Grapevine Genetics: The Final Frontier

September is the best time to enjoy the majestic beauty of our vineyards. Regardless of your preference—wine, raisin, table or juice grapes—Mother Nature has provided a variety of berry shapes, sizes, colors, aromas and flavors to enjoy. The diversity of grape varieties results from the differences in their genetic code. Some of those differences evolved naturally, by virtue of pollen on the wind. Others were ushered in by grape breeders, eager to improve varieties for the betterment of the grape and wine industry.

For the members of the National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA), unlocking the genetic code of grapevines represents one of our most prized and promising research objectives.

NGRA is committed to strengthening the competitiveness of the US grape industry by establishing national research priorities and obtaining the funding necessary to conduct the work required to achieve them. Grapevine genetics is at the top of those priorities. We’re proud to have supported VitisGen and its two successor projects, which have provided molecular markers and other tools needed to create new grape varieties with improved disease resistance. The advances provided by VitisGen are significant, but more research is needed to address challenges such as emerging pests, environmental extremes and water scarcity.

The genetic improvement of plant materials offers a long-term, sustainable solution to these problems. It is therefore important to understand recent advances in grapevine genetics research. This was our goal when organizing the NGRA Grapevine Improvement Workshop, presented with the Department of Viticulture & Enology at UC Davis, to be held on November 5, 2025. The workshop will bring together research scientists from around the world to provide updates on advancements in grapevine genetics and the development of improved grape varieties and other tools for grapevine improvement. View the program and register here.

In the title of this column, we refer to grapevine genetics as the “final frontier,” in a nod to one definition of “frontier” as the farthermost limits of knowledge or achievement in a particular field. We consider genetics our final grape research frontier. Of the 30,000 genes typically found in a grapevine, only a handful have been fully characterized for their function. This knowledge provides the foundation for grapevine improvement, and the characterization of wild species is likely to be particularly useful for discovering new genes for important traits.

Commodity crops like corn and soybean have benefitted significantly from the characterization of their genomes, allowing plant breeders to identify the genes responsible for improved yield, disease resistance and other traits and incorporate them into new varieties. In contrast, the functional genomics of grapevine—that is, the link between grapevine genes and their function—is largely uncharted.

Functional genomics requires a multidisciplinary approach to linking grape variety genotypes—their genetic make-up determined by DNA sequencing—with their phenotypes—observable traits such as yield, berry color or disease resistance—which require careful measurement. This work is necessary to discover the genes responsible for grapevine pest and disease resistance, fruit development and composition, tolerance to environmental factors such as heat, cold and drought, and other important traits.

Attendees of our Grapevine Improvement Workshop will hear recent advances in grape genetics and biotechnology from leading US and international researchers. Topics include a review of grape genetic diversity, the genetic control of grape adaptation to environmental stresses, innovations in traditional breeding methods and the use of digital tools to assist with variety improvement. There also will be presentations on new gene discovery, precision breeding techniques and the application of RNAi for disease control, as well as an industry panel on the genetic improvement of commercially available horticultural crops using precision breeding techniques.

The formal development and selection of improved grapevine plant materials, both fruiting varieties and rootstocks, has been ongoing for hundreds of years. These efforts intensified following the introduction of phylloxera to Europe in the mid-1800s, as the need for pest resistant rootstocks became essential to the survival of the European wine industry. Traditional plant breeding methods have resulted in new and improved rootstocks and grape varieties currently in commercial use. And the work continues.

Table grapes offer an excellent example of how genetics can transform an industry. Traditional breeding methods have resulted in dramatic increases in table grape productivity and enhanced fruit quality attributes such as seedlessness, berry size, berry shape, color and flavor. It also has expanded market timing and improved post-harvest storage quality. These improvements have led to a steady increase in per-capita table grape consumption in the US over the last three decades. They also have led to the establishment of private breeding programs and wildly popular proprietary table grape varieties like Cotton Candy. Raisin and juice grapes have benefitted significantly from genetic improvement, too. The future impact of grapevine variety improvement via genetics appears limitless.

The members of NGRA are dedicated to advancing genetics and other solutions for the future growth and sustainability of the US grape industry. Please join us in November to explore this exciting final frontier and learn how it could shape the vineyard of the future.

The Grapevine Improvement Workshop Organizing Committee

September 2025