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The impact of water availability on the yield and on the chemical composition in the skins of cv Tempranillo grapes at different phases of berry growth was studied over a 2 year period by determining changes in berry weight, °Brix, titratable acidity, pH and different phenolic compounds. The evolution of phenolic compounds during berry growth followed similar patterns to those reported by previous investigators. Over the 2 year study, concentrations of total phenols and total tannins in the skins were always higher for the non-irrigated than for the irrigated vines, though the differences were not significant on some sampling dates. Total anthocyanin concentrations in 1992 were significantly higher in the non-irrigated than in the irrigated grapes, except at véraison and harvest. In contrast, in 1993, concentrations were higher in the non-irrigated grapes on the first three sampling dates and in the irrigated grapes on the last three sampling dates, but with significant differences only on day 136 after budbreak. In the first year, anthocyanin concentrations for the non-irrigated grapes were higher than for the irrigated grapes, except at harvest, though the differences at harvest were not significant. However, in the second year, concentrations in the berries from the irrigated vines were significantly higher on most sampling dates. In both years, concentrations of the five anthocyanins at harvest were higher for the irrigated treatment, the treatment that produced higher berry weights and crop yields. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry
Esteban et al. (Mon,) studied this question.