Autochthonous Grapevine Varieties Research Articles

Economic competitiveness of autochthonous (local) grapevine varieties for the production of white wines

Economic competitiveness of autochthonous (local) grapevine varieties for the production of white wines

Improved detection, mealybug transmission and prevalence of grapevine Roditis leaf discoloration-associated virus in Greek vineyards

AbstractGrapevine Roditis leaf discoloration-associated virus (GRLDaV) is a member of the species Badnavirus decoloratiovitis in the genus Badnavirus that was recently identified in grapevine using high throughput sequencing. In this study, a large-scale survey was conducted to monitor the prevalence of the virus in major viticultural areas of Greece. A total of 970 samples were collected from vines and molecularly analysed using PCR assays targeting two regions of the virus genome. GRLDaV was detected in 8 geographic areas of Greece, showing high frequency in southern and central Greece and an overall prevalence of 17.1%. GRLDaV was identified mainly in autochthonous grapevine varieties, and it showed higher frequency in the self-rooted ones, especially in the geographic region of the Cyclades islands. In transmission tests conducted using Planococcus ficus (Signoret) and 48 h acquisition access period (AAP) and inoculation access period (IAP), the virus was transmitted with an efficiency of 14.3% (3/21 grapevines). Finally, electron microscopy revealed the bacilliform morphology of GRLDaV virions, thus further confirming its episomal infection.

Enhancement of the Tuscan grapevine germplasm: Nocchianello Bianco and Nocchianello Nero cultivars

As part of a decades-long project to safeguard the viticultural biodiversity in the wine-growing district of Pitigliano (Tuscany, Italy), the research activity carried out made it possible to rediscover two valuable autochthonous grapevine varieties, otherwise doomed to extinction: Nocchianello Bianco (whiteberried) and Nocchianello Nero (black-berried). Both the cultivars were thoroughly characterized at the genetic, phenological, and ampelographic levels, as well as the yield and grape quality were evaluated. Thanks to the results obtained, Nocchianello Bianco and Nocchianello Nero were officially reintroduced in the local and regional winemaking scenario, following the registration in the Italian Catalogue of Grapevine Varieties and the addition to the list of grapevine varieties suitable for cultivation in Tuscany.

Genetic Diversity of Armenian Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) Germplasm: Molecular Characterization and Parentage Analysis.

Simple SummaryThe knowledge of genetic diversity and relatedness among grapevine varieties is important for recognizing gene pools. One of the major goals of the present large-scale study was to evaluate the level and relationships of existing genetic diversity across Armenia, aiming to identify genotypes that could provide genetic insights into the Armenian grapevine germplasm structure. A combination of nuclear microsatellite markers and ampelography proved useful to determine the identity of collected samples recovered from old vineyards and home gardens. Synonyms, homonyms, alternative spellings, and misnomers were clarified. First-degree genetic relationships between autochthonous varieties were partly uncovered. Missing parents might still exist in old vineyards but were not sampled yet or might have disappeared over time. The continuation of prospections to fill that gap is planned. The high number of new bred varieties included in the study reflects the enormous breeding activity in Armenia. The high number of alleles, high level of observed and effective heterozygosity, and presence of female APT3-allele 366, which is absent in western European cultivars, illustrate the huge diversity of the Armenian germplasm. Presumably, these findings are related to recurrent introgression of Vitis sylvestris into the cultivated compartment during domestication events. So far, the present study is the first most representative and comprehensive analysis of Armenian grape germplasm.Armenia is an important country of origin of cultivated Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera and wild Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris and has played a key role in the long history of grape cultivation in the Southern Caucasus. The existence of immense grapevine biodiversity in a small territory is strongly linked with unique relief and diverse climate conditions assembled with millennium-lasting cultural and historical context. In the present in-depth study using 25 nSSR markers, 492 samples collected in old vineyards, home gardens, and private collections were genotyped. For verification of cultivar identity, the symbiotic approach combining genotypic and phenotypic characterization for each genotype was carried out. The study provided 221 unique varieties, including 5 mutants, from which 66 were widely grown, neglected or minor autochthonous grapevine varieties, 49 turned out to be new bred cultivars created within the national breeding programs mainly during Soviet Era and 34 were non-Armenian varieties with different countries of origin. No references and corresponding genetic profiles existed for 67 genotypes. Parentage analysis was performed inferring 62 trios with 53 out of them having not been previously reported and 185 half-kinships. Instability of grapevine cultivars was detected, showing allelic variants, with three and in rare cases four alleles at one loci. Obtained results have great importance and revealed that Armenia conserved an extensive grape genetic diversity despite geographical isolation and low material exchange. This gene pool richness represents a huge reservoir of under-explored genetic diversity.

