Understanding flavour development in interspecific hybrid grapes and wines

随着全球气候的变化，对能够在各种生物和非生物条件下生产作物的适应性品种的需求越来越大。然而，某些品质性状的出现，如抗病和/或冷适应，会导致果树的生化发生重大变化，这可能会影响果实的风味发育，最终影响水果的品质。这种差异一直是限制种间杂交葡萄(IHG)在葡萄酒生产中推广的主要限制因素，尽管它们适合于低农药和/或北方葡萄酒生产。IHG和V.vinifera在浆果成熟、生长条件和葡萄酒生产方面的生化差异研究很少。在此背景下，我们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化和风味发育的影响，以及这些水果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)在温室控制的条件下，研究生长温度对浆果成熟过程中代谢产物(例如糖、有机酸、植物激素、挥发性化合物)积累的影响；以及2)鉴定和表征与葡萄相关的化合物，这些化合物与红葡萄酒中草本香气和其他异味的形成有关，重点是有效的气味物质和新分子。我们的科学方法将包括水果的定向和非定向代谢组学特征，IHG和V.vinifera品种在不同非生物条件下的果实生物化学和葡萄物候和生理的比较，以及葡萄和葡萄酒化学之间的关系。冷害是加拿大许多地区葡萄酒生产的主要限制因素，真菌疾病可能是全球葡萄种植的主要问题。了解决定品种是否适应具有挑战性的环境的多方面关系，将为开发创新的生产方法提供有价值的信息，这些方法将加强安大略省、新斯科舍省和魁北克省的葡萄酒产业。在与抗寒和抗病性状相关的复杂代谢方面获得的知识将有助于显着改进多年生果树的品种创新。该项目还将提供一个出色的平台，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，将为该省的经济带来重大好处。

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.