2 - Vine varieties Flashcards
What are individual grapevine cultivars commonly called?
Individual grapevine cultivars are commonly called varieties.
How many known grapevine varieties are used for wine production?
There are at least 1,500 known grapevine varieties used for wine production.
What is the significance of grapevine clones?
Clones are subdivisions of grapevine varieties with different attributes, such as disease resistance, yield, ripening time, color, and berry size.
How are new grapevine clones produced?
New clones are produced by selecting vines with desirable characteristics, taking cuttings, planting them, and repeating the process over several generations until the desired attributes are exaggerated.
What factors determine the approval and release of new grapevine clones to commercial growers?
New clones must grow to maturity, prove themselves over several vintages, and undergo clonal trials conducted by research institutes and universities before being approved and released.
What is the concept of ‘mass selection’ (sélection massale) in grapevine clones?
Mass selection involves sourcing scion wood from a vineyard with a history of producing good wines, and using it to graft new vines, thus maintaining mixed clones and preserving the diversity of the vineyard.
What are chimeras in the context of grapevines?
Chimeras, also known as sports or bud sports, are mutations in grapevines that result in abnormal shoots, leaves, flowers, or fruit, potentially leading to new varieties through clonal selection.
How are completely new grapevine varieties produced?
New grapevine varieties are produced by cross-breeding, taking pollen from one variety and using it to pollinate another, resulting in seeds that grow into unique varieties.
What are the main challenges of producing new grapevine varieties through cross-breeding?
The main challenges are the uncertainty of outcomes, the long time required to produce meaningful results, and the difficulty of gaining acceptance for new variety names.
What is the primary reason for producing new cross-bred grapevine varieties today?
The primary reason is to develop disease and virus-resistant cultivars that can be grown with minimal chemical treatments, improving sustainability in viticulture.
What is DNA profiling and how is it used in grapevine cultivation?
DNA profiling is the process of genetically analyzing grapevines to determine their parentage, helping to identify and understand the origins of different varieties.
What is the goal of the International Grape Genome Program (IGGP)?
The goal of the IGGP is to understand the genetic and molecular basis of biological processes in grapevines, enabling the development of new cultivars with improved quality and reduced environmental impact.
