Erna Blancquaert

Stellenbosch University | SUN · Department of Viticulture and Oenology

Infrared spectroscopy provides extensive spectral and chemical information for plant material. However, the raw spectral data of fresh grapevine organs are poorly understood. This study investigated the spectral properties of grapevine shoots, leaves, and berries collected throughout the growing season. Near infrared (NIR) spectral analysis was per...

Globally, 7.4 million hectares of arable land is planted with grapevine with a farm gate value of $68.3 billion. The production of grapes faces growing pressure associated with challenges such as climate change, diminishing resources as well as the overuse of chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, which have an impact on sustainability. Con...

The fourth agricultural revolution is leading us into a time of using data science as a tool to implement precision viticulture. Infrared spectroscopy provides the means for rapid and large-scale data collection to achieve this goal. The non-invasive applications of infrared spectroscopy in grapevines are still in its infancy, but recent studies ha...

Conventional agriculture has made the search for sustainability urgent, more so with regards to climate change. This has extended to the grape and wine industry, an important industry in South Africa in terms of labor employment and foreign exchange. This paper aims to review the current state of knowledge with regards to the three pillars of susta...

The evolution of flavonoids under altered temperature and light conditions in the fruit zone was followed in Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) grapes during ripening. The study was conducted over two consecutive seasons in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 comprising two main treatments in which the light quantity was manipulated in the bunch zone: (1)...

The stage at which grapes are harvested has an influence on the aromatic and phenolic composition of the berries and the resulting wines. The aim of this study was to evaluate wines harvested sequentially as outlined in the berry sugar accumulation model. Two vintages and treatments in which the light quality and quantity were altered at the fruit...

Grape berry phenolic compounds are widely described in literature. Phenolics can be divided into two main groups: flavonoids and non-flavonoids, of which the flavonoids are the most important. The two best-known groups of flavonoids are the anthocyanins and condensed tannins (also called proanthocyanidins). Anthocyanins are responsible for the red...

Soil is a component of the environment and sustains growth of several plants and animals. It forms part of the biosphere and can be described as the interface between the atmosphere and the lithosphere. The interaction between soil, climate and topography and the resulting agricultural aptitude forms the concept of terroir. This relationship is com...