Grapevine Genetics Research Articles

MICROBIAL DIVERSITY ON GRAPE SURFACE AND ITS RESEARCH STATUS

The microbial diversity of grape surfaces, also known as "microbial terroir", plays a critical role in winemaking and has applications in crop health and plant protection. Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized our understanding of grape surface microbiota by providing insights into the complex and dynamic microbial communities present on grape berries. NGS studies have confirmed the existence of distinct regional differences in grape surface microbial diversity, highlighting the concept of microbial terroir. This diversity is influenced by various natural and human factors, such as soil type, climate, vineyard management practices, and grapevine genetics, which contribute to the unique microbial terroir of each location. The application of NGS in studying microbial terroir has not only advanced our knowledge of grape and wine science, but also has implications in crop health and plant protection. The identification and characterization of microbial communities using NGS can help to develop sustainable and eco-friendly strategies for managing grapevine diseases and pests. The ongoing research in this area is expected to further expand our understanding of microbial terroir and its applications, contributing to the advancement of grape and wine science, and promoting environmentally responsible grape production practices. Based on bibliometric analysis, the current research focuses on the selection autochthonous S. cerevisiae, non-Saccharomyces and LAB. Plant growth-promoting bacteria considered as a new agroecological manageme. Interest in the role of natural microbial diversity in winemaking remains high.

Application of DNA markers in molecular breeding and genetic studies of grapevine

DNA technology has increasingly become more and more important over last years. They can be used to improve the breeding of agricultural plants. Grapevine is one of the oldest and most important cultured plants. This article presents a review of the world’s main achievements in grapevine genetics and markerassisted selection after the Vitis genome sequence. The process of creating new forms of grapes, as well as all crops, is based on the use of existing genetic diversity. For this reason, the problem of a detailed study of the gene pool of the genus Vitis, wild populations and varieties created by men during the long cultivation history of this crop becomes more and more important every year. The genome of Vitis vinifera L. is the fourth sequenced nuclear genome of higher plants. A number of genes and quantitative trait loci were identified and mapped by various research groups, and so were sets of DNA markers for the genes of economically valuable traits. The genes for resistance to the most harmful fungal pathogens Plasmopara vitikola, Erysiphe necator are the most studied. Advancements in genetic mapping and the use of DNA markers in traditional breeding made it possible to refine the genetic mechanism of seedlessness, an important trait in the breeding of table grapes. The study of the genetic control of the content of substances that determine the organoleptic properties of wines has also progressed. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) is used in practice increasingly. Markers associated with disease resistance genes currently used for elimination of susceptible seedlings at the initial stage of large-scale breeding programs carried out in Germany, Italy and the United States. Thus, advances in molecular biology of grapevines creates a conducive situation for active use of DNA-marker technology in this culture.

Identification of stable QTLs for vegetative and reproductive traits in the microvine (Vitis vinifera L.) using the 18 K Infinium chip

BackgroundThe increasing temperature associated with climate change impacts grapevine phenology and development with critical effects on grape yield and composition. Plant breeding has the potential to deliver new cultivars with stable yield and quality under warmer climate conditions, but this requires the identification of stable genetic determinants. This study tested the potentialities of the microvine to boost genetics in grapevine. A mapping population of 129 microvines derived from Picovine x Ugni Blanc flb, was genotyped with the Illumina® 18 K SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) chip. Forty-three vegetative and reproductive traits were phenotyped outdoors over four cropping cycles, and a subset of 22 traits over two cropping cycles in growth rooms with two contrasted temperatures, in order to map stable QTLs (Quantitative Trait Loci).ResultsTen stable QTLs for berry development and quality or leaf area were identified on the parental maps. A new major QTL explaining up to 44 % of total variance of berry weight was identified on chromosome 7 in Ugni Blanc flb, and co-localized with QTLs for seed number (up to 76 % total variance), major berry acids at green lag phase (up to 35 %), and other yield components (up to 25 %). In addition, a minor QTL for leaf area was found on chromosome 4 of the same parent. In contrast, only minor QTLs for berry acidity and leaf area could be found as moderately stable in Picovine. None of the transporters recently identified as mutated in low acidity apples or Cucurbits were included in the several hundreds of candidate genes underlying the above berry QTLs, which could be reduced to a few dozen candidate genes when a priori pertinent biological functions and organ specific expression were considered.ConclusionsThis study combining the use of microvine and a high throughput genotyping technology was innovative for grapevine genetics. It allowed the identification of 10 stable QTLs, including the first berry acidity QTLs reported so far in a Vitis vinifera intra-specific cross. Robustness of a set of QTLs was assessed with respect to temperature variation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12870-015-0588-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Editor’s choice: grapevine genetics are not just for researchers but also important to consumers

