Discrimination of genetic and geographical groups of grape varieties (Vitis vinifera L.) based on their volatile organic compounds

Iva Šikuten; Petra Štambuk; Ivana Tomaz; Cecile Marchal; Jasminka Karoglan Kontić; Thierry Lacombe; Edi Maletić; Darko Preiner

doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.942148

Discrimination of genetic and geographical groups of grape varieties (Vitis vinifera L.) based on their volatile organic compounds

Front Plant Sci. 2022 Oct 20:13:942148. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.942148. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Iva Šikuten^{1

2}, Petra Štambuk^{1

2}, Ivana Tomaz^{1

2}, Cecile Marchal³, Jasminka Karoglan Kontić^{1

2}, Thierry Lacombe⁴, Edi Maletić^{1

2}, Darko Preiner^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Viticulture and Enology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
² Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
³ Grapevine Biological Resources Center, INRAE, Unité Experimental Domaine de Vassal, University of Montpellier, Marseillan, France.
⁴ AGAP, University of Montpellier CIRAD, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France.

Abstract

Grape volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play an important role in the winemaking industry due to their contribution to wine sensory characteristics. Another important role in the winemaking industry have the grapevine varieties used in specific regions or countries for wine production. Due to the high variability of grapevine germplasm, grapevine varieties are as classified based on their genetic and geographical origin into genetic-geographic groups (GEN-GEO). The aim of this research was to investigate VOCs in 50 red grapevine varieties belonging to different GEN-GEO groups. The study included varieties from groups C2 (Italy and France), C7 (Croatia), and C8 (Spain and Portugal). The analysis of VOCs was performed by SPME-Arrow-GC/MS directly from grape skins. The analyzed VOCs included aldehydes, ketones, acids, alcohols, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes. The most abundant VOCs were aldehydes and alcohols, while the most numerous were sesquiterpenes. The most abundant compounds, aldehydes and alcohols, were found to be (E)-2-hexenal, hexenal, (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, and 1-hexanol. Using discriminant analysis, the GEN-GEO groups were separated based on their volatile profile. Some of the individual compounds contributing to the discrimination were found in relatively small amounts, such as benzoic acid, (E,E)-2,4-hexadienal, 4-pentenal, and nonanoic acid. The groups were also discriminated by their overall volatile profile: group C2 was characterized by a higher content of aldehydes and alcohols, and group C8 was characterized by a higher content of sesquiterpenes and acids. Group C7 was characterized by all low amount of all classes of VOCs.

Keywords: GEN-GEO groups; discrimination; grapevine varieties; volatile organic compounds; volatile profiles.