Genetius

The study establishes the dwarf grapevine cultivar Pixie as a model for smoke taint research by producing a phased telomere-to-telomere diploid genome using HiFi long‑read sequencing and generating a comprehensive RNA‑seq expression atlas. Controlled smoke‑exposure experiments identified twelve smoke‑inducible glycosyltransferase genes (VviSIUGTs) whose expression dynamics mirrored glycoside accumulation, and co‑expression network and promoter analyses linked them to stress‑responsive regulatory modules, offering targets for breeding smoke‑resilient vines.

The study evaluated grapevine phyllosphere bacterial isolates for in planta biocontrol against the aerial pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Plasmopara viticola, finding that over 40 strains inhibited at least one pathogen, with many also inducing plant defenses and exhibiting synergistic protection when combined in consortia. These results highlight phyllosphere bacteria as a promising, durable biocontrol strategy for grapevine disease management.

The study evaluated high‑throughput spectroscopy and poro‑fluorometry to predict leaf morphological and ecophysiological traits in a grapevine diversity panel under well‑watered and drought conditions. Spectroscopy reliably estimated leaf mass per area and water content, while poro‑fluorometry accurately predicted net CO2 assimilation, and the derived predicted traits showed substantial broad‑sense heritability. These results demonstrate that non‑destructive, rapid phenotyping tools can support genetic analyses of drought‑related traits in grapevine.

The study examined how methyl jasmonate (MeJA) induces terpene biosynthesis in Vitis vinifera cv. Gamay Freaux berry cell suspensions, focusing on the transcription factor MYC2 and its interaction with MYB24. Using transcriptomics and DAP-seq, the authors identified high‑confidence MYC2 target genes, including jasmonate‑related genes and terpene synthases, and showed that MeJA, but not ABA, triggers accumulation of terpenoid compounds.