Abstract
The cultivated grapevine, Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera L., is represented by an enormous population of varieties and clones. They arise from the accumulation of gametic and somatic mutations during centuries of sexual and asexual propagation. These varieties represent a vast reservoir of traits/alleles that could be useful in improving the berry quality as well as against environmental stresses. However, most of them are still unexploited. For this reason, an efficient characterization system is essential to define the varietal identity, avoid cases of synonymy (identical genotypes but different names) and homonymy (same names but different genotypes) and deepen our understanding of the existing diversity within the grape germplasm. The plethora of DNA-based high-throughput technologies currently available provides promising tools for the analysis of diversity, overcoming many of the limitations of phenotypic-based diversity analyses. However, the analysis of intra-varietal diversity remains challenging. In this scenario, after summarizing the causes and consequences of grapevine genetic inter- and intra-varietal diversity, we review the DNA-based technologies used for varietal genotyping, emphasizing those able to distinguish clones within a variety. This review provides an update on the technologies used to explore grapevine diversity, the knowledge of which is necessary for an efficient exploitation and conservation of the grapevine germplasm.
Highlights
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutralThe cultivated grapevine (V. vinifera subsp. vinifera) has a considerable genetic complexity expressed by an enormous varietal diversity
After summarizing the current knowledge of the genetic and genomic diversity of the grapevine, we provide a comprehensive overview of the DNA-based technologies used in grape genotyping, emphasizing those that may have a significant impact on grape diversity analyses in the years to come
In 2013, thanks to the availability of sequencing data produced by the GrapeReSeq consortium, a new Illumina array (Vitis18KSNP) containing approximately 18,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) loci was produced by Marie-Christine Le Paslier from 47 varieties of V. vinifera, 12 species of Vitis and 5 of Muscadinia rotundifolia
Summary
The cultivated grapevine (V. vinifera subsp. vinifera) has a considerable genetic complexity expressed by an enormous varietal diversity. The applications of molecular techniques to assess V. vinifera inter-varietal diversity have shed light on its domestication history [10,11], including the origin of important grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon [12], Chardonnay [13], Syrah [14], Sangiovese [15], Merlot [16] and Nebbiolo [17]. These studies suggested that the modern European varieties derive from a limited number of distantly related genotypes. We discuss the relative merits, pitfalls and cost of each genotyping procedure with the aim of providing a solid reference in the choice of the proper tools, depending on the biological purpose, sample size, desired resolution and available budget
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