NEW USES FOR OLD GRAPEVINE GERMPLASM: AGRONOMIC EVALUATION OF HYBRIDS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOMASS TO ENERGY USE

A great number of interspecific hybrids of Vitis vinifera and various American species were obtained in the past by breeders with the aim to combine fruit quality of vinifera with pest and disease resistance of the American species. Nowadays in Europe most of these hybrids are hardly grown at all, due to the low wine quality and legal restrictions. However, some of these cultivars are potentially of great interest since they are characterized by lower sensitivity to major fungal diseases, high productivity of grapes with high sugar content, and adaptability to environments that are not optimal for the traditional viticulture. The objective of this study was to assess the potential use of some existing grapevine hybrids for the production of bio-ethanol. Thirty-two hybrid genotypes, of the more than 150 preserved in the Vitis germplasm collection of CRA-VIT, were studied. Agronomic performance (yield, pruning weight, berry composition) were evaluated over four years (2010-2013). The most productive genotypes (e.g., ‘Bertille Seyve 4825’, ‘Seibel 9110’ and ‘Seyve Villard 29-399’) were characterized by a yield per vine between 10 and 15 kg, and an average sugar content of 17-20°Brix. These productivity levels lead to a 3,000-4,000 L/ha estimate of first-generation bio-ethanol. It is also possible to have the production of estimated other 1,000 bio-ethanol L/ha by hydrolysis and fermentation of cellulose obtained by pruning and the other residues of grape fermentation (second generation bio-ethanol).