Phenological sensitivity of berry growth and composition of Tempranillo grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) to water stress

Background and Aims: The effect of water stress on berry quality is not fully understood. This study was designed to analyse the differential phenological sensitivity of Tempranillo berry quality to water stress during three phenological stages. Methods and Results: Two-year-old potted Tempranillo vines were exposed to four levels of irrigation (100, 50, 25, and 0% of evapotranspiration) during three phenological stages (Stage I, from anthesis to fruitset; Stage II, pre-veraison; Stage III, post-veraison). Vine water status was monitored by means of leaf water potential measurements. Berry quality was measured at harvest and defined by the following parameters: berry dry weight, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, polyphenol and anthocyanin concentrations in the must. Berry dry-matter accumulation was more sensitive to water stress applied during Stage I and Stage II than in Stage III. Berry quality tended to decrease linearly with increasing water stress during Stage II. During Stage III, berry quality increased linearly for light-to-mild levels of water stress, whereas quality decreased above a certain water-stress threshold (Psi(leaf) = -1.12 MPa). Conclusions: Tempranillo berry quality demonstrated great phenological sensitivity to water stress. Pre-veraison water stress negatively affected berry quality in Tempranillo vines, whereas post-veraison water stress increased quality up to a certain threshold of Psi(leaf). Significance of the Study: For the first time, this research reports a plant-based water status threshold in Tempranillo vines above which post-veraison water stress can negatively affect berry quality.