Armenia: historical origin of domesticated grapevine

Climate change and environmental degradation are existential threats to europe and the world. One of the most important objectives is to reduce by 2030 the use and the risk of chemical pesticides and fertilisers, reducing nutrient losses and increasing organic farming. Grapevine (vitis spp.) is one of the major and most economically important fruit crops worldwide. It is characterised by high levels of genetic diversity, as result of natural genetic mutations, which are common in grapevines and further assisted by ongoing vegetative propagation.

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is a challenging plant species to transform and regenerate due to its complex genome and biological characteristics. This limits the development of cisgenic and gene-edited varieties. One hurdle is selecting the best starting tissue for the transformation process, much like isolating suitable tissue for protoplasts. One promising method involves delivering crispr/cas components to protoplasts isolated from embryogenic calli, which are then induced to regenerate.

In recent years, the consumption of fine wines in Brazil has increased significantly, a phenomenon that is also reflected in the expansion of production to new regions. In the brazilian southeast for example, the so-called “winter wines” are being produced, through management in two cycles, one of formation and one of production, with two prunings and one harvest per year, a technique known as double pruning, with vineyards established at altitudes close to or above 1,000 m above sea level.

Organic viticulture integrates practices aimed at foresting positive relationships among, vines, soil, and climate, with a focus on sustainability, social responsibility, and environmental protection. To safeguard production integrity, regulatory bodies worldwide conduct organic certifications in accordance with relevant regulations. Considering that agriculture practices influence the nitrogen, carbon and oxygen isotope composition, the study aimed to investigate the response of these isotopes in grape must cultivated by organic, biodynamic and conventional methods to distinguish between production systems.

Most oxidation reactions in wine require iron as a catalyst. The iron content of wine has decreased greatly in recent decades due to the use of low or no release cellar materials; however, in some cases it is still necessary to adopt winemaking practices to remove excess iron from wine, prevent its oxidation, and be able to reduce the addition of sulfur dioxide and other antioxidants.