Identification of loci associated with specialised metabolites in Vitis vinifera

Botanist Andreas Raphael Wolny collected a grapevine herbarium from 1812-1824 in Sremski Karlovci (wine region of Vojvodina, Serbia), which represents local cultivated grapevine diversity before the introduction of grape phylloxera in the region. The herbarium comprises over 100 samples organized into two subcollections based on berry colour (red and white varieties), totaling 47 different grape varieties. The objective of this study was to investigate the historical varietal assortment of Balkan and Pannonian winegrowing areas with long viticulture traditions.

The seminar will examine the complexities and prospects of genomic research on Vitis species, characterize by exceptionally high heterozygosity and common interspecific gene flow. The seminar will showcase case studies highlighting the critical role of diploid genome references in grape research, specifically in areas such as aroma development, disease resistance, and domestication traits. It will also address the emerging focus on pangenomes within the Vitis genus, particularly in the context of genetic studies on naturally interbreeding populations.

Climate change is altering water balances, thereby compromising water availability for crops. In grapevine, the strategic selection of genotypes more tolerant to soil water deficit can improve the resilience of the vineyard under this scenario. Previous studies demonstrated that root anatomical and morphological traits determine vine performance under water deficit conditions. Therefore, 13 ungrafted rootstock genotypes, 6 commercial (420 A, 41 B, Evex 13-5, Fercal, 140 Ru y 110 R), and 7 from new breeding programs (RG2, RG3, RG4, RG7, RG8, RG9 and RM2) were evaluated in pots during 2021 and 2022.

Red grape pomace can be an important source of polysaccharides, but currently they are little studied and even less with viable and environmental extraction processes (green extraction). These green techniques must be able to break the cell wall so that the compounds contained in the cells, including polysaccharides, are released and can have a great influence on extraction yields, the chemical structure of polysaccharides and applications in wines. Amongst the emerging green techniques most applied to the extraction of bioactive compounds, such as polysaccharides, high-power ultrasound (US) and enzyme-assisted extraction stand out.

Domesticated grapes are assumed to have originated in the Middle East. However, a considerable number of species are native in East Asian countries such as China, Korea and Japan as well. Evidence suggests that a total of seven species and eight varieties have been found to be native to Japan. A wide level variation in morphology, genetic and fruit composition exist in wild grape native to Japan.