Short communications – Viticulture, table grapes, dried grapes and unfermented grape products

Sangiovese is one of Italy's most cultivated grape varieties, and currently, over 130 different clones are registered in the national register of grape varieties. However, despite the sangiovese genome having been re-sequenced, limited molecular and genomic information is still available for this cultivar. The present study investigates the complexity of genotype-environment interactions of ten different Sangiovese clones, cultivated in the Chianti Rufina DOCG district over five consecutive vintages (2016-2020).

A soil management and vine irrigation trial was carried out for 4 consecutive years from 2020 to 2023 at agroscope's experimental vineyard in leytron (Valais, Switzerland) with the Chasselas grape variety (clone 14-33/4, grafted on 5bb). Two types of soil maintenance (bare soil with chemical weeding and sown grass) coupled with two water regimes (with and without drip irrigation from flowering to veraison) were compared in a randomized design with four replicates of 10 vines each.

The biodiversity of cultivated vines has been significantly reduced due to a series of factors that have favoured the cultivation of a limited number of varieties and clones over time. In veneto, since 1980, a series of important actions have been implemented to counter this process. These actions have focused on the conservation of germplasm identified in the territory and the recovery of varieties historically present in the region, which were in danger of being abandoned and disappearing.

The Douro demarcated region constitutes just over 50% of the area of mountain vineyard in the world, i.e., vineyards with slope gradients of 30% or above. Among the different (terraced) vineyard layouts, the formerly preferred wider terraces supporting two rows of vines and the currently advocated narrower single vine row, dominate the vineyards’ planting layout. The slope of these terraces, in other words, the supporting earth ramp, is a key element in these vineyards’ construction.

Cell pluripotency, enables the possibility to change the cellular fate, stimulating the reorganization and the formation of new vegetative structures from differentiated somatic tissues. Although several factors are implicated in determining the success of a breeding program through the use of modern biotechnological techniques, the definition of a specific regeneration strategy is fundamental to speed up and make these applications feasible.

Italy has a long history of viticulture and has become one of the world's leading producers of vine propagation material. The Italian vine nursery industry is today highly qualified and has become highly competitive on a global scale. The quality of the material is guaranteed by compliance with European Union regulations, which have been in force since the second half of the 20th century and have subsequently been supplemented and updated.

Grapevine (vitis spp.) Is one of the major and most economically important fruit crops worldwide. Unlike other cropping systems, viticulture has ancient historical connections with the development of human culture and with the socio-cultural background of grape-growing areas. The vitis genus 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.

In 2022, the area cultivated with grapes in Brazil counted 75 thousand ha. About 1/2 of the grape production is located in rio grande do sul state, in South Brazil. Nonetheless, the northeast region, especially the Sao Francisco River Valley (SFRV), is increasing its area and production, mainly pushed by table grapes. The states of bahia and pernambuco already respond for circa 1/3 of brazilian grape production.