Climate and Phenology: Behavior of Autochthonous Italian Grapevine Varieties in the Uplands of Southern Brazil

The present study aimed to characterize the mesoclimate of the municipality of à gua Doce, Brazil, and its influence on the phenological development and thermal requirements of autochthonous Italian varieties (Vitis vinifera L). The climate data were provided by a local automatic weather station. The principal phenological stages of red varieties (Aglianico, Ancellotta, Lambrusco, Malvasia Nera, Negroamaro, Nero d’Avola, Primitivo, Sangiovese, and Rebo) and white varieties (Fiano, Garganega and Vermentino) are analyzed. Results show that the mean temperature measured during the phenological cycles from September to April were higher than the climatological average (1961 to 2012). According to the Winkler, Huglin, and Cool Night bioclimatic indexes, the region is classified as “Region II†, cold and with cool nights, respectively. The average heat summation for the phenological cycles of the varieties was 1740 GDD (205 days, 2009-2010), 1463 GDD (187 days, 2010-2011), and 1408 GDD (176 days, 2011-2012). The Lambrusco variety presented the longest phenological cycle (203 days), while Garganega presented the shortest one (178 days). The lower temperatures of à gua Doce, when compared to those in other regions where the varieties are traditionally produced, determine longer growing cycles and a shift in the timing of the phenological stages.