Patterns of genomic and phenomic diversity in wine and table grapes

Genetic and morphological analyses suggest that distinct classes of wine and table grapes developed in different parts of the world. Grape breeding is hampered by the delay before desirable characters, such as fruit quality, become visible. A US-Canadian team led by Sean Myles of Dalhousie University, Truro, Canada, addressed this problem using historical descriptions held alongside genetic material in one of the world’s largest gene banks, the USDA germplasm collection. Grapes from eastern, predominantly alcohol-abstaining Islamic countries tended to be larger, firmer, and widely spaced: ideal characteristics for table varieties. In western, predominantly Christian areas, grapes were smaller and densely clustered, with higher sugar and acidity levels, more suitable for wine-making. The team explored the genetic differences underpinning this variation, giving a greater understanding of the complex domestication history of this economically important crop.