ABSTRACT
In the recent history of grapevine cultivation, contrary to many other crops where production innovation is primarily in the variety, innovation is mainly focused on management techniques. In cereal crops new cultivars are introduced rapidly in response to changes in biological or economic
UMR INRA Montpellier SupAgro IRD Diversité et Adaptation des Plantes Cultivées, 2 Place P. Viala, 34060 Montpellier Cedex, France. Corresponding author: laurent.torregrosa@supagro.inra.fr
factors of production. In contrast, during the last decades, the cultivars of wine grape have changed slowly or not at all. Most of the world’s vineyards are planted with varieties, which have been perpetuated for centuries by vegetative propagation. The reasons are many and involve a complex mixture of plant and human factors. Nowadays, viticulture is confronted with great pressure for changes in the methods of production. The present generation may be too presumptuous in believing that the success of traditional cultivars, based on today’s context, will continue for ever on a such unchanged basis to face the new challenges for the future. However, in the scope of the “sustainable viticulture” format which is progressively imposed to viticulture and the challenges linked to climatic changes, it is likely that the improvement of cultivation techniques will not be inadequate. Thus, high priority must be given henceforth to plant breeding. Given the diffi culties, it is reasonable to question whether these goals are attainable. The advance of knowledge in the biology of grapevines and the recent progresses in genomics encourages an optimistic response.