Grapevine (<i>Vitis vinifera</i> L.) varietal assortment and evolution in the Marche region (central Italy)

Italy is one of the richest countries in terms of grapevine varietal assortment, and the Marche region in central Italy has an ancient winegrowing tradition. Increasing interest in autochthonous grapevine varieties prompted efforts to recover and identify local minor germplasm also in this region, and to search for pedigree relationships and determine the evolution of varietal assortment. In the present study this was done using nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite markers and SNP markers from the Vitis18kSNP chip. Eighteen new genotypes were found, of which seventeen belonged to well-known, less known and even unknown vines found to be specific to the Marche region. The rearranged pedigree highlighted the complex intertwining relationships between Marche varieties. Second-degree relationships were also derived. Some minor Marche varieties have increased the number of parent-offspring related members of Garganega, Sangiovese, Crepolino/Visparola and Sciaccarello, which are varieties already recognised as founders or recurrent parents of many Italian cultivars. Crepolino/Visparola was shown to be a key variety in the evolution of the Marche varietal assortment, having played the role of parent and grandparent, as explained by the presence of this genotype in the region in ancient times. Surprisingly, Semidano, a well-known Sardinian variety, played a clear role as parent or grandparent of three minor Marche varieties, testifying to its presence in central Italy in ancient times. Incrocio Bruni 54 was confirmed as an offspring of Sauvignon and Verdicchio, as declared by the breeder. The parentage of Lacrima was completed: this variety was found to be a spontaneous cross between Nera Rada and Aleatico.A dendrogram of genetic similarity clearly resembled the groups defined with the pedigree reconstruction and it gave an indication of the genetic similarity of the varieties excluded from the strictest parentage links.

Assessment of Nutritional and Quality Properties of Leaves and Musts in Three Local Spanish Grapevine Varieties Undergoing Controlled Climate Change Scenarios.

The market demand together with the need for alternatives to withstand climate change led to the recovery of autochthonous grapevine varieties. Under climate change, the summer pruning of vineyards may lead to an increase of vegetative residuals of nutritional and medicinal interest. The objectives of our study were (1) to evaluate the nutritional properties of the leaves of three local Spanish grapevines (Tinto Velasco, TV, Pasera, PAS, and Ambrosina, AMB) when grown under climate change conditions, and (2) to test the potentiality of these grapevines as suitable candidates to be cultivated under climate change scenarios based on the quality of their must. Experimental assays were performed with fruit-bearing cuttings grown in temperature gradient greenhouses that simulate rising CO2 (700 μmol mol−1) and warming (ambient temperature +4 °C), either acting alone or in combination. TV and AMB were the most and the least affected by air temperature and CO2 concentration, respectively. The interaction of elevated CO2 with high temperature induced the accumulation of proteins and phenolic compounds in leaves of TV, thus enhancing their nutritional properties. In PAS, the negative effect of high temperature on protein contents was compensated for by elevated CO2. Warming was the most threatening scenario for maintaining the must quality in the three varieties, but elevated CO2 exerted a beneficial effect when acting alone and compensated for the negative effects of high temperatures. While TV may be a candidate to be cultivated in not very warm areas (higher altitudes or colder latitudes), PAS behaved as the most stable genotype under different environmental scenarios, making it the most versatile candidate for cultivation in areas affected by climate change.

Effects of Rootstocks on Blade Nutritional Content of Two Minority Grapevine Varieties Cultivated under Hyper-Arid Conditions in Northern Chile

In the 90s, as in other countries, transformation of Chilean viticulture brought about the introduction and spread of European grapevine varieties which has resulted in a massive loss of minor local and autochthonous grapevine varieties traditionally grown in several wine growing regions. Fortunately, in recent years, autochthonous and minority varieties have been revalued due to their high tolerance to pests and diseases and because of their adaptation to thermal and water stress triggered by global warming. In this study, we assessed the nutritional status of two autochthonous grapevines grafted onto four different rootstocks under the hyper-arid climatic conditions of Northern Chile over three consecutive seasons. The results showed that R32 rootstock induced high N, P, Ca, Mg and Mn levels in blades compared to Harmony rootstock. R32 rootstock and to a lesser extent, 1103 Paulsen and 140 Ruggeri rootstocks kept balanced levels of nutrients in blades collected from Moscatel Amarilla and Moscatel Negra grapevine varieties. Additionally, Harmony presented slight nutritional imbalance compared to the rest of studied rootstocks due to its low absorption of Mg, Mn, Ca and P, and its high K absorption, which was exacerbated under warm weather and salinity soil conditions. These results may provide a basis for specific cultivar/rootstock/site combinations, a nutritional guide for the viticulturists of Northern Chile, and options to diversify their production favoring the use of minority and autochthonous varieties that adapt well to hyper-arid conditions of Northern Chile.

