About
VITIS x MUSCADINIA
Through The Grapevine
The genus Vitis has two subgenera, Vitis (V) and Muscadinia (M). While Vitis (bunch grapes) are the backbone of the U.S. grape industry (worth $4.8 billion annually), production is associated with high costs and plant and fruit disease risks. Muscadinia grapes, which are grown commercially across the Southeast U.S., are resistant to many pathogens that affect Vitis grapes. Despite their complementary attributes, breeding high quality, disease resistant V × M hybrids have been complicated by their genetic distance and difference in chromosome number. New genomic tools and ‘bridge hybrids’ with restored fertility enable the discovery and introgression of disease resistance and fruit quality alleles to create V × M hybrids. This project is the first national effort leveraging the synergistic potential of interdisciplinary research on disease resistance and fruit quality traits in Vitis and Muscadinia.
Vitis vinifera (2n = 38)
- Seedlessness
- Large cluster size
- Thin/tender skins
- Meaty flesh texture
- Rare ‘berry shed’
- Stable pigmentation
- Improved storage ability
- Vascular cold hardiness
- Upright growth habit
- Ease of propagation
- Improved aroma profile for wines
Muscadinia rotundifolia (2n = 40)
- Disease Resistance
- Powdery mildew
- Downy mildew
- Black rot
- GLRaV-3
- Pierce’s disease
- Phylloxera
- Nematodes
- Novel flavors and aromas
- Late budbreak/Frost protection
- Late ripening
- Dry abscission scar
- Large fruit size
- Cracking resistance
- Seedlessness
- Large cluster size
- Thin/tender skins
- Meaty flesh texture
- Rare ‘berry shed’
- Stable pigmentation
- Improved storage ability
- Vascular cold hardiness
- Upright growth habit
- Ease of propagation
- Improved aroma profile for wines
Patel and Olmo (1955)
- Disease Resistance
- Powdery mildew
- Downy mildew
- Black rot
- GLRaV-3
- Pierce’s disease
- Phylloxera
- Nematodes
- Novel flavors and aromas
- Late budbreak/Frost protection
- Late ripening
- Dry abscission scar
- Large fruit size
- Cracking resistance
Our Goals
- Determine the cytogenomic basis of V × M wide hybrid success (Genetics)
- Develop V × M hybrid breeding populations combining quality and disease resistance loci (Breeding)
- Identify new disease resistance alleles (Pathology)
- Determine preferred consumer quality attributes in V × M hybrids (Quality)
- Assess market opportunities for Muscadinia-type hybrids (Marketing)
- Demonstrate potential for commercial production of Muscadinia-type hybrids (Production). We will translate outcomes from this project to stakeholders, growers, and consumers across the U.S.
Our long-term goal is the introduction of disease-resistant cultivars with enhanced fruit quality through use of Muscadinia derived resistance loci, leading to a more resilient U.S. grape industry.
Partners
This project would not be possible without the talents of our 31-member team spread across the U.S.
