THE SOFTWARE FOR A 'UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE DATABASE'

Abstract

A software program for a ?universal grapevine database? has been developed to support the characterization of grapevine biodiversity. This database allows for decentralized data management: the registered users have the possibility to submit and to manage their own data at any time. The uploaded data have three different levels of visualisation: private level (the data are visible only to the submitter), middle level (the data are visible to all other submitters), public level (the data are visible to all public users). Only the data approved by a specific scientific committee can be elevated to the public level. When a submitter introduces the microsatellite data in the database the application allows a specific standardization procedure based on some specific selected accessions called ?system accessions?. The main classes of data repres-ented in the database are the ?grapevine variety?, the ?ampelographic-ampelometric and phenological-productive descriptors? (as reported in the second edition of the OIV descriptor list for grape cultivars and Vitis species), the ?microsatellite profile?, as well as the polyphenol and aroma profiles. Several search options have been implemented: a search by cultivar and other general parameters; a search by ampelographic and ampelometric parameters; and a search by microsatellite profile. About the microsatellite profile, it is also possible to search by size range and by a particular standardization procedure. The application has been implemented using the most recent database software and languages, so it is flexible and dynamic especially as concerns the addition of other classes of data, like new types of descriptors and molecular markers. The application is on the web at http://www.vitisdb.it and at present it is adopted for the ?Italian Vitis Database? managed by the ?Vitis Database Working Group?.