Scion Breeding for Resistance to Biotic Stresses

The majority of grapevine cultivars used for wine, table grape and dried-fruit production are derived from the Eurasian grape species Vitis vinifera because of its superior aroma and flavour characteristics. However, this species has little or no genetic resistance against the major pests and pathogens that attack above-ground parts of the grapevine including the trunk, canopy and bunches. As a result, grape production is highly dependent on the frequent use of fungicides and pesticides, which has significant implications for the economic and environmental sustainability of grape production. This chapter will summarize our current knowledge of the different resistance loci/genes that have been identified in wild grapevine species that could potentially be used to develop new grapevine cultivars with enhanced genetic resistance by marker-assisted selection.