Cultivated Grapevine Displays a Great Diversity for Reproductive Performance Variables

Abstract

Background: There are thousands of grapevine varieties that display a wide range of variation for traits like grape use (wine, table grape or both), color or ripening time, but little is known about their reproductive performance, especially flowering and fruitset (conversion from flower to fruit). Works focused at the study of these traits in grapevine evaluated one or few varieties and used different methodologies making comparisons difficult. This study aimed to characterize the reproductive performance of 120 varieties and its stability over two seasons using a precise methodology. Methods: Reproductive performance was determined through counting flowers and berries in the same inflorescences/bunches (10 per variety), for which a new methodology of image analysis of scanned calyptras was developed. Varieties were classified according to their reproductive performance. Results: A great diversity was found for most variables including fruitset and number of flowers. Large differences between varieties were observed both in values and in stability among seasons. The varieties clustered in three main classes that displayed significant differences not only for the reproductive performance variables used for the clustering but for most the variables studied. Varieties in these classes showed a nonrandom distribution regarding the grape use and the genetic structure based on molecular markers. Conclusions: This is the largest study of reproductive performance variables such as fruitset ever done in grapevine. It provides specific values for many varieties for the first time, useful for breeding programs. The clustering based on these variables is related with those based on use and geographical origin.

Potential Fertilization Capacity of Two Grapevine Varieties: Effects on Agricultural Production in Designation of Origin Areas in the Northwestern Iberian Peninsula

“…The highest value of 68% corresponded to Godello (Cenlle 2017), while the lowest coulure value of 17% was registered for Mencía (Souto 2017). Despite these results, previous studies pointed out high fruitset rates for Godello variety, higher than 90% [23], which means that the highest coulure value found in the present study, of 68% for the Godello variety in Cenlle 2017, could be due to environmental conditions, such as meteorological or phytopathological conditions, which could affect the fertilization process and fruitset. In general, the mean coulure value for each variety was also higher for Godello, with 40.5%, than for Mencía, with 31%.…”

“…These reproduction functioning variations among the different grapevine varieties are reflected, as well, on reproductive performance variables, such as the number of flowers and berries per inflorescence/bunch or the production of pollen grains by the plant. A recent study characterized the reproductive performance of 120 grapevine varieties, the largest comparative study done in this field, in which a great diversity was found for most variables, including fruitset and the number of flowers [23]. They obtained a clustering of similar varieties, in which groups were related with the variety use (table, wine, or both) and its geographical origin.…”

“…Considering that both pollen quantity and quality are essential factors to ensure a good grape production, several studies have been conducted on pollen production, viability, germination, and growth of the pollen tube [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]. Aerobiological studies are also valuable since atmospheric pollen concentrations during the grapevine flowering are a measurement linked to the number of flowers and fruits [33], depending on environmental variables [34].…”

Water deficit differentially modulates leaf photosynthesis and transpiration of fungus-tolerant Muscadinia x Vitis hybrids

“…The high yield for these genotypes might be a result of genetic expression, as these two genotypes were also characterized as highly productive in field phenotyping experiments ( Wilhelm de Almeida et al., 2023a ). Genetic variability within grapevine yield formation was previously observed in regards to bunch number per shoot ( Grzeskowiak et al., 2013 ), number of inflorescence per flower and in fruit set rate ( Ibáñez et al., 2019 ).…”