战性环境的品种中决定果实质量的多方面关系，将为开发创新的生产方法提供有价值的信息，这将加强安大略省、新斯科舍省和魁北克省的葡萄酒产业。了解与抗寒和抗病性状相关的复杂代谢将有助于显著改善多年生水果作物的品种创新。该项目还将提供一个优秀的平台，在加拿大东部用法语培训葡萄栽培、水果生物化学和葡萄酒科学方面的研究生和本科生。随着新斯科舍省葡萄酒行业的不断扩张，这些HQP将成为受欢迎的专业人士，这将为该省的经济带来重大利益。

As climate is changing worldwide, the need for adaptable cultivars capable to produce crops under various biotic and abiotic conditions is expending. However, the occurrence of certain quality traits such as diseases resistance and/or cold adaptation results in major changes in the biochemistry of fruit crops that may impact flavour development and, ultimately, affect fruit quality. Such disparities have been the main limitation to the expansion of interspecific hybrid grapes (IHG) in wine production, despite their suitability for low-pesticide and/or northern wine production. ***The biochemical differences between IHG and V. vinifera in regards of berry ripening, growing conditions, and wine production have been little studied. In this context, the long-term objective of our research program is to understand the impact of cold- and disease-resistance quality traits on the fruit biochemistry and flavour development in Vitis sp., and the relationships between the chemical composition of these fruits and the chemical composition of wine with regards to flavours compounds. In the next five years, we intent to pursue the following objectives: 1) Study the impact of growing temperature on the accumulation of metabolites (e.g., sugars, organic acids, plant hormones, volatile compounds) during berry ripening under greenhouse-controlled conditions; and 2) Identify and characterize grape-related compounds involved in the development of herbaceous aroma and other off-flavours in red wine with emphasis on potent odorants and new molecules. Our scientific approach will consist of targeted and untargeted metabolomics characterization of the fruit, on the comparison of IHG and V. vinifera varieties with respect to fruit biochemistry, and grapevine phenology and physiology under different abiotic conditions, and on the relationships between grape and wine chemistry. ***Cold injuries are the main limiting factor for wine production in many regions across Canada, and fungal diseases are perhaps the principal issue in viticulture worldwide. Understanding the multifaceted relationships determining fruit quality in cultivars adapted or not to challenging environments will provide valuable information for the development of innovative production methods that will strengthen the wine industry in Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec. Knowledge gained on the complex metabolisms related to cold- and disease-resistant traits will contribute to significantly improve varietal innovation in perennial fruit crops. This program will also offer an outstanding platform to train graduate and undergraduate students in viticulture, fruit biochemistry and wine science, in the French language, in Eastern Canada. With the ongoing expansion of the Nova Scotia wine industry, these HQP will be welcome professionals that will constitute a major benefit for the province's economy.