Background

After completing her degree in Agriculture Engineering at the Technical University of Lisbon, Carmo moved to Switzerland to continue her education at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. She obtained her PhD in grapevine physiology in 1990.  She conducted her research at the Swiss Federal Research Station for Fruit Growing, Viticulture and Horticulture in Wädenswill.  Following her graduate studies, Carmo did a post-doc on sustainable viticulture, also in Wädenswil.  Her second post doc was on grapevine cold hardiness, at Michigan State University.  She was an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist of Viticulture at Oregon State University from 1994 to 2007.

Expertise

Carmo joined HortResearch in 2007 bringing her experience from 24 years of Pinot Noir research in Europe and in the USA.  Multicultural and multilingual, she is internationally recognized for her work on carbohydrate production and allocation (photosynthesis and translocation), canopy management, rootstocks, and sustainable viticulture. As an extension specialist she worked with the grape industry in many other areas such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir clone evaluations, Nitrogen nutrition, water relations and fruit ripening. The impact of most of these cultural practices was evaluated for phenolic composition of resulting wines.

Current Research

Research leader for Pinot Noir – FRST project.

Impact of soil variability on vine physiology and its influence on fruit and wine composition of Pinot Noir grapevines.

Dynamics of accumulation of key flavour and flavour precursors in grape berries.

Selected Publications

• Sampaio, T.L., J.A.. Kennedy, and M.C. Vasconcelos. 2007.  Use of Microscale Fermentations in Grape and Wine Reasearch.  American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 58: 4 (534-539)
• Vasconcelos, M.C. and S. Castagnoli.  2000.  Leaf canopy structure and vine performance. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 51: 4 (390-396).
• Candolfi-Vasconcelos, M.C., Koblet, W., Howell, G.S., Zweifel, W. 1994. Influence of Defoliation, Rootstock, Training System and Leaf Position on Gas Exchange of Pinot Noir Grapevines. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 45: 2 (173-180).
• Candolfi-Vasconcelos, M.C., Candolfi, M.P., Koblet, W. 1994. Retranslocation of carbon reserves from the woody storage tissues into the fruit as a response to defoliation stress during the ripening period in Vitis vinifera. Planta 192: 567-573.
• Candolfi-Vasconcelos, M.C., Koblet, W. 1990.  Yield, fruit quality, bud fertility, and starch reserves of the wood as a function of leaf removal in Vitis vinifera.  Evidence of compensation and stress recovering. Vitis 29: 199-221. Request a reprint.

Full Publications List