Researchers from the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS) were invited to participate in the recent science-themed event organized by the French Embassy in China, held at the Beijing French Cultural Center. The event, titled "Adapting Wines for a Changing Climate", convened over 90 attendees and featured distinguished speakers from both China and France, highlighting the critical intersection of climate change and viticulture.
The event commenced with insightful opening remarks from the French Embassy, stressing the imperative of international collaboration to confront the challenges posed by climate change. Professor Dai Zhanwu, a professor from IBCAS, delivered the keynote address. His presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the shared challenges faced by China and France in the grape and wine industries, exacerbated by shifting climatic conditions. Professor Dai underscored the dual nature of these challenges, emphasizing the risks posed to grape sugar levels and wine quality by rising temperatures, while also exploring the potential opportunities presented by the cultivation of new grape varieties in previously unsuitable regions.
Representing INRAE, Engineer Agnes Destrac, a visiting scientist of IBCAS, followed with a detailed presentation on the VitiAdapt project. This collaborative research initiative between INRAE and IBCAS has made significant strides in understanding the role of grape variety diversity in mitigating climate change impacts on viticulture. Engineer Destrac's presentation highlighted the project's decade-long accumulation of data and its profound implications for the adaptation strategies within the wine industry.
The event concluded with a dynamic discussion session, where participants engaged in vibrant exchanges on pertinent topics such as the selection of resilient grape varieties and rootstocks, the feasibility of cultivating new varieties, and the integration of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence in viticultural research.
Researchers from the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS) were invited to participate in the recent science-themed event organized by the French Embassy in China, held at the Beijing French Cultural Center. The event, titled "Adapting Wines for a Changing Climate", convened over 90 attendees and featured distinguished speakers from both China and France, highlighting the critical intersection of climate change and viticulture.
The event commenced with insightful opening remarks from the French Embassy, stressing the imperative of international collaboration to confront the challenges posed by climate change. Professor Dai Zhanwu, a professor from IBCAS, delivered the keynote address. His presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the shared challenges faced by China and France in the grape and wine industries, exacerbated by shifting climatic conditions. Professor Dai underscored the dual nature of these challenges, emphasizing the risks posed to grape sugar levels and wine quality by rising temperatures, while also exploring the potential opportunities presented by the cultivation of new grape varieties in previously unsuitable regions.
Representing INRAE, Engineer Agnes Destrac, a visiting scientist of IBCAS, followed with a detailed presentation on the VitiAdapt project. This collaborative research initiative between INRAE and IBCAS has made significant strides in understanding the role of grape variety diversity in mitigating climate change impacts on viticulture. Engineer Destrac's presentation highlighted the project's decade-long accumulation of data and its profound implications for the adaptation strategies within the wine industry.
The event concluded with a dynamic discussion session, where participants engaged in vibrant exchanges on pertinent topics such as the selection of resilient grape varieties and rootstocks, the feasibility of cultivating new varieties, and the integration of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence in viticultural research.