Professional paper

https://doi.org/10.31727/gzb.49.3.7

Impact of apical defoliation on the volatile compounds composition of Graševina grapes

Marko Karoglan ; Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet, Zagreb *
Marina Anić ; Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet, Zagreb
Zvjezdana Marković ; Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet, Zagreb
Damjan Koppi

* Corresponding author.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of apical defoliation (removal of leaves above the fruiting zone) as a potential strategy to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on grapevine. Reducing total leaf area can decrease transpirational water loss and thereby improve vine water status, but also reduce photosynthetic potential, which may slow down grape ripening. At the onset of veraison, approximately 33% of the total leaf area was removed, but only above the cluster zone. In the control variant no defoliation was applied. Apical defoliation did not affect the yield components of the ‘Graševina’ variety, as reflected in the number of clusters per vine, average cluster weight and total yield per vine. On the other hand, it led to an increase in total acidity in the grapes. In addition, it reduced higher alcohols while increasing aldehydes, terpenes, fatty acids, volatile phenols and C13-norisoprenoids. The results indicate that apical defoliation can markedly modify the aromatic profile of ‘Graševina’ grapes, which is particularly important in the context of adapting viticultural production to climate change.

Keywords

apical defoliation; volatile compounds; Graševina

Hrčak ID:

347176

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/347176

Publication date:

16.4.2026.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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