Even in same vineyard, different microbes may create variations in wine grapes

Yeast species may cause differences in otherwise identical grapes from the same vineyard

2012-12-27

(Press-News.org) Choosing the perfect wine may soon involve more than just knowing the perfect vintage and chateau. Differences in the microbes present on grapes even in different parts of the same vineyard may contribute to flavor fluctuations in samples of grapes from different tanks, according to research published December 26 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Mathabatha Setati and colleagues from Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

"In the wine industry, the fungal communities on grapes are especially important. The microbial species present on the berry may contribute to the fermentation process, and therefore the aromatic properties of the resulting wine", the authors explain. For this study, the researchers sampled grapes from different vines in three well-established commercial vineyards, each of which used a different farming system - organic, traditional or biodynamic- to cultivate the grapes.

Across the three cultivation practices, they found that the same yeast species dominated in all vineyards, but the least treated vineyard had more variety of fungal species than the other two. They also found that within a single vineyard, small differences between vines, such as in temperature or sun exposure, could significantly alter the composition of the fungal community on grape surfaces. Setati adds, "Our findings could help viticulturalists and winemakers plan microharvest better, and implement better wine blending strategies to ensure consistency."

### Citation: Setati ME, Jacobson D, Andong U-C, Bauer F (2012) The Vineyard Yeast Microbiome, a Mixed Model Microbial Map. PLoS ONE 7(12): e52609.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052609

Financial Disclosure: This work was supported by Stellenbosch University (Subcom- B fund), WineTech and the National Research Foundation (THRIP programme). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interest Statement: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

PLEASE LINK TO THE SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT (URL goes live after the embargo ends): http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0052609

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

People with mental disorders more likely to have experienced domestic violence

2012-12-27

Men and women with mental health disorders, across all diagnoses, are more likely to have experienced domestic violence than the general population, according to new research from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, in collaboration with the University of Bristol. Previous studies into the link between domestic violence and mental health problems have mainly focused on depression, but this is the first study to look at a wide range of mental health problems in both male and female victims. In this study, funded by the National Institute for Health Research ...

US cancer screening rates decline over the last 10 years, finds new study

2012-12-27

The rate of people who seek preventive cancer screenings has fallen over the last ten years in the United States with wide variations between white-collar and blue-collar workers, according to a University of Miami Miller School of Medicine study published on December 27 in the open-access journal Frontiers in Cancer Epidemiology. While earlier diagnoses and improved treatments have increased the number of survivors, cancer remains one of the most prominent chronic diseases and, last year alone, claimed the lives of more than 570,000 people in the U.S. "There is a ...

Birdsong study pecks theory that music is uniquely human

2012-12-27

A bird listening to birdsong may experience some of the same emotions as a human listening to music, suggests a new study on white-throated sparrows, published in Frontiers of Evolutionary Neuroscience. "We found that the same neural reward system is activated in female birds in the breeding state that are listening to male birdsong, and in people listening to music that they like," says Sarah Earp, who led the research as an undergraduate at Emory University. For male birds listening to another male's song, it was a different story: They had an amygdala response ...

TrueConf Supports Mac OS X Users

2012-12-27

The TrueConf video conferencing solution for OS X is designed for OS X 10.7 and its newer versions. It provides video conferencing calls for the corporate video network- based TrueConf Server, as well as the cloud video conferencing service TrueConf Online. Currently, TrueConf solutions for OS X are available for download on the TrueConf website: http://trueconf.com/download/trueconf-client.dmg TrueConf experts implemented a number of tasks in developing this new application, providing integration into hand-held systems (iPhone, iPad, etc), and have introduced a new ...

Dial An Exchange Announces Fantastic Options For New Year's Eve

2012-12-27

Vacation exchange provider Dial An Exchange (DAE) announces last minute travel destinations for vacationers looking for different ways to ring in 2013. It could be a party in the French Quarter of New Orleans, hitting the slopes in Idaho or strolling along the shore in Florida. These and other terrific options are available through DAE's easy to use online booking service where members can exchange their timeshare week and know immediately whether their exchange has been approved. DAE offers free membership and no-cost requests for resort availability - with payment ...

Slotland's African Aid Project Continues to Help Children in Malawi -- Casino Encourages Players to Share Their Good Fortune

2012-12-27

The school that Slotland funded in Malawi is flourishing and the group behind it, boNGO Worldwide, is initiating new programs to help even more children. To help raise funds for the continuing operation of the group's school and teacher training center, and for new projects including an HIV/AIDS awareness film, Slotland is encouraging players to consider their own donations. Just $4 covers the cost of one child's school expenses, including lunch for a month. $20 pays one teacher's monthly salary. Slotland, home of one-of-a-kind online slots and video poker games ...

Famous Quotes Turn into a Trivia Adventure w/ Mark My Words for Android!

2012-12-27

Flipped Horizons and Game's UP, the emerging mobile game developers, are excited to announce the recent launch of Mark My Words onto Google Play. Compatible with all Android devices running on Android 2.2 or higher, this wickedly entertaining trivia game puts players head to head with famous quotes, challenging them to figure out who said them! Eloquently simple yet uncommonly addicting and engaging, Mark My Words is a multiple choice guessing game. Players are shown well known phrases & tasked with picking who said them from a list of possible names. Boasting mentally ...

Jason Proch Weighs in on Role of Mobile Technology in Hunting

2012-12-27

The practice of hunting is one that is linked to human survival and extends far beyond pre-historic times. Despite the history of this art, new technology continues to innovate the sport, providing hunters with greater proficiency and resources to track down prized game. A recent article from The Star Gazette highlights the greater presence of smartphone applications that serve this very purpose. Although many of these mobile device apps are created by state government wildlife organizations, some hunters are not keen on relying on these resources to improve the hunt. Experienced ...

Banital Offers Tips on Staying Healthy During the Holiday Season

2012-12-27

A helpful article published by The Huffington Post offers readers tips to avoid the dreaded holiday weight gain. The suggestions, offered by health and wellness guru Joy Bauer, ranged from food to fitness. To experience success in any wellness plan, Bauer also suggested readers set specific goals they can meet on a weekly basis. The team at Banital, makers of nutritional supplements designed to facilitate weight loss when used in accordance with a healthy diet and exercise plan, offered up a few tips of their own. They stated: "These tips that are given to stay ...

Lesley Koenig: San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker Thrills with New Talent

2012-12-27

Nutcracker is a holiday tradition for many individuals--even those who do not attend the ballet throughout the rest of the year. In the United States, this story is well known by people of all ages and backgrounds, as schools often take field trips to see Nutcracker when their students are young. Because of its popularity, this particular ballet is one that dancers dream of performing. This year, as San Francisco Ballet looks forward to starting its season and celebrating the holidays, three new dancers' dreams will come true, according to SFGate.com. Lesley Koenig, an ...

TF-rs1049296 C>T variant modifies the association between hepatic iron stores and liver fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

ASH publishes clinical practice guidelines on diagnosis of light chain amyloidosis

SLAS receives grant from Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to develop lab automation educational guidelines

Serum interleukin-8 for differentiating invasive pulmonary aspergillosis from bacterial pneumonia in patients with HBV-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure

Even in same vineyard, different microbes may create variations in wine grapes

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: