Seven new Swiss grape varieties make their debuts

Seven new grape varieties to massively reduce pesticides in viticulture Keystone-SDA

Switzerland has bred seven new grape varieties that are resistant to the most important fungal diseases and have a high oenological quality.

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Agroscope, the Swiss centre of excellence for agricultural research, presented the new varieties as the fruits of 17 years of breeding work.

The new varieties should significantly reduce the use of pesticides, Agroscope said at the Agrovina viticulture trade fair in Martigny. They are also intended to better prepare viticulture for the challenges of climate change.

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The four white and three red varieties are called Forisia, Elaris, Orellis, Damona, Valpesia, Dioniso and Taranis. Their common characteristic is a genetically anchored resistance to downy and powdery mildew, two of the most important fungal diseases in European viticulture.

While their control previously required six to ten plant protection treatments per year, the new vines manage with one to two applications. This corresponds to a reduction of over 80%.

This was achieved through so-called gene pyramidisation. This involves combining several resistance genes in one vine, making it more robust against the adaptation mechanisms of pathogens.

From America and Asia

The genes originate from American and Asian grapevine species. From several thousand seeds sown since 2009, only the most resistant and qualitatively most convincing plants were followed up over the years. Agroscope has already had success with this method in the past, including with the Divico variety.

The new grape varieties were developed in collaboration with the French research institute INRAE and tested in various wine-growing regions in Switzerland and France. Even in years with strong fungal pressure, they confirmed their resistance and suitability for wine production.

They are now being propagated in vine nurseries. The first wines from this new generation of resistant grape varieties should be available to winegrowers from 2029.

Translated from German by AI/mga

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