Variazioni nel contenuto in carboidrati in materiale di propagazione di vite sottoposto a termoterapia in acqua

Hot water treatment (HWT) is applied to grapevine propagation material to prevent the spread of phytoplasma-induced diseases. The effect of HWT on the content in carbohydrate reserves (which can influences the nursery take) of grapevine woody cuttings has been studied on two Vitis vinifera cultivars, Barbera and Nebbiolo. Woody cuttings were collected in February, then heat-treated (HWT at 50°C for 45') and stored at 4°C until April (early HWT) or stored at 4°C until heat-treatment application in April (late HWT). A decrease in total soluble carbohydrates was observed after the storage at 4°C. HWT also induced a reduction in total soluble carbohydrates concentration. Conversely, the effect of HWT on the starch content of cuttings was unclear. The observed changes did not result in variation in the nursery take of the material: cuttings from HWT and control did not show different performances in nursery.