Biological Response of Triticum aestivum L. to the Abiotic Stress Induced by Winemaking Waste

The winemaking waste (grape marc) can be beneficial if it is used in food, pharmaceutical industry, and medicine. However, studies reported that some concentrations of grape marc extracts may induce negative effects on animals. The present study was conducted in order to research if the grape marc induces abiotic stress with serious negative implications on plants. For this purpose, wheat grains were treated for 48 h with 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.2% aqueous extracts of Merlot and Sauvignon blanc grape marc. Grains germination rate and cytogenetic parameters were investigated. The germination rate decreased moderately compared to the control in all treatments. The investigated cytogenetic parameters were: mitotic index (MI) and genetic abnormalities (bridges, fragments, associations between bridges and fragments, multipolar ana-telophases, micronuclei). As the grape marc concentration increases, the germination rate and mitotic index decrease moderately, while the percent of cells with chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei increases. Treatments with Merlot grape marc extract induced a higher percent of genetic abnormalities. The results prove from a genetic point of view that the winemaking waste induces abiotic stress on wheat (and probably, on other plants) and it should be depleted in polyphenols before storing on fields. Possible use of unprocessed grape marc could be as bio-herbicide.