DNA-free editing to improve stress resilience of wine grape genotypes recalcitrant-to-regeneration

Wine yeast strains Saccharomyces ellipsoideus have important applications in food industry and in this regard is sought isolation as pure cultures and selecting those strains

Addressing the opportunities and challenges of genomics methods in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) requires the development of a comprehensive and accurate reference genome and annotation. We aimed to create a new gene annotation for the PN40024 grapevine reference genome by integrating the highly accurate and complete T2T assembly and the manually curated PN40024.v4 annotation. Here, we present a novel workflow to enhance the annotation of the T2T genome by incorporating past community input found in PN40024.v4. The pipeline’s containerization will improve the workflow’s reproducibility and flexibility, facilitating its inclusion as a shared workflow on the Grapedia portal, the grapevine genomics encyclopedia.

The selection, characterization, and recruitment of autochthonous yeast strains to drive the alcoholic fermentation process is a highly researched practice because it allows the differentiation of the organoleptic properties of wines, assuring process standardization, reducing fermentation times and improving the quality and safety of the final products [1, 2]. Sparkling wines are “special wines” obtained by secondary fermentation of the base wine. ​In the traditional method (Champenoise method), the re-fermentation takes place in the bottle after the addition to the base wine of the so-called tirage solution. This step, also known as prise de mousse, is followed by an aging period characterized by the release of compounds from the yeast cells that affect the organoleptic properties of the final product. The use of autochthonous yeasts as starter cultures for secondary fermentation is one of the recent innovations proposed to enhance and differentiate these wines’ sensory quality [3,4]. Apulia is the second Italian wine-producing region, and its productive chain is now going through a qualitative evolution by implementing the employment of innovative approaches to exalt the peculiar properties of regional wines.

Oxidative stability is a critical factor in maintaining wine quality during its shelf-life. SO₂ is commonly added to wine due to its strong antioxidant activity, although there is a general push to reduce SO₂ use in vinification.

Rootstocks play a key role in the adaptation of grapevine to environmental conditions, affecting phenology, vigour, yield and grape quality.