Genetic improvement of grapevine: WHY ?

1
Genetic improvement of grapevine WHY ?

• Melané A Vivier
• Institute for Wine Biotechnology
• Stellenbosch University

2
Why am I here trying to answer this question?

• Because we, together with a large international
  community, supported by numerous industries and
  other funding agencies, are trying to ask and
  answer scientific questions regarding the most
  important fruit crop of the world, namely Vitis
  vinifera (grapevine)
• We focus on understanding the genetic potential
  of the species, using molecular and cellular
  biology tools
• We have developed (bio)technologies that can lead
  to genetically improved grapevines, aligned with
  industry needs
• We have applied for an experimental field trial
  with transgenic grapes, which sparked much debate

3
Media reports
SA Scientists seek go-ahead for field trials of
GM grapes (Cape Times)
GM wingerdplante ontlok reaksie (Landbou Burger)
GM Grapes earn wrath of growers (Sunday Times)
Protests at Stellenbosch transgenic grapevine
experiment (Grape news)
GM grape trials could affect SA wine sales
(Farmers Weekly, letter)
Frankenfoods from a madmans lab. Gene grapes no
barrel of fun (Son)
Genetically modified wine on the cards (Cape
Times)
No to GMO in the wine industry (WOSA)
Wingerdinstituut se GM proef sal n eerste wees
(Die Burger)
4
So, are we interested in contaminating the
environment, creating weedy grapevines or
causing harm to wine-drinking customers, or the
wine-industry in general?

• Aims of the programme
• To know more about grapevine and how it works
• To find solutions to support environmentally
  friendly production..less pesticides ?
• To find solutions to the impact of the changing
  climate..stress-tolerance ?
• To find novel ways to improve quality and
  wholesomeness

5
Towards environmentally friendly production and
stress tolerance..

• A grape gene (Vvpgip), present in multiple copies
  protects against fungal pathogens

A grape gene (VvNCED), protects against water
stress
6
The process involved to generate a transgenic
grapevine and the evaluations needed
Somatic embrogenesis
Cryopreservation
Genetic transformation
Regeneration
Photographs obtained from the work of Dr.
Khrishnan Vasanth, IWBT
7
GRAPEVINE TISSUE CULTURE
GRAPEVINE TRANSFORMATION
The process and evaluations
EVALUATION OF TRANSGENICS
8
The specifics about the contained experimental
vineyard

• Why did we apply?
• To obtain a mature, fruit-bearing GMO vineyard
  for scientific purposes
• What would it contain and where will it be?
• Grapevine plants with inserted reporter and
  antibiotic genes (the latter as selectable
  marker) alongside non-transgenic grapevines
• The transgenic material will be grafted on
  non-transgenic rootstocks on the Welgevallen
  experimental farm of Stellenbosch University
• Objectives?
• To assess the reporter gene activity over several
  seasons and to assess the agronomical performance
  of the transgenic material alongside
  conventional grapevines

9
The experimental vineyard

• On Welgevallen experimental farm
• 930 m2, fenced, restricted admission
• 238 US Vit 8-7 (NON-TRANSGENIC) Rootstocks
  planted 100 used for first trial
• Virus-free (molecular analyses)
• Trellis and irrigation systems for Chardonnay and
  Sultana established
• Structure for super fine netting to cover trial
• Normal viticultural practices

10
Transgenic grapevine plants

• 100 plants in first round trial
• 6 Lines Chardonnay, 6 lines Sultana, 4 controls
  of each
• 5 plants of each line
• Random block design
• Monitoring at least five seasons
• Management plan included

11
Public notification

• Public notification with details of proposed
  field trial
• IWBT and DVO staff and students
• SU Research Development
• SU management
• Ethical committee
• IWBT Website
• SU Bulletin
• Winetech and DFPT to industry role players
• Local media
• Eikestadnuus
• Die Burger
• Cape Argus
• The wording of the notification was not
  optimal..

12
Reaction to public notification

• 2 Official objections within allowed period
  (Biowatch and African Centre for Biosafety) 1
  Subsequent objection from Biowatch
• Several email messages from the public
• Replies to all official objections, a further
  press release in collaboration with SA Wine
  Industry and significant e-mail correspondence
• Interviews with the media
• Newspapers
• Electronic journals / newsletters
• Magazines
• Radio stations (SABC)
• Not factual reporting in all cases!

13
General concerns

• General aspects
• General anti-GMO
• Environmental contamination / Biosafety
• Antibiotic Resistance Genes nptII
• Wine-industry specific aspects
• Activities done without support of SA wine
  industry
• Impact of the possible commercialisation of GM
  grapevine and wine

14
Understanding the specifics about Vitis will
clarify many misconceptions

• Grapevines are not indigenous to South Africa
• The first Vitis species arrived with the
  settlers!

• Grapevines have no close relatives in South
  Africa, meaning that there is no plant species
  with which it could interbreed

15
MisconceptionsPollen flow and seed dispersal

• Domesticated grapevine flowers are functionally
  bisexual and largely self-pollinated

• Grapevine is not planted from seed it is
  vegetatively propagated
• In SA certified plant material is strictly
  controlled in the supply chain

16
Misconceptions.Seed dispersal and seedling
volunteers

• Grapevines are planted in manicured vineyards
  which are intensively worked
• Seedling volunteers are scarce, very visible and
  routinely removed through normal viticultural
  practices

17
Understanding the specifics about Vitis will
clarify many misconceptions

• The concept of true-to-typeness (in
  viticultural terms)
• In the wine industry, the varietal names and
  characteristics are important marketing
  attributes
• The viticultural performance, as well as the
  varietal characteristics in the vineyard and in
  the resulting wine are important factors to
  consider
• This has a direct impact on the prospect of GMO
  vines and wines and therefore needs to be
  assessed rigorously
• Scientific advances provides the possibility to
  also perform genetic and transcriptomic profiles
  of GMO vines in comparison with non-transgenic
  vines

18
General concerns

• Environmental contamination
• Possible release of transgenes into the
  environment
• Pollination of grapevine largely by
  self-pollination, no wild relatives of grapevine
  in SA, no related plant species to hybridise
• Flowers in the trial will be covered with bags
• Seed dispersal Seedlings do not normally survive
  in uncultivated habitats Volunteer seedlings
  controlled by routine viticultural practices.
• The trial site will be covered with a superfine
  net and fruit will be bagged
• Soil contamination The transgenic plants will be
  grafted on non-transgenic rootstocks, frequency
  of horizontal gene transfer from plants to
  microorganisms very low under normal
  circumstances, transgenes already present in very
  large amounts in environment, transgenes do not
  give competitive advantage.
• Rigorous management of fallen leaves and other
  plant material Environmental impact monitored

19
Perspectives

• The challenge is perhaps to strike a balance
  between strict control and monitoring of GMO
  materials and their release, while not hampering
  the progress of science
• Thank you