Question #49569
What is the effect of drought on grapevine sweetness?
Expert's answer
Grapevines growing under severe summer stress experience a significantdecline in productivity, mostly owing to stomatal limitations
to photosynthesis. The photosynthetic productivity is limited by the
stomatal closure, either in response to a large decrease in leaf water
potential or due to an increase in atmospheric vapour pressure deficit. The
active accumulation of soluble sugars and other low molecular compounds is
responsible for lower osmotic potential, allowing the cell turgor maintained as
much as possible, with positive values during such drought conditions.
Therefore grapevine could be even more sweet.
to photosynthesis. The photosynthetic productivity is limited by the
stomatal closure, either in response to a large decrease in leaf water
potential or due to an increase in atmospheric vapour pressure deficit. The
active accumulation of soluble sugars and other low molecular compounds is
responsible for lower osmotic potential, allowing the cell turgor maintained as
much as possible, with positive values during such drought conditions.
Therefore grapevine could be even more sweet.
