Population genetic analysis in old Montenegrin vineyards reveals ancient ways currently active to generate diversity in Vitis vinifera

Vesna Maraš,Rafael Ocete,Tatjana Popović,Enrique García-Escudero,Enrique García-Escudero,Vladan Božović,Nataša Štajner,Anita Gazivoda,José Miguel Martínez-Zapater,José Miguel Martínez-Zapater,Javier Ibáñez,Javier Ibáñez,Miodrag Grbić,Miodrag Grbić,Miodrag Grbić,Miodrag Grbić,Javier Tello,Javier Tello,Jovana Raičević,Milena Mugoša,Mirko Perišić

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-71918-7

Abstract

Global viticulture has evolved following market trends, causing loss of cultivar diversity and traditional practices. In Montenegro, modern viticulture co-exists with a traditional viticulture that still maintains ancient practices and exploits local cultivars. As a result, this region provides a unique opportunity to explore processes increasing genetic diversity. To evaluate the diversity of Montenegrin grapevines and the processes involved in their diversification, we collected and analyzed 419 samples in situ across the country (cultivated plants from old orchards and vines growing in the wild), and 57 local varieties preserved in a grapevine collection. We obtained 144 different genetic profiles, more than 100 corresponding to cultivated grapevines, representing a surprising diversity for one of the smallest European countries. Part of this high diversity reflects historical records indicating multiple and intense introduction events from diverse viticultural regions at different times. Another important gene pool includes many autochthonous varieties, some on the edge of extinction, linked in a complex parentage network where two varieties (Razaklija and Kratošija) played a leading role on the generation of indigenous varieties. Finally, analyses of genetic structure unveiled several putative proto-varieties, likely representing the first steps involved in the generation of new cultivars or even secondary domestication events.

Highlights

Global viticulture has evolved following market trends, causing loss of cultivar diversity and traditional practices
After several millennia of genetic diversification, most of the grapevine genetic diversity generated in the Balkans was destroyed by the effect of phylloxera and mildews introduced from North America at the end of the nineteenth century[2,11]
Modern Montenegrin viticulture and winemaking industries co-exist with a significant number of old and small vineyards managed through traditional techniques[14,15]

Summary

Introduction

Global viticulture has evolved following market trends, causing loss of cultivar diversity and traditional practices. In Montenegro, modern viticulture co-exists with a traditional viticulture that still maintains ancient practices and exploits local cultivars As a result, this region provides a unique opportunity to explore processes increasing genetic diversity. We obtained 144 different genetic profiles, more than 100 corresponding to cultivated grapevines, representing a surprising diversity for one of the smallest European countries Part of this high diversity reflects historical records indicating multiple and intense introduction events from diverse viticultural regions at different times. Early cultivars spread around the Mediterranean basin following the main human migration routes during several thousand years[2] During this process, certain vines were selected for their adaptation to regional conditions and their ability to overcome local biotic and abiotic stresses. The analysis of these indigenous and traditional varieties has helped to successfully resolve previous doubts about cultivars parentage[23,24,25], as well as to shed light on the likely origin and dissemination patterns of certain grapevine cultivars in traditional viticulture r egions[20,26]

Methods

Results

Conclusion