Enhancing the profitability and sustainability of Ontario grape/wine sector: survey and genetic diversity of major viral pathogens in table, juice and hybrid wine grapes

Viral pathogens constitute a major impediment to the grape and wine production worldwide. Viral disease outbreaks have recently emerged as a major economical concern for the Ontario grape and wine industry. Quick, reliable and sensitive detection of viruses is key to the management and control of grapevine viruses and their diseases. In response to this emergent issue, we have developed highly effective methods for the detection of all major grapevine viruses. These methods have been validated and routinely used in my laboratory. Local grape varieties such as table, juice and American-French hybrid wine grapes constitute an important component of the grape and wine industry in Ontario. Unfortunately, little is known about what viruses and viral strains exist in these grapevines. In this project, we will identify the viruses and viral strains from these locally important grape varieties through nucleic acid-based diagnostics. We will also elucidate the genetic diversity of six most important viruses. Outcome from this project will provide the grape and wine industry and Ontario government baseline data on the prevalence and severity of grapevine viral diseases. This would provide science-based guidelines for the development and implementation of clean stocks for broad use, providing tremendous benefits to grape and wine production and long-term profitability.

病毒病原体是全球范围内制约葡萄与葡萄酒产业发展的关键阻碍因素。近期，病毒病害暴发已成为安大略省（Ontario）葡萄与葡萄酒产业面临的重大经济关切问题。快速、可靠且灵敏的病毒检测技术，是管控葡萄藤病毒（grapevine viruses）及其引发病害的核心环节。针对这一亟待解决的问题，本团队已开发出可检测所有主要葡萄藤病毒的高效检测方法，上述方法已通过方法学验证并在本实验室中得到常规应用。安大略省本地葡萄品种（包括鲜食葡萄、制汁葡萄及美法杂交酿酒葡萄）是该省葡萄与葡萄酒产业的重要组成部分，但遗憾的是，目前学界对这些本地葡萄藤所携带的病毒及病毒株系的认知仍十分有限。本项目将依托基于核酸的诊断技术（nucleic acid-based diagnostics），对上述本地重要葡萄品种携带的病毒及病毒株系进行鉴定，同时阐明六种主要葡萄病毒的遗传多样性特征。本项目的研究成果将为葡萄与葡萄酒产业及安大略省政府提供葡萄藤病毒病害的流行率与危害程度基线数据，可为广谱推广的脱毒种条（clean stocks）的研发与应用提供科学依据，进而为葡萄与葡萄酒生产及产业长期盈利带来显著效益。