Editor’s choice: grapevine genetics are not just for researchers but also important to consumers Roger M Pinder International Journal of Wine Research, York, UKThe genetic profiling of Vitis vinifera species has long been a rather esoteric interest of researchers investigating the family relationships between different wine grapes, partly as a surer way of identification than the traditional study of vine leaves known as ampelography. Two recent publications, each examining more than 1000 wine grape varieties, have expanded the field not only for the academic researcher1 but also for the consumer.2 The first publication has already been discussed in an editorial in this journal,3 but the latter is a newly published tome of more than 1200 pages authored by two distinguished Masters of Wine from the UK, Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding, and by the academic researcher José Vouillamoz from the University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland , who is responsible for the Swiss Vitis Microsatellite Database (SVMD). The new book covers not only the genetics of wine grapes but also viticultural characteristics, places of cultivation, and the various wines and their taste. Some of these factors are more important to wine consumers than to researchers. species has long been a rather esoteric interest of researchers investigating the family relationships between different wine grapes, partly as a surer way of identification than the traditional study of vine leaves known as ampelography. Two recent publications, each examining more than 1000 wine grape varieties, have expanded the field not only for the academic researcher1 but also for the consumer.2 The first publication has already been discussed in an editorial in this journal,3 but the latter is a newly published tome of more than 1200 pages authored by two distinguished Masters of Wine from the UK, Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding, and by the academic researcher José Vouillamoz from the University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland , who is responsible for the Swiss Vitis Microsatellite Database (SVMD). The new book covers not only the genetics of wine grapes but also viticultural characteristics, places of cultivation, and the various wines and their taste. Some of these factors are more important to wine consumers than to researchers.

Grapevine genetics after the genome sequence: Challenges and limitations

The publication of the genome sequences of inbred grapevine plant PN40024 and the cultivar Pinot Noir has provided a new generation of molecular tools and has opened the way to functional genomics in grapevine. Establishing gene biological function is now a major challenge requiring the parallel development of molecular and genetic information. New massive pyrosequencing technologies will ensure no shortage of nucleotide sequence information. However, genetic analysis and genetic tools in grapevine still require additional development. Exploiting the existing natural genetic variation in Vitis vinifera L. and other inter-fertile Vitis species should be a priority to focus functional analyses on genes contributing to phenotypic variation because their genetic variation constitutes the basis for genetic improvement of classical cultivars and for the development of new ones. In this review, we discussed the current molecular and genetic tools available in grapevine and considered those that need to be developed to exploit natural genetic variation in the analyses of gene function. We also reviewed the scarce information on the genetic and molecular structure of relevant grapevine traits and proposed future directions.

Genealogy of wine grape cultivars: ‘Pinot’ is related to ‘Syrah’

Since the domestication of wild grapes ca 6000 years ago, numerous cultivars have been generated by spontaneous or deliberate crosses, and up to 10 000 are still in existence today. Just as in human paternity analysis, DNA typing can reveal unexpected parentage of grape cultivars. In this study, we have analysed 89 grape cultivars with 60 microsatellite markers in order to accurately calculate the identity-by-descent (IBD) and relatedness (r) coefficients among six putatively related cultivars from France ("Pinot", "Syrah" and "Dureza") and northern Italy ("Teroldego", "Lagrein" and "Marzemino"). Using a recently developed likelihood-based approach to analyse kinship in grapes, we provide the first evidence of a genetic link between grapes across the Alps: "Dureza" and "Teroldego" turn out to be full-siblings (FS). For the first time in grapevine genetics we were able to detect FS without knowing one of the parents and identify unexpected second-degree relatives. We reconstructed the most likely pedigree that revealed a third-degree relationship between the worldwide-cultivated "Pinot" from Burgundy and "Syrah" from the Rhone Valley. Our finding was totally unsuspected by classical ampelography and it challenges the commonly assumed independent origins of these grape cultivars. Our results and this new approach in grape genetics will (a) help grape breeders to avoid choosing closely related varieties for new crosses, (b) provide pedigrees of cultivars in order to detect inheritance of disease-resistance genes and (c) open the way for future discoveries of first- and second-degree relationships between grape cultivars in order to better understand viticultural migrations.