Grape and environmental mycoflora monitoring in old, traditionally cultivated vineyards on Mount Etna, southern Italy

BACKGROUND Grape contamination by several fungal species occurs during a vineyard's preharvest and harvest. Agronomic management and microclimatic conditions can affect fungi occurrence and epidemiology, thus explaining qualitative differences in mycoflora composition, including the presence of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2017-01, Vol.97 (1), p.65-73
Main Authors: Oliveri, Cinzia, Bella, Patrizia, Tessitori, Matilde, Catara, Vittoria, La Rosa, Rosa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
black aspergilli
environment
Food contamination & poisoning
Food Microbiology
Food safety
Fruit - growth & development
Fruit - microbiology
Fruits
fungal biodiversity
Fungi - classification
Fungi - genetics
Fungi - isolation & purification
Fungi - metabolism
ochratoxin A
Ochratoxins - metabolism
Phylogeny
Sicily
Vitis - growth & development
Vitis - microbiology
Wine - analysis
Wineries & vineyards
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Summary:BACKGROUND Grape contamination by several fungal species occurs during a vineyard's preharvest and harvest. Agronomic management and microclimatic conditions can affect fungi occurrence and epidemiology, thus explaining qualitative differences in mycoflora composition, including the presence of phytopathogenic or mycotoxigenic fungi. In this study a two‐year grape, air and soil mycoflora monitoring programme was undertaken in vineyards on Mount Etna (eastern Sicily, Italy). The mycoflora composition was investigated at pea berry and veraison phenological phases from air and soil and at ripening from sample grapes. RESULTS Mycoflora in air and soil varied according to the phenological stage. In the air samples, penicillia were dominant over aspergilli at the pea berry phase, but their ratio was inverted at early veraison. Black aspergilli (BA) were isolated from the vine environment and grape samples, where BA were represented mainly by Aspergillus niger aggregate, which showed no or low ochratoxin A (OTA) production. Aspergillus carbonarius was either not identified or identified at low frequency, although most of the isolates produced OTA. CONCLUSION Monitoring focused on the environmental mycoflora composition and highlighted the good health profile of various Sicilian autochthonous grape cultivars. In addition, data suggest that the lower relative humidity occurring at the highest altitudes reduces BA incidence. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
ISSN:0022-5142
1097-0010
DOI:10.1002/jsfa.7683