Abstract
Introduction Climate change is intensifying heat and drought stress in viticulture, negatively impacting yield and grape quality. High temperatures accelerate sugar accumulation and reduce organic acids, disrupting wine balance. Drought also lowers grapevine resilience by reducing stomatal conductance and photosynthetic efficiency, highlighting the need for sustainable strategies. This study evaluated the effects of foliar applications of kaolin (Kl) and silicon (Si) mixtures on grapevine physiology and fruit quality under summer stress. Methods The experiment was conducted over two seasons (2023–2024) in a commercial vineyard (Quinta de Ventozelo, Douro Region) using the Touriga Franca variety. Treatments included a control and four formulations (MiKS 1 to 4), all with 2% Kl and Si ranging from 2% to 8%. Physiological measurements included gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence, and leaf water potential. Biochemical analyses assessed pigments, sugars, proteins, phenols, flavonoids, ortho -diphenols, and leaf anatomy. Hormonal profiling (abscisic acid (ABA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), jasmonic acid (JA), and salicylic acid (SA)) was also performed. Results Si and Kl treatments, particularly MiKS 3 and MiKS 4, significantly enhanced gas exchange parameters, water potential, and chlorophyll fluorescence under high-stress conditions. These treatments also increased chlorophyll, carotenoids, cuticular waxes, and cuticle thickness, contributing to improved plant vitality and stress resilience. Secondary metabolites such as ortho -diphenols were also enhanced. Hormonal profiling showed increased ABA and JA and decreased IAA and SA, suggesting strengthened stress signalling and defence responses. Discussion Overall, Si and Kl mixtures effectively mitigated summer stress, improving grapevine physiological, biochemical, and anatomical responses under challenging climate conditions.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
MiKS 3 and MiKS 4 significantly enhanced grapevine gas exchange parameters under high stress.
- Treatment
- MiKS 3 and MiKS 4e0
- Outcome
- gas exchange parameterse0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Qualifier
- under high-stress conditionse0
VitisNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Si and Kl treatments, particularly MiKS 3 and MiKS 4, significantly enhanced gas exchange parameters, water potential, and chlorophyll fluorescence under high-stress conditions”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
MiKS 3 and MiKS 4 significantly enhanced grapevine water potential under high stress.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Si and Kl treatments, particularly MiKS 3 and MiKS 4, significantly enhanced gas exchange parameters, water potential, and chlorophyll fluorescence under high-stress conditions”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
MiKS 3 and MiKS 4 significantly enhanced grapevine chlorophyll fluorescence under high stress.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Si and Kl treatments, particularly MiKS 3 and MiKS 4, significantly enhanced gas exchange parameters, water potential, and chlorophyll fluorescence under high-stress conditions”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
The formulations increased grapevine chlorophyll and carotenoids.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“These treatments also increased chlorophyll, carotenoids, cuticular waxes, and cuticle thickness”
e1“Si and Kl treatments, particularly MiKS 3 and MiKS 4”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
The formulations increased grapevine cuticular waxes and cuticle thickness.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“These treatments also increased chlorophyll, carotenoids, cuticular waxes, and cuticle thickness”
e1“Si and Kl treatments, particularly MiKS 3 and MiKS 4”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
The formulations enhanced grapevine ortho-diphenols.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Secondary metabolites such as ortho -diphenols were also enhanced”
e1“Si and Kl treatments, particularly MiKS 3 and MiKS 4”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
The formulations increased grapevine ABA and JA.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Hormonal profiling showed increased ABA and JA and decreased IAA and SA”
e1“Si and Kl treatments, particularly MiKS 3 and MiKS 4”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
The formulations decreased grapevine IAA and SA.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Hormonal profiling showed increased ABA and JA and decreased IAA and SA”
e1“Si and Kl treatments, particularly MiKS 3 and MiKS 4”
t0“grapevine”
The same questions in other papers
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silicon atom · physiology: pigments · VitisResults agree
3 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.