East-West collaboration for grapevine diversity exploration and mobilization of adaptive traits for breeding: a four years story

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The action aimed at establishing a collaborative partnership among the countries that share the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) gene pool with the main object to define a core collection able to represent and conserve the highest genetic diversity with the lowest number of plant accessions. The action involved 25 Cost countries and 10 non Cost countries, which represent quite all the range of the Old World viticulture. Around 250 scientists (40.6 % female; 17.5 % Early Stage Researchers (ESRs)) participated to the collaborative activities in which more than 30 institution were actively involved. Forty-four Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) were completed more than two thirds made by ESRs. An original Ampelography Book describing a large sample of elite grape cultivars selected from the native Caucasus and Black northern sea region was published and more than 100 research papers were produced (63 in the present action final publication). Networks of collaborative activities were consolidated. Concrete results involved all the objects of the action, including germplasm identification, testing of advanced genotyping methodologies, accessions phenotyping for phenology, grapes quality potential and mildew resistances; methods for association genetics; procedures for sanitary managements of collections, safe conservation and germplasm circulation. Protocols for phenotyping were released and successfully tested in a large set of grapevine germplasm collections. More than 1000 accessions were genotyped. The design of a tentative core collection referred to east European germplasm was completed.