Field Performance and Wine Quality Modification in a Clone of Vitis vinifera cv. Dolcetto after GLRaV-3 Elimination

Grapevine leafroll is one of the most widespread virus diseases of grapevine and Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) is one of its major causal agents. The effect of GLRaV-3 elimination was studied under vineyard conditions for two years by comparing the virus-free and infected lines of the same clone of Vitis vinifera cv. Dolcetto, a very important red wine cultivar grown in north-western Italy. The results confirmed the advantages of using virus-free vines in terms of field performances (vigor, yield, leaf photosynthesis and juice soluble solids), whereas the advantages in wine quality were less evident. Sensorial analysis clarified that the wine from virus-free plants was slightly different from that of vines infected by GLRaV-3, but did not indicate a significant preference for one or the other.