Year of Endorsement: 1928

 

Number of Endorsement’s Act/Government’s Gazette Number (FEK): Law 3577/28.

 

 

Address / Communication:

Agroforestry Building

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Campus

of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Postal Code 54124

 

 

Members

Stefanos Koundouras, Professor of Viticulture

Tel.: +30 2310 998650

e-mail: skoundou@agro.auth.gr

 

 

Emeritus and retired professors

 

Nikolaos Nikolaou, Emeritus Professor

Dimitrios Stavrakas, Emeritus Professor

 

 

 

Collaborating Scientists

 

Christina Karadimou, Postdoctoral Researcher

Christina Karadimou is a postdoctoral researcher in the field of Viticulture and Oenology, with a background in Chemical Engineering. Her research focuses on the study of the composition and quality of grapes and wines, with an emphasis on secondary metabolites, phenolic and aromatic profiles, as well as the impact of viticultural practices on Greek varieties. She has actively participated in numerous research projects concerning the evaluation of grape and wine quality characteristics, the implementation of innovative viticultural practices and the connection of research with the wine sector. He has extensive experience in laboratory chemical analyses, modern analytical techniques and field work in experimental vineyards.

 

Theodoros Grimbizis, PhD candidate

Theodoros Grimbizis is a graduate of the Department of Agriculture, Plant Production & Rural Environment of the University of Thessaly and holds a Master’s degree in Oenology from the Agricultural University of Athens. He is a PhD Candidate at the Laboratory of Viticulture of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His research interests focus on the investigation of the terroir of Greek wine-growing regions and the application of precision viticulture. He has gained experience and has actively contributed to European and national research programs for the creation and validation of viticultural zones in terroir units, for the use of remote sensing technologies in the prediction of grape ripening, for the development of unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) for the implementation of viticultural practices, as well as in research programs aimed at improving the organoleptic characteristics of grapes.

 

 

Research Field

Anatomy, physiology, morphology, biology of the vine, and viticulture.

 

History

The Viticulture Laboratory operated simultaneously with the establishment of the Chair of Viticulture, with Law 3577/28. With the decrees that followed, it was maintained under the same title as a regular chair and laboratory (Decree 24/3/33, A. L. 835/37, Decree of 2/10/39, P.D. 296/81 (Government Gazette 86/81). With Law 1268, it operates in its current form as a Viticulture Laboratory within the framework of the Horticulture and Vine Dpt. The Founder of the Viticulture Laboratory, Professor Vasilios Logothetis, was born in 1909 in Ioannina. Within the framework of the Viticulture Laboratory, in addition to the laboratory facilities and infrastructures in the building of the former School of Agroforestry, there is an experimental vineyard of approximately 35 acres, which is used as a research and conservation area for grapevine species and varieties. Today, approximately 100 varieties of European grapevine (varieties of various species of the Genus Vitis) are preserved in the experimental vineyard. For the cultivation requirements, there is a full range of agricultural machinery and tools.

The Viticulture Laboratory of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki deals with the science of viticulture and in particular with all scientific disciplines related to the behavior and quality of the grapevine. Within the framework of the Laboratory’s research and educational activities, research has been carried out concerning the study of Greek grape varieties, Genetic breeding resulting in the creation of several new varieties with interesting characteristics, propagation, grapevine physiology, and the relationship of the grapevine with biotic and abiotic factors. For over 50 years, the Viticulture Laboratory, in addition to its undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programs, has maintained an active and productive research program in viticulture, aiming to improve the quality and value of grapes, raisins and wine in Greece, by applying rigorous scientific tools. The Laboratory makes many efforts to directly disseminate new research information to the public and grape and wine producers, through courses, meetings, seminars, in Greece and in Cyprus.

 

Teaching Activities

The members of the Laboratory are responsible for teaching three (3) undergraduate courses (N018Y – viticulture, N543E – ampelography, N554E – vineyard management) of the Department of Agriculture and one (1) postgraduate course in the Postgraduate Program “Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems and Climate Change” of the Department of Agriculture.

