Effect of different rootstocks on element uptake

The research results of the last decades shown that the industrial and the inadequate agricultural activity may increase the concentration of potentially toxic elements in soil. The grape rootstock is a filter system in the grapevine, which prevent the accumulation in the grape berry of some trace elements of high concentrations from the soil. Therefore it is very important, in the wine sector, to understand which rootstock should be applied, that uptake the toxic elements of the soil only in low concentration, in order to reduce the final absorption in the must. The choice of the rootstock is very important, not only as regards the up-take of potentially harmful elements, but also because the nature and characteristics of a rootstock are able to influence the organoleptic properties of wine. Rootstock varieties differently affect fruiting, rate of growth, yield and fruit quality [1]. In this research 60 germoplasm accessions including different rootstocks commonly used (eg. Kober 5 BB, 1103 Paulsen, 110 Richter), other hybrids rarely used (eg. 216-3 Castel, 1616 Couderc ) and Vitis species used as parental to form hybrid rootstocks (eg. V. cinerea, V. berlandieri) were studied. The concentration of some trace elements and nutrients were examined in leaves rootstocks to define the different metal up-take mechanisms, verifying before the homogeneity of land cultivation. Simultaneous determination of Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, Rb, Sr, V and Zn was carried out by ICP-MS equipped with a collision/reaction cell (ICPORS-MS). The methodology was optimised by testing the grinding, homogenisation, digestion and analysis procedures, to reduce the uncertainty of the experimental results as in a previous study [2].