TreeForVine

The project concerns circular bioeconomy by developing high added value applications of forestry and wood industry co-products (sawdust, knots, …) to produce sustainable antifungal bio-imputs to fight against grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs). These diseases are one of the major reasons of vine decline that concern the wine industry worldwide and it is urgent to find efficient and environmentally friendly solutions to save grapevine since biocidal treatments such as arsenite are prohibited because of their toxicity to humans and environment. The "TreeForVine" project is inspired by the defence mechanisms developed by trees to investigate original treatments by biomimetism to eradicate wood diseases of the vine trunk. Trees produce indeed secondary metabolites for protection during their growth, and these metabolites, which possess numerous properties, can be extracted easily from wood powder. The project aims i) to develop original treatments for GTDs taking inspiration from defence mechanisms established by trees, ii) to develop durable and efficient solutions avoiding the diseases of grapevine trunk, iii) to valorise extractives from wood-industry by-products by their use, as new antifungal bio-inputs. The project plan also the use oleoresin-based formulations to develop wound healing products when pruning or grafting as preventive treatment to avoid further infection by the fungi. A recent collaboration between LERMAB and LVBE has identified extracts from Douglas fir knots wood as valuable antifungal agent against GTDs’ fungi, the objectives of the project, are now: i) to extend the study to extractives of other compartments than Douglas fir knots wood and to other species, ii) to functionalize extractives to improve bio-activity and formulation, iii) to develop formulations of native extracts, pure products or modified derivatives for optimized treatments.