Berries contamination by microfungi in Slovakia vineyard regions: impact of climate conditions on microfungi biodiversity.

BACKGROUND Weather conditions can selectively promote the growth of particular fungal species, which cause rotting and spoilage of grape berries before harvest. The presence of pathogenic fungi can lead to the development of opportunist microfungi that can produce mycotoxins and cause grapes and wine contamination. OBJECTIVE The variation of climatic conditions allowed to design a pilot study and address relevant questions for risk assessment of climate related mycotoxins production in grapes and in wine. METHODS Microfungi contaminating berries during the vegetative period of year 2008 and 2009 in vineyards regions of Slovakia at the early veraison and at the ripening in harvest time have been identified. RESULTS Spoilage fungi were more abundant in veraison for both years in all the studied geographical regions, with an average temperature of 20°C, humidity between 60 and 80%, and precipitation in the range 6-5mm. Much more strains of toxigenic fungi were found during veraison and ripening in the case of a year temperature variation in the range 17-22.5°C, humidity values ranging from 58 to 80% and precipitations in the range 0.7-8.4mm. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that there is an effect of the climatic conditions on microfungi biodiversity.