Prevalence and genetic variability of grapevine virus A in Turkish autochthonous grapevine varieties.

This work describes the first molecular characterization of grapevine virus A (GVA) in Turkish grapevine varieties based on the coat protein gene. RT-PCR detection revealed a high infection rate of GVA in two major viticultural areas, Eastern Mediterranean (EM) and Southeast Anatolia (SEA). The number of infected varieties was higher in SEA, where very ancient and traditional cultivars are in use and no foreign grapevine material has been introduced. High nucleotide and amino acid sequence similarity were seen between the Turkish GVA isolates and the reference isolates in group I and II. The viral isolates from the same location and cultivars were not phylogenetically related.

Sanitation of Autochthonous Grapevine Varieties from Algeria by Chemotherapy

Several grapevine viruses were reported in Algeria and especially in grapevine germplasm collection, therefore it is a great challenge to free these varieties from virus infection before any breeding programs. Our study focused on the development of chemotherapy on autochthonous varieties collected in the grapevine germplasm collection of ITAFV. All these varieties were tested by DAS-ELISA and the presence of GLRaV-3 and GFLV was confirmed in all used samples for the sanitation. After 8 weeks of shoot tips in vitro culture in a modified M S medium containing ribavirin, DAS-ELISA test revealed that GLRaV-3 was completely eliminated and GFLV to a significant rate.

Unraveling the genetic origin of \u2018Glera\u2019, \u2018Ribolla Gialla\u2019 and other autochthonous grapevine varieties from Friuli Venezia Giulia (northeastern Italy)

‘Glera’ and ‘Ribolla Gialla’ are the most economically relevant local grapevine cultivars of Friuli Venezia Giulia region (north-eastern Italy). ‘Glera’ is used to produce the world-renowned Prosecco wine. ‘Ribolla Gialla’ cultivation is constantly increasing due to the strong demand for sparkling wine and is the most important variety in Brda (Slovenia). Knowledge of local varieties history in terms of migration and pedigree relationships has scientific and marketing appeal. Following prospections, genotyping and ampelographic characterization of minor germplasm in Friuli Venezia Giulia, a further research was developed to understand the parentage relationships among the grapevine varieties grown in this region. An integrated strategy was followed combining the analysis of nuclear and chloroplast microsatellites with the Vitis 18k SNP chip. Two main recurrent parents were found, which can be regarded as “founders”: ‘Vulpea’, an Austrian variety parent-offspring related with at least ten Friuli Venezia Giulia cultivars, among them ‘Glera’, and ‘Refosco Nostrano’, first degree related with other six Friuli Venezia Giulia varieties. ‘Ribolla Gialla’ was shown to be another member of the impressively long list of offspring derived from the prolific ‘Heunisch Weiss’. Combining molecular markers and historical references was a high-performance strategy for retracing and adjusting the history of cultivars.

Autochthonous Georgian and Dagestan grapevine varieties on the collection in the Rostov region

The purpose of the research was to study 8 Georgian and 3 Dagestan technical autochthonous grapevine varieties and identify the most productive and promising ones for high-quality winemaking in the Rostov region. The research was conducted in 2016-2019 at Don ampelographic collection named after Ya.I. Potapenko (Novocherkassk, Russia) according to generally accepted methods and state Standards in viticulture. Don autochthonous varieties Sibirkovyij and Krasnostop zolotovskij were used as controls. The soil - ordinary Chernozem carbonate. All the studied varieties had a high percentage of bud break (from 69.3% in Hotsa tsibil to 81.2% in Mahbor tsibil). The fruiting coefficient of 1.0 or more was observed in 6 varieties. The average weight of a bunch varied from 74 g (Mudzhuretuli) to 459 g (Adreuli shavi). The estimated yield was very high for the varieties – Adreuli shavi and Nakutvneuli, high – Goruli mtsvane, Hotsa tsibil, medium – Latsu kere, Grdzelmtevana, Grubela, Amlakhu, Sibirkovyij, Vernakhi and Krasnostop zolotovskij. Grapevine varieties – Goruli mtsvane, Grdzelmtevana, Grubela, Latsu kere, Hotsa tsibil, Nakutvneuli were selected as prospective due to agronomic traits and high quality of wine. These varieties are also recommended to be used in breeding for creating varieties with high technological properties for high-quality winemaking.