 

Research Activities

The research areas of the Viticulture Laboratory include viticulture, vine physiology, grape growth and metabolism, grape and wine quality, vineyard management practices, the vineyard ecosystem, the occurrence of diseases and pests in vineyards, the sustainability of agricultural systems and the applications of precision technologies in viticulture.

 

Facilities and Equipment

The Viticulture Laboratory has a highly developed scientific and technological background in various areas related to the ecophysiology of the vine, for the monitoring and management of vine yield, grape characteristics and disease control, incorporating innovative technologies. Its scientific equipment for field measurements includes a pressure chamber for measuring the water status of vines, a portable device for measuring photosynthesis and gas exchange parameters of leaves, a device for measuring chlorophyll fluorescence, a porometer for measuring the conductivity of leaf stomata, Granier-type sap flow sensors, portable chlorophyll meters, etc. Laboratory facilities include spectrophotometers, a Thermovac freeze dryer for lyophilization, water baths, laboratory ovens for drying samples and a tissue culture chamber for in-vitro preparations.

 

Recent Research Projects

• Personalized Optimal Harvest with Autonomous Robot”. Funding body: General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI), Special Service for Management and Implementation of the actions of the Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs in the fields of Research, Technological Development and Innovation (EYDE-ETAK)
• “Promotion-Evaluation-Utilization of Greek grape varieties”. Funding body: General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI), Special Service for Management and Implementation of the actions of the Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs in the fields of Research, Technological Development and Innovation (EYDE-ETAK)
• Action “Vineyard Roots”. Funding body: General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI).
• Identification and wine evaluation of the subzones of the Amyntaion wine-growing region”. Funding body: Operational Program of Western Macedonia 2014-2020
• “Promoting the wine identity of the prefecture of Drama through a holistic characterization of the natural and microbial environment”. Funding body: General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI), Special Service for the Management of the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
• “Study of the wine-growing potential of the Drama region for the preparation and documentation of a technical dossier for a new Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) wine product”. Funding body: Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace-Regional Unit of Drama
• Innovative interventions for improving the quality of Paros PDO red wines”. Funding body: General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI), Special Service for the Implementation of the RDP 2014-2020

 

Recent Theses

 

PhD Theses:

1. Theodorou N., “Study of adaptation mechanisms to water stress of grapevine varieties of different geographical origin with measurements of physiological parameters, morphological and anatomical characteristics and isotopic composition”.
2. Theocharis S., “Effect of viticultural techniques on the components that shape the organoleptic character of the Xinomavro variety”.
3. Karadimou X. ” Investigation of secondary metabolites in indigenous red grape varieties and effect of viticulture practices “.

 

MSc Theses:

1. ATSIKPASSIS PANAGIOTIS Effect of some factors on the symbiotic relationships of the vine with mycorrhizal fungi
2. GEORGIOU SOFIA Viticultural description and evaluation of some Greek grape varieties (Vitis vinifera L.)
3. KARAGIANNIDIS KONSTANTINOS Effect of nitrogen and water on the physiology and quality characteristics of grapes of the wine grape variety “Xinomavro”.
4. KARAOLIS CHRISTODOULOS Effect of irrigation on the physiology and ripening of the production of four red wine grape varieties.
5. KOTSIOU GEORGIOS Investigation of the effect of pyraclostobin on the physiology of the grapevine
6. BOULOKOSTAS KONSTANTINOS Effect of deficit irrigation on the physiology and production characteristics of the variety ‘Xinomavro’.
7. MYLONAS VASILEIOS Study of the effect of four subjects on the physiology and production characteristics of the variety “Xinomavro”.
8. TSINIDIS GEORGIOS Effect of water on some physiological parameters and on the quality characteristics of the production of grapes of the variety “Syrah”.