Diurnal temperature range compression hastens berry development and modifies flavonoid partitioning in grapes

Abstract

Temperatures during the day and night are known to influence grape berry metabolism and resulting composition. In this study, the flavonoid composition of field-grown Vitis vinifera L. cv. Merlot berries was investigated as a function of diurnal temperature range (DTR). The DTR was compressed by cooling berries during the day and heating them at night. Before veraison, there were minor differences in proanthocyanidin (PA) composition in the skins and seeds due to temperature treatments, most notably a decrease in gallate-esterification of seed flavan-3-ols with compressed DTR. Compressing the DTR significantly hastened berry development and the inception of veraison. Treatments imposed after veraison had minimal impact on skin and seed PAs; however, compressed DTRs favored the partitioning of anthocyanins and flavonols toward B-ring di-substitution. Compressing the DTR of grape berries had a consistent effect on berry development and partitioning of flavonoid metabolites while total flavonoid content was not significantly altered. © 2012 by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture. All rights reserved.