Vibrational signals for mating disruption do not negatively affect grapevine growth and production

Vibrational mating disruption (VMD) is a promising strategy to control Scaphoideus titanus populations in vineyards, and it is based on the prolonged application of a species-specific disturbance vibrational signal (DVS) on grapevines. Plants can react by different transcriptional, physiological, and morphological changes, according to the source and type of mechanical stimuli, but no information is available on possible side effects of DVS on grapevine plants. This study aimed to investigate grapevine response to DVS during VMD exposure under field and greenhouse conditions. No negative effects were observed on vine productivity, berry characteristics, and grape quality parameters in two consecutive seasons under field conditions. Chlorophyll, flavonol, and anthocyanin content, nitrogen balance index, stomatal conductance, electron transport rate, and leaf vapor pressure deficit were comparable in DVS-treated and control plants under field and greenhouse conditions. Moreover, no modulation of genes related to defense, growth, and secondary metabolism was found in the leaves of DVS-treated plants, indicating no negative impacts of VMD on grapevine physiology. The only observed difference associated with DVS treatment was an increased internodal length under field and greenhouse conditions with partial stimulation of shoot length. Although further studies are required to clarify the mechanism of internodal length stimulation, these results support the absence of negative effects of VMD on grapevines, encouraging its further application in commercial vineyards