(Z)-3-Hexenyl Butyrate Induces Stomata Closure and Ripening in Vitis vinifera
Celia Payá, María Pilar López-Gresa, Diego S. Intrigliolo, Ismael Rodrigo, José Marı́a Bellés, Purificación Lisón
Abstract
Agronomy solutions for modifying pre-harvest grape ripening are needed for a more sustainable viticulture. Field experiments were performed in Vitis vinifera L. vines to study the effect of the previously described stomata-closing compound (Z)-3-hexenyl butyrate (HB). Exogenous treatments at different doses were periodically carried out using a randomized block design. Firstly, we observed that HB was able to induce stomatal closure in grapevine plants. Under field conditions, the application of HB around veraison induced a higher color intensity in berries, and vines treated at higher doses reached this stage earlier than the un-treated controls. There was also a clear increase in both grape anthocyanin concentration and total soluble solids without having a negative impact on total yield. We therefore, confirm the role of HB as a universal natural stomatal closure compound and propose a new use for HB in viticulture as a ripening inducer, by accelerating anthocyanin accumulation.