Genetic Diversity in Vitis sp.

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Genetics, Genomics and Breeding".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 August 2026) | Viewed by 1048

Editor


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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Viticulture, Department of Crop Science, School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Interests: viticulture; ampelography; genetic and phenotypic diversity; grapevine ecophysiology; clonal selection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The grapevine is a plant species with extremely high genetic diversity. The genus Vitis consists of both domesticated/cultivated grapevines and a wide array of wild species that collectively represent a vital source of genetic variability for viticulture. Exploring and conserving this diversity is fundamental to addressing current and emerging challenges, including climate change, evolving pest and pathogen pressures, and the demand for resilient cultivars producing high-quality grapes.

This upcoming Special Issue, “Genetic Diversity in Vitis sp.”, will bring together cutting-edge research and reviews that deepen our understanding of the genetic resources within the genus. We invite contributions focusing on, but not limited to, advances in genotyping and genomics; highlighting local and indigenous varieties which have adapted to local conditions; population genetics and domestication studies; genetic mapping of traits related to stress tolerance, disease resistance, and enological quality; and the role of wild Vitis species in broadening the genetic base of breeding programs. Studies addressing strategies for germplasm conservation and innovative breeding approaches are also encouraged. By gathering diverse perspectives and methodologies, this Special Issue aims to highlight the central role of genetic diversity in shaping the future of sustainable viticulture. We look forward to receiving contributions that will expand the knowledge and utilization of Vitis genetic resources worldwide.

Dr. Maritina Stavrakaki
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • grapevine
  • genetic diversity
  • indigenous varieties
  • clonal selection

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 1742 KB  
Article
Regional Genetic Signatures in Underrepresented Mediterranean Grapevine Germplasm: Comparative SSR Analysis Reveals Distinct Diversity Patterns in Greek, Moroccan, and Slovenian Landraces
by Barbara Pipan, Mohamed Neji, Georgios Merkouropoulos, Mohammed Ater, Lovro Sinkovič, Dimitrios Taskos, Salama El Fatehi, Nouhaila Dihaz, Theodora Pitsoli, Vladimir Meglič, Younes Hmimsa and Aliki Kapazoglou
Agriculture 2026, 16(13), 1380; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131380 - 24 Jun 2026
Viewed by 464
Abstract
Traditional Mediterranean grapevine landraces represent irreplaceable reservoirs of adaptive diversity, yet many regional germplasm pools remain poorly characterized, limiting conservation strategies and climate-resilient breeding. This study presents the first comparative genetic assessment of 154 local Vitis accessions from three historically interconnected but genomically [...] Read more.
Traditional Mediterranean grapevine landraces represent irreplaceable reservoirs of adaptive diversity, yet many regional germplasm pools remain poorly characterized, limiting conservation strategies and climate-resilient breeding. This study presents the first comparative genetic assessment of 154 local Vitis accessions from three historically interconnected but genomically underrepresented Mediterranean regions: Greece, Morocco, and Slovenia. Using 12 highly polymorphic nuclear SSR markers, we detected substantial genetic diversity (168 alleles; mean heterozygosity He = 0.881) with distinct regional signatures. Moroccan accessions exhibited the highest allelic richness and 11 private alleles, reflecting diverse agroecological adaptation. Slovenian germplasm formed a cohesive, genetically stable cluster with high effective allele numbers. Greek accessions exhibited the highest observed heterozygosity and 14 private alleles, consistent with the Aegean’s role as a major diversification hotspot. Despite >90% of variance occurring within individuals, AMOVA and pairwise FST (0.050–0.061) revealed low to moderate but significant geographic differentiation. Multivariate analyses (PCA, UPGMA) and Bayesian clustering (sNMF, K = 3) consistently resolved three regional genetic groups with varying admixture levels, consistent with a mosaic domestication model, as previously proposed for the Mediterranean basin, shaped by recurrent introductions, wild introgression, and region-specific selection. Our results show that peripheral Mediterranean germplasm harbors meaningful, regionally distinctive, substantial, non-redundant diversity not fully represented in surveys focused on climate adaptation, disease resistance breeding, and long-term genetic resource conservation. These findings challenge simplistic diffusion models and emphasize the strategic importance of geographically comprehensive sampling in grapevine conservation programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Diversity in Vitis sp.)
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