Increasing the efficiency of conservation of wild grapevine genetic resources in Europe (InWiGrape)

Razdoblje: 01. siječnja 2016 - 31. prosinca 2016.
Financiranje: European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources (ECPGR)
Voditelj projekta: Dr.sc. Goran Zdunić

Background

The wild grapevine (WG) (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris Gmel.) is a very rare and endangered plant subspecies. It is the wild relative (ancestor) of the cultivated grapevine. Characterization, evaluation and conservation of WG resources is a process that is carried out in different ways and with varying intensity in European countries. However, there are WG habitats that have not been recorded and investigated at all. Therefore, there is necessity for joint action of ECPGR Vitis group to raise and harmonize the efforts for conservation of WG populations.

Justification

Task 1 - Review of existing EU bibliography of wild grapevine

An inventory of available bibliography of WG natural habitats will be done as a first step in situation assessment. Other available information of WG populations in Europe will be collected within the ECPGR partners. Historical data about the presence of WG populations (reported in less accessible literature) will be specifically investigated and compared with the present knowledge about these populations in order to assess the level of threat.

Task 2 - In situ and ex situ protection

Project partners will define the indicators of vulnerability for WG populations. From past experience it is evident that it is not possible to deposit each individual into ex situ collection. Additional protective measures on natural habitats must be undertaken, especially for particularly sensitive and vulnerable populations. We will consider how to involve other stakeholders in in situ conservation (e.g. National parks, Botanical gardens, etc.). Propagation of WG individuals into ex situ germplasm collection is very delicate work. Protocols for propagation and ways how to preserve maximum genetic variation in ex situ collections will be discussed within the group.

Task 3 - Characterization and evaluation data on wild grapevine

Within the framework of past EU projects (GenRes081, GrapeGen06, COST FA1003) descriptors and protocols of grapevine evaluation were adopted. However, WG populations are very specific for a series of reasons (such as natural growth without human impact) and require special attention in evaluation of morphological characters. Morphological similarity with cultivated grapes and some rootstocks is quite large. In some cases there is a possibility of error / replacement in identification. We will select most suitable (the most discriminate) descriptors for WG identification and evaluation. At the level of genotype available data at nine SSR markers (standard set for identification, agreed within GrapeGene06 project) will be compared in order to detect specific (unique) alleles in WG populations.

detalji projekta