Resurgence of minority and autochthonous grapevine varieties in South America: a review of their oenological potential.

In contrast with the general trend of producing wine from the most famous grapevine varieties, associated with the French paradigm, such as Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, there is a tendency to revalorize and preserve minority or autochthonous grapevine varieties worldwide. The South American wine region, where most of the varieties derived from varieties brought after European colonization, is not exempt from this. This has allowed new wines to be provided with distinctive identities that are markedly different from the current homogeneous wine production. Moreover, varietal homogenization increases vineyard genetic vulnerability in relation to the emergence of grapevine diseases, to which the commonly cultivated varieties are not resistant. This review summarizes the oenological potential of minority or autochthonous grapevine varieties cultivated within the South American wine region, focusing on Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Terroir and typicity of Carignan from Maule Valley (Chile): the resurgence of a minority variety

Carignan is one of those minor cultivars that have had a major resurgence in the Chilean wine industry, and its production is sold at a price well above the national average. This variety, together with other autochthonous grapevine varieties, makes up a unique heritage in Chilean winemaking, which has given a new identity to the country on the world wine scene. Chilean viticulture is based on the production of the most recognized grapevine varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc. However, this has caused a massive loss of minority and autochthonous grapevine varieties in certain wine growing regions. Thus, this review summarizes the effects of terroir of the Maule Valley on the typicity of Carignan. Carignan grapevines growing in the sites closer to the Pacific Ocean, such as Truquilemu and Ciénaga de Name, present a high concentration of several amino acids and volatile compounds in grapes and wines, while Carignan grapevines growing in the sites further east, towards the Andes Mountains, provide grapes and wines with a high alcohol and phenolic concentration. Therefore, Maule Valley provides unique edaphoclimatic conditions that allow differences in the composition and style of the Carignan wines.

Distribution and population diversity of Australian grapevine viroid (AGVd) in Turkish autochthonous grapevine varieties

Several viroid species have been reported to infect grapevine in Turkey and there has been not much about their genetic diversity, except Australian grapevine viroid (AGVd, genus Apscaviroid, family Pospiviridae). The viroid was recently detected in Turkish vineyards with very little information about its variability. Therefore, the autochthonous grapevine varieties in two major grape-growing areas in Turkey, i.e. the Eastern Mediterranean and the Southeast Anatolia regions were tested for the prevalance and genetic diversity. The presence of AGVd in the autochthonous varieties was verified by RT-PCR. The incidence of AGVd infection was relatively low in both regions due to self-rooted nature of the plants in the areas. Comparative analysis of local AGVd isolates from these native varieties was performed with viroidal genome sequences from NCBI database. Consequently, AGVd populations in Turkey contained five major sequence variants consisting of three varieties. Four variants had minor sequence variations while one was remarkably diverse.

Screening of some Croatian autochthonous grapevine varieties reveals a multitude of viruses, including novel ones.

Next-generation sequencing of total RNA samples from four Croatian autochthonous grapevine varieties revealed the presence of a novel virus in two grapevine accessions. The complete genome sequence of a novel virus, tentatively named "grapevine badnavirus 1" (GBV-1), was reconstructed from a de novo-assembled contig. GBV-1 has a genome of 7,145 nucleotides containing three ORFs with sequence similarity to other badnaviruses. In addition, several other viruses and viroids, including grapevine virus G, grapevine virus K/D, grapevine virus T, grapevine Roditis leaf discoloration-associated virus, grapevine yellow speckle viroids 1 and 2, and hop stunt viroid were detected and identified for the first time in Croatian grapevines in the course of this study.

Evaluation of eno-carpological traits in Georgian grapevine varieties from Skra germplasm repository

Eno-carpological traits were evaluated in twenty one colored and fifteen white Georgian autochthonous grapevine varieties grown in the Skra Germplasm Repository, during two years (2012 and 2013). Mostly of the studied accessions were minor varieties originated from various Georgian provinces. The spectrophotometric method proposed in the framework of the COST action FA1003 has been adopted for total anthocyanin and polyphenol analyses in skin and seed extracts. The obtained results showed that the content of phenolic compounds as well as other eno-carpological parameters varies greatly according to the variety. In general, the total phenol contents ranged from 546.7 to 2818.4 mg∙kg-1 of grape, and anthocyanins varied from 49.5 to 2826.6 mg∙kg-1 of grape. The highest content of total phenolics and total anthocyanins was found in the variety 'Saperavi Budeshuriseburi'.

