Plant–Atmosphere Interactions in Urban Vineyards of Rome: A Digital Phenotyping Approach for the Functional Selection of Grapevine Cultivars

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Abstract
Urban vineyards are expanding worldwide, driven by cultural and environmental motivations and their potential contribution to sustainable food systems. This study assessed grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) responses to urban atmospheric conditions and explored traits relevant to cultivar selection and particulate matter (PM) interception. Research was conducted during the 2025 growing season in a highly biodiverse urban vineyard comprising 170 cultivars at the Botanical Garden of Rome (Italy), a city where grapevine has been documented since antiquity. Digital phenotyping was used to screen 54 cultivars based on leaf micromorphological traits, followed by detailed assessment of five selected cultivars. Measurements also included leaf anatomical traits, chlorophyll content, spectral reflectance-derived indices related to vigor and water status, and PM interception by scanning electron microscopy. Cultivars differed in micromorphological traits and ecophysiological proxies, suggesting different responses to urban environmental conditions. Total leaf-surface PM accumulation after an approximately 20-day accumulation period following the last intense rainfall event (>10 mm h−1) ranged from 52,024 particles mm−2 in cv. Barbera to 77,462 particles mm−2 in cv. Maturano, values broadly comparable to those reported for some urban forest species. Deposition on the adaxial surface was more than twice that measured on the abaxial surface. These findings highlight the potential of digital phenotyping to integrate morphological and physiological traits, supporting plant material selection for urban viticulture, PM interception, and, more broadly, for urban landscape design.
Funding Information
  • Sapienza University of Rome

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