Cool-climate viticulture presents unique challenges, including extreme winter temperatures and spring frost risk, as well as short growing seasons and inconsistent ripening. These conditions require specialised viticultural strategies to ensure sustainable grape production and consistent wine quality. This seminar will highlight Dr. Paolo Sabbatini’s research, which integrates grapevine physiology, vineyard management, and environmental adaptation to address these challenges. A core focus of Dr. Sabbatini’s work is improving vine cold hardiness, a critical trait for the survival and productivity of grapevines in northern climates. Through multiyear studies, his team has investigated how carbohydrate reserves in trunks and roots contribute to overwintering survival. This includes evaluating different cultivars and rootstocks for their resilience. The seminar will also explore canopy management innovations aimed at optimising light microclimate and promoting balanced vine growth to reduce disease pressure and promote phenolic development, which is critical for quality wine production in cool climates.  

The speaker

Prof.  Paolo Sabbatini is Full Professor of Viticulture at the University of Turin from 2022, within the Department of Agricultural, Forestry, and Environmental Sciences (DISAFA). Previously he was Full Professor in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University (MSU) with research (50%), extension (40%), and teaching (10%) responsibilities in viticulture. Dr. Sabbatini's research focus center around unraveling the physiological complexities of vine growth and production, with particular emphasis on mitigating abiotic stresses to optimize both vineyard productivity and quality. His investigations primarily revolve around carbon assimilation, storage, and partitioning, metabolomics, and molecular biology, employing these processes as foundational pillars for his studies. By elucidating the physiological bases of yield and quality responses to environmental stresses, he aims to tackle holistic grapevines problems that ultimately enhance crop productivity and product quality for grape growers through innovative vineyard management practices. 

Important information

The seminar will be held in Italian to allow students from the Viticulture and Oenology bachelor's program to attend. 

This series of seminars has been organized for PhD students, post-doc and researchers of the Center Agriculture Food Environment and Edmund Mach Foundation. Your participation is warmly recommended! Mark it down on your calendar!