Research of origin and work on clonal selection of Montenigrin grapevine varieties cv. vranac and cv. kratosija

Viticulture production and winemaking of Montenegro are mostly based on growing of autochthonous grapevine varieties. Besides Vranac variety, Kratosija variety takes a significant place in Montenegrin autochthonous grapevine varieties. According to many literature data, Kratosija is an autochthonous grapevine variety whose origin and cultivation started earlier than with Vranac variety. Because of its heterogeneity, it is not so much represented in Montenegrin vineyards and it is mostly found in combination with Vranac variety. The research results about the origin of Vranac variety are shown in this paper. Furthermore, genetic identification which approved originality of Vranac variety is shown and it has also been approved that autochthonous variety Kratosija has the same genetic profile as cv. Zinfandel. The paper presents multi-annual results of examination of variability of their populations and work on clonal selection. Mother vines were selected and vineyards of pre-base and base category of Vranac variety potential clones were planted. The results achieved, in view of manifesting agro-biological, economic and technological characteristics, point to the need for further work on clonal selecton of these grapevine varieties.

Evolution of flavonoids in Mouratón berries taken from both bunch halves

Galicia (N.W. Spain) is a Spanish region with several old-traditional winegrowing areas. There are autochthonous grapevine varieties, such as Vitis vinifera L. cv. Mouratón, considered a biodiversity resource in viticulture and an opportunity for Galician sustainable wine production.Therefore, it is necessary to assess the potential of traditional cultivars to produce quality red wines. In this work, anthocyanin and flavonol evolution was followed in red berries from V. vinifera L. cv. Mouratón. The novelty of this study is that grapes were separately collected from two different positions (tips and shoulders) within the cluster, over ripening to examine the effects of berry position within the fruit cluster on the flavonoid compounds. Derivatives of five anthocyanins (malvidin, peonidin, petunidin, delphinidin and cyanidin) and derivatives of six flavonols (quercetin, myricetin, kaempherol, laricitrin isorhamnetin and syringetin) were detected in both positions within the cluster. Dynamic of anthocyanins (from 819mg/kg to 1206mg/kg in tips; and from 786mg/kg to 1077mg/kg in shoulders) and dynamic of flavonols (from 25mg/kg to 41mg/kg in tips; and from 18mg/kg to 21mg/kg in shoulders) confirmed their upward trends over ripening. Grapes located inside the shoulder bunch receive less sunlight radiation than those located inside the tip bunch and this fact could explain the different accumulation observed for both positions. These results can be useful for winemakers in order to obtain different final red wine quality.

A preliminary study on changes in phenolic content during Bianchetta Trevigiana winemaking

Autochthonous grapevine varieties are considered a biodiversity resource in viticulture and an opportunity for Italian sustainable wine production. In this study, the ancient white wine variety Bianchetta Trevigiana, considered part of the agricultural history of the Veneto region, was vinified alone, with or without maceration, in order to better understand its technological and organoleptic characteristics, with the overall objective of valorising and re-evaluating it. The evolution of phenols—compounds that are very important for the organoleptic and technological profile of wine—was monitored during the winemaking process. Results show that contact with grape skins and seeds enhance phenol extraction and produces must and wine with higher concentrations of these compounds. Moreover, it was found that the concentration of flavanols in Bianchetta Trevigiana is similar or even higher than that of red wines.

Comparison of the effects of different virus infections on performance of three Majorcan grapevine cultivars in field conditions

The effects of viruses on grape production and must quality are not fully understood. In this study, the evaluation of the impact of different virus infections on performance of the main autochthonous grapevine varieties of Mallorca (Callet, Manto Negro and Moll) was pursued. Therefore, a large number of vines were observed in field conditions over 4 years and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for viruses listed by the international certification programmes. In each variety, some specific virus infections resulted to be more effective than the others in inducing losses in production. In Callet, yield (Y) reduction was over 20% in plants infected by Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV). In Moll, plants subject to more than one infection showed over 40% Y decrease. In Manto Negro, the most surprising results were obtained, because plants showed almost 40% Y reduction because of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus-1 (GLRaV-1) infection. In addition, virus infections were linked to some must quality parameter increase in Manto Negro and Moll, but in the majority of cases it was an indirect effect, because the decrease in production parameters played a predominant role by producing an important concentration effect. However, in Manto Negro, anthocyanin content decrease was directly related to GFLV infection.