Olfaction is of major importance for survival and reproduction in moths. Males possess highly specific and sensitive olfactory receptor neurones to detect female sex pheromones. However, the capacity of male moths to respond to host-plant volatiles is relatively neglected and the role that such responses could play in the sensory ecology of moths is still not fully understood. The present study...

Esca is a destructive disease that affects vineyards leading to important losses in wine production. Information about the response of Vitis vinifera plants to this disease is scarce, particularly concerning changes in plant metabolism. In order to study the metabolic changes in Vitis plants affected by esca, leaves from both infected and non-affected cordons of V. vinifera cv. Alvarinho (colle...

Public debate about the possible risk of genetically modified plants often concerns putative effects of pollen dispersal and out-crossing into conventional fields in the neighborhood of transgenic plants. Though Vitis vinifera (grapevine) is generally considered to be self-pollinating, it cannot be excluded that vertical gene transfer might occur. For monitoring pollen flow and out-crossing eve...

A study was designed to compare the color components and color stability of red wine from Noble (Vitis rotundifolia) and Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera) at four pH levels (2.8, 3.0, 3.3, 3.8). Noble browned to a much greater extent and lost more color after 10 and 16 months than did Cabernet, and Noble did not increase in chemical age (level of polymeric anthocyanin) to nearly the extent th...

Vitis vinifera grapevines are highly susceptible to downy mildew caused by the host-specific oomycete Plasmopara viticola. In humid climates like New York, where the unchecked pathogen will defoliate vines and destroy young fruit clusters, growers depend upon multiple fungicide applications for disease management. However, management of P. viticola by fungicides is tenuous, because the pathogen...

The effect of Meloidogyne incognita on growth, general physiological response, and the concentrat ion of reducing and nonreducing sugars at the nematode feeding sites of French Colombard (susceptible) and Thompson Seedless (moderately resistant) Vitis vinifera cultivars was studied up to 2,100 degree-days (DD-base 10 C). Nematode stress dosage, measured as the product of cumulative number of ju...