Digitalization and valorization of the genotypic and phenotypic information retained within the FEM grapevine germplasm

To alter the vineyard microclimate and produce quality wine under a semi-arid climate, black geotextile inter-row mulch (M) was applied for two vintages (2016-2017). The grapes were sampled at three growing stages to conduct the untargeted metabolome and transcriptome analysis. The upregulated genes related to photosynthesis and heat shock proteins confirmed that M weakened the total light exposure and grapes suffered severe heat stress, resulting in lower sugar and higher acids at harvest. The integration of metabolome and transcriptome analysis identified the key genes responsible for the enhancements in phenylalanine, glutamine, ornithine, arginine, and C6 alcohol concentrations, and the downward trend in ε-viniferin, anthocyanins, flavonols, terpenes and norisoprenoids concentrations in M grapes.

Aims: Shiraz is the most widely cultivated grape variety in Australia, and is grown under a range of viticultural and climatic conditions. Given its importance to the Australian wine sector, a number of studies have been conducted in recent years which involved a comprehensive assessment of grape composition, in order to objectively predict wine quality and style outcomes.

Grapevine yield has been historically overlooked, assuming a strong trade-off between grape yield and wine quality. At present, menaced by climate change, many vineyards in Southern France are far from the quality label threshold, becoming grapevine yield-gaps a major subject of concern. Although yield-gaps are well studied in arable crops, we know very little about grapevine yield-gaps. In the present study, we analysed the environmental component of grapevine yield-gaps linked to climate and soil resources in the Languedoc Roussillon. We used SAFRAN data and IGP Pays d’Oc wine yields from 2010 to 2018. We selected climate and soil indicators proving to have a significant effect on average wine yield-gaps at the municipality scale. The most significant factors of grapevine yield were the Soil Available Water Capacity; followed by the Huglin Index and the Climatic Dryness Index. The Days of Frost; the Soil pH; and the Very Hot Days were also significant. Then, we clustered geographical zones presenting similar indicators, facilitating the identification of resources yield-gaps. We discussed the number of zones with the experts of IGP Pays d’Oc label, obtaining 7 zones with similar limitations for grapevine yield. Finally, we analysed the main resources causing yield-gaps and the grapevine varieties planted on each zone. Mapping grapevine resource yield-gaps are the first stage for understanding grapevine yield-gaps at the regional scale.

The development and application of CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas (CRISPR-associated protein) technologies have revolutionized genome editing in plants due to its simplicity, high efficiency, and versatility. As an economically important fruit crop worldwide, grapevine genome editing using CRISPR/Cas technologies has also been reported these years. Here we introduce the development briefly of the most popular CRISPR/Cas9 system and also the state-of-the-art CRISPR technologies developed so far. Moreover, we summarize CRISPR/Cas9-mediated applications for gene functional study and trait improvement in grapevine.

Recent developments in satellite technology have yielded a substantial volume of data, providing a foundation for various machine learning approaches. These applications, utilizing extensive datasets, offer valuable insights into Earth’s conditions. Examples include climate change analysis, risk and damage assessment, water quality evaluation, and crop monitoring. Our study focuses on exploiting satellite thermal and multispectral imaging, and vegetation indexes, such as NDVI, in conjunction with ground truth information about soil type, land usage (forest, urban, crop cultivation), and irrigation water sources in the Trentino region in North-East of Italy.