Effetti di trattamenti fogliari con estratti dell’alga bruna Ascophyllum nodosum su viti soggette a limitazione idrica

Seaweeds extracts are innovative tools recently proposed as natural biostimulants for the management of many crops. Their effects on plants biotic and abiotic stress tolerance are related to the enhancement of growth regulators metabolism and to the promotion of the biosynthesis of osmotically active compounds. To evaluate if A.nodosum extracts have positive effects on grapevines facing drought, vines cv Pinot noir have been sprayed six times during the vegetative growth with the biostimulant. Irrigation was then suspended till stomatal closure, thereafter all vines were re-watered. When compared with untreated vines, sprayed vines showed better physiological performances at moderate stress and right after the re-watering, suggesting a possible role of the seaweed extract in increasing grapevine drought tolerance.