Projects

Ongoing - Continuation of project 2600.

Lead researcher: Dr. John Cline and Dr. Helen Fisher, University of Guelph

The continuing interest in grape growing and winery enterprises in Norfolk County means that production systems must be improved to modulate the issue of winter injury, especially with the onset of more unpredictable winters and variable spring conditions. Risks need to be modified by reducing excessive vine size on these deep sands, but also by influencing the acclimation /de-acclimation cycles of the scions. Riparia, as a general species, is far hardier than vinifera and its use as a rootstock can affect scion acclimation and mid-winter hardiness.(Fisher, 2021). This project will focus on effects on spring de-acclimation to determine whether this aspect of the overwintering hardiness curve can be delayed consistently using rootstocks.

This project will be to wrap up the research that Dr. Helen Fisher initiated with OGWRI to assess twenty-three new riparia rootstock selections that have been chosen for rootstock trials that are ongoing at Simcoe Research Station and Burning Kiln Winery St. Williams. This project will complete the remaining virus screening that was initiated in the original project to verify that the vines are free of viruses. This virus screening is essential for entry into the CGCN clean plant programme (CGCN 2021) and may verify the lack of pathogenic viruses resident in wild riparia from these sources. Freedom from pathogenic virus is critical for the rootstock material to enter the micropropagation programme at Brock U (Poojari 2021) for the establishment of a clean germplasm repository for grapevine material as a backup for the CFIA/AAFC collection in Sidney, BC.

This project will complete any outstanding DNA profiling that was not completed in Helen’s project and provide information that will protect the identity of these selections should they be pursued with Plant Breeders’ Rights in the future.

Data analysis will be conducted on the data collected in Helen’s initial research project (late budding and late de-acclimation clones) to determine if any of the rootstocks in the trial show promise for commercialization. A final report will be prepared that summarizes the results of Helen’s initial project.

OGWRI has approved funding for subprojects 1.1 and 3.2 listed below.

Lead: Dr. Sudarsana Poojari (Brock University)

The success and future growth of Ontario’s grape and wine industry requires a coordinated effort that positively impacts all aspects of its value chain to ensure there is no bottleneck in production processes for grape growing or winemaking, nor any barriers to increase domestic market share. The research identified in the Viticulture Innovation and Next-generation Oenology (VINO) Solutions program is focused on building resiliency in Ontario’s grape and wine production sectors.

In Part I Building Resiliency in Grape Production, the development of a national Clean Plant Program for grapevine will be the first of its kind in Canada and will reduce the Ontario grape sector’s reliance on foreign imported plant material for grapevines. Imported vines often carry viruses and disease, which have significant economic impacts on the sector.

The innovations supporting grape production include:

1) the development of a germplasm repository to supply clean, disease free material to nurseries (subprojects 0.1, 1.1, 1.2);

2) generating new ways to develop disease-free grafted grapevines that can be licensed to nurseries, allowing vine planting 3-5 years sooner than other methods (subprojects 0.1, