Papers by Michela Centinari
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Aug 21, 2023
• Accurate and real-time monitoring of grapevine freezing tolerance is crucial for the sustainabi... more • Accurate and real-time monitoring of grapevine freezing tolerance is crucial for the sustainability of the grape industry in cool climate viticultural regions. However, on-site data is limited. Current prediction models underperform under diverse climate conditions, which limits the large-scale deployment of these methods. • We combined grapevine freezing tolerance data from multiple regions in North America and generated a predictive model based on hourly temperature-derived features and cultivar features using AutoGluon, an automatic machine learning engine. Feature importance was
American journal of enology and viticulture, 2024
Vitis: Journal of Grapevine Research, Feb 10, 2009
Plant Disease, Feb 1, 2021
Late-season bunch rot causes significant crop loss for grape growers in wet and humid climates. F... more Late-season bunch rot causes significant crop loss for grape growers in wet and humid climates. For 3 years (2016 to 2018), we integrated prebloom mechanized defoliation (MD) in the fruit zone and bloom gibberellin (GA) applications, either alone or in combination, into the bunch rot control program of Vignoles, a commercially valuable grape variety that is highly susceptible to bunch rot. We hypothesized that both treatments would decrease bunch rot through modification of cluster architecture or fruit zone microclimate compared with vines treated with the standard chemical control program. Grapevines were trained to two popular training systems, four-arm Kniffin (4AK) and high-wire bilateral cordon (HWC). Treatment responses varied between training systems. MD, alone or in combination with GA, reduced bunch rot incidence and severity every year on 4AK-trained vines, an effect attributed mainly to fruit zone improvements. Conversely, MD alone did not reduce bunch rot incidence on HWC-trained vines, despite significant improvements in cluster architecture (reduced number of berries per cluster and cluster compactness). GA applications were more effective than MD at reducing cluster compactness, regardless of training system. As a result, GA reduced bunch rot incidence and severity when applied alone or with MD on 4AK-and HWC-trained vines. All treatments positively improved fruit-soluble sugar concentration on both training systems, while positive effects on titratable acidity were more consistent across training systems with MD.
Plant and Soil, Jan 31, 2021
Aims Key functional root traits, including mycorrhizal association and root diameter, can help pr... more Aims Key functional root traits, including mycorrhizal association and root diameter, can help project ecosystem processes like root turnover and soil carbon sequestration. It is less clear, however, how such traits relate to variations in soil biology and chemistry. Here, we examined the impact of tree species with varied root traits on soil properties and rhizoplane bacterial composition, focusing specifically on mycorrhizal association type and root diameter. Methods Within a long-term common garden in central Pennsylvania, USA, we selected three arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and three ectomycorrhizal (EM) tree species and assessed changes in (1) soil and leaf chemistry and (2) bacterial composition along fine absorptive roots, through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results AM trees increased soil pH and soil available nitrogen relative to EM trees, and mycorrhizal association type was significantly associated with rhizoplane-associated bacterial composition. Absorptive root diameter did not clearly explain soil variability but was associated with changes in the composition of rhizoplane-associated bacteria. Conclusions Tree-mediated shifts to soil properties were linked to mycorrhizal association type, whereas rhizoplane recruitment of bacteria was linked to both mycorrhizal type and root diameter. This has implications for predicting changes in biogeochemical processes following shifts in tree species composition.
Hortscience, Jul 1, 2016
Spring frosts and subsequent crop losses threaten the economic sustainability of fruit crop produ... more Spring frosts and subsequent crop losses threaten the economic sustainability of fruit crop producers all over the world. This study used a controlled-freezing technique to impose a post-budburst freezing stress to grapevine shoots forced from one-node cuttings ['Albariñ o', 'Cabernet Franc', 'Cabernet Sauvignon', and 'Pinot Grigio' (Vitis vinifera)] and whole plants ['Noiret' (Vitis hybrid)]. Our goal was to investigate the incidence of freeze injury among cultivars, stage of phenological development, and a potassium salt-based fertilizer (KDL) with potential cryoprotectant activity. Among the V. vinifera cultivars, the incidence of mortality of shoots exposed to L3.5 8C was highest for 'Albariñ o' (71%) and lowest for 'Cabernet Sauvignon' (51%). Cuttings sprayed with KDL 24 hours before cold temperature exposure exhibited 16% lower shoot mortality and lower osmotic potential (C s) (L0.92 MPa) than the unsprayed cuttings (L0.77 MPa). However, application of KDL did not impact shoot mortality for whole 'Noiret' vines. Mortality for 'Noiret' shoots greatly increased with the advancement of phenological development, ranging from 10% in wooly buds to 78% in shoots ' '10-cm long. The practical significance of KDL remains questionable; cultivar selection still appears to be a more reliable method for avoiding spring frost, by planting late bursting cultivars in more frost-prone areas. Crop losses to freeze injury represent a major economic threat to horticultural production. In the United States, economic losses related to cold-temperature injury are greater than to any other weather-related phenomenon (Snyder and de Melo-Abreu, 2005). Freeze injuries to perennial fruit crops can occur before dormancy in the fall, during the dormant season, and in the spring during and after budburst (Rodrigo, 2000). To date, studies on plant acclimation to low temperatures have mostly focused on tolerance of dormant tissues to low winter temperatures, a major environmental constraint on the distribution of fruit crops in cold-climate regions (Wolf, 2008). Freeze injury to vulnerable,
Plant and Soil, Nov 20, 2015
Background and AimsCover crops limit canopy growth in fruit crops to varying magnitudes but mecha... more Background and AimsCover crops limit canopy growth in fruit crops to varying magnitudes but mechanisms are poorly understood. Root responses of mature grapevines to understory grass were evaluated in a temperate, humid region of USA. We hypothesized that mature grapevines competing with understory grass would show deeper root distribution with deeper use of soil water but only modest reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus uptake.MethodsRoot responses assessed included vertical distribution of absorptive root length, mycorrhizal fungal colonization and total vine root length. Extractable soil nitrogen and phosphorous, soil moisture, grapevine nutrient status, and grapevine depth of water uptake were also assessed.ResultsIn response to cover crop, the well-established grapevines maintained canopy growth, had modest (17 %) reductions in fruit biomass production and exhibited little evidence of restricted uptake of water and nitrogen, despite marked shifts toward deeper grapevine root distribution and a 63 % decreased overall absorptive root length. Mycorrhizal colonization of the grapevines was unaffected by presence of a cover crop. Cover crop competition affected grapevine access to phosphorus more than water or nitrogen.ConclusionsThese results illustrate that grapevine root systems are capable of acclimating to understory grass competition, but specific resource limitations are strongly context dependent.
American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, Aug 24, 2017
Acknowledgments: Financial support for this study was provided by the Pennsylvania Wine Marketing... more Acknowledgments: Financial support for this study was provided by the Pennsylvania Wine Marketing and Research Board Program. The authors would like to thank Steven Lerch and Don Smith for their technical support with field measurements, Denise Gardner for her winemaking guidance, and Drs. Richard Marini, Alyssa Bakke, and Dan Sykes for providing assistance with data analyses. The authors also thank members of the Australian Wine Research Institute, especially Tracey Siebert and Sheridan Barter, for generously donating rotundone standards, performing wine rotundone analysis, and fielding many technical questions. Alina Stelick from the Sensory Evaluation Center at Cornell University is also acknowledged for her help with the wine sensory analysis.
Frontiers in insect science, Aug 25, 2022
The spotted lanternfly, a newly invasive insect in the U.S. that is a great concern for the grape... more The spotted lanternfly, a newly invasive insect in the U.S. that is a great concern for the grapevine industry, produces damage on its host plants through aggressive feeding, using a piercing and sucking method to feed on the phloem of plants. In the eastern US, adult SLF can invade vineyards through fruit ripening until the end of the growing season; however, it is still unclear how prolonged late-season SLF feeding can affect the health of grapevines, as well as the host responses to this extensive damage. Thus, we have performed a comprehensive genome-wide transcriptome analysis in grapevines heavily infested by the spotted lanternfly, as it occurs in Pennsylvania vineyards, and compared it to other relevant transcriptomes in grapes with different degrees to susceptibility to similar pests. Among a variety of plant responses, we highlight here a subset of relevant biological pathways that distinguish or are common to the spotted lanternfly and other phloem feeders in grapevine. The molecular interaction between spotted lanternfly and the vine begins with activation of signal transduction cascades mediated mainly by protein kinase genes. It also induces the expression of transcription factors in the nucleus, of other signaling molecules like phytohormones and secondary metabolites, and their downstream target genes responsible for defense and physiological functions, such as detoxification and photosynthesis. Grapevine responses furthermore include the activation of genes for cell wall strengthening via biosynthesis of major structural components. With this study, we hope to provide the regulatory network to explain effects that the invasive spotted lanternfly has on grapevine health with the goal to improve its susceptibility.
The Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower and Winemaker, 2017
Journal of extension, Jun 1, 2016
Pennsylvania wine grape growers were surveyed to obtain information on factors affecting varietal... more Pennsylvania wine grape growers were surveyed to obtain information on factors affecting varietal selection, challenges to production, and their perceptions of canopy management practices. Our survey revealed that participants perceived site as a key factor in varietal selection decisions and winter injury as the greatest challenge for their economic sustainability. Other issues limiting production and profitability were disease control, frost injury, and labor cost and availability. Participants recognized the importance of canopy management practices for reaching optimum wine quality but had concerns over the shortage and cost of labor to implement them. Mechanization of canopy management likely would increase adoption. Pennsylvania is the fifth largest grape producer in the United States (U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2015). Its wine industry generates an estimated $979 million, benefiting federal, state, and local governments (through tax dollars) and the tourism industry (MKF Research, 2013). The number of in-state wineries grew from 60 in 2000 to 160 in 2011; however, growth has not been as rapid as in other eastern states (Dombrosky & Gajanan, 2013). The lower growth rate may be due in part to a shortage of in-state wine grapes that forces
Plant direct, Oct 1, 2022
Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula White; SLF) is a phloem‐feeding planthopper invasive to th... more Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula White; SLF) is a phloem‐feeding planthopper invasive to the Eastern United States that can feed on a range of wild and cultivated plant species. Since its 2014 introduction in the United States, large infestations and subsequent economic damage have been reported in cultivated grapevines, but no studies have detailed grapevine physiological responses to SLF phloem feeding. This study investigated grapevine‐SLF interactions, detailing how different infestation densities affect leaf gas exchange and end‐season concentrations of nonstructural carbohydrates and nitrogen in vegetative and perennial tissues of two Vitis species. Effects on fruit ripeness parameters and dormant bud freeze tolerance were examined, in addition to other year‐after effects. Phloem feeding by low densities (≤4 SLF shoot−1) had minimal effects, whereas greater densities (5–15 SLF shoot−1) increasingly affected carbohydrate and nitrogen dynamics in both Vitis species. Phloem feeding substantially affected starch and, to a lesser extent, total nitrogen concentrations of woody roots. Prolonged exposure strongly reduced leaf gas exchange. We conclude that intensive late‐season phloem feeding by large adult SLF population densities (≥8 SLF shoot−1) can induce carbon limitation, with the potential for negative year‐after effects in cases of severe belowground carbon depletion. This work presents novel insights into SLF‐grapevine interactions, identifies avenues of future SLF‐plant research, and assists the development of action thresholds for SLF management in vineyards.
American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, Jun 8, 2021
Spring freeze events pose a threat to vineyard productivity worldwide. We compared two methods to... more Spring freeze events pose a threat to vineyard productivity worldwide. We compared two methods to delay grapevine budbreak for freeze avoidance and evaluated their effects on phenology, yield components, fruit composition, and postharvest parameters, including wine chemistry, carbohydrate storage, and bud freeze tolerance. The two methods to delay budbreak were a vegetable oil-based adjuvant (Amigo) applied to dormant buds at 8% and 10% (v/v) and late pruning applied when apical buds reached approximately Eichhorn-Lorenz stage 7. Treatments were applied in 2018 and 2019 on two Vitis vinifera cultivars, Lemberger and Riesling, and compared to a control treatment with no delayed budbreak strategy. Amigo and late pruning delayed budbreak compared to control vines in both years and cultivars. The delay in budbreak varied from three to six days for Amigo 8%, five to eight days for Amigo 10%, and 10 to 11 days later for late pruning. In 2019, there was a freezing event near budbreak. Compared to control vines, late-pruned Lemberger vines had less shoot damage when measured during the growing season and greater yield at harvest. Delayed budbreak treatments did not influence wine chemistry either year or consistently affect carbohydrate storage or bud freeze tolerance in the following dormant season. However, in Riesling, late pruning reduced cluster and berry weight by up to 34 and 22%, respectively, compared to control vines. Furthermore, Amigo 10% may decrease bud survival when applied to Riesling vines. In general, late pruning delayed budbreak more effectively and mitigated freeze damage better than Amigo application without negatively affecting vine health or wine composition; however, the cultivar-dependent effect of late pruning on cluster weight is a consideration prior to adoption.
Phytobiomes journal, Apr 20, 2023
In grapevine, metabolic activity of absorptive roots changes rapidly as roots age, but it is uncl... more In grapevine, metabolic activity of absorptive roots changes rapidly as roots age, but it is unclear if nearby microbial assemblages shift as well. Here, we investigated whether first-order root age impacts bacterial and fungal variation adjacent to the root surface, and if root age
Journal of Experimental Botany, Jan 11, 2023
Frontiers in Plant Science, Jul 26, 2021
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Papers by Michela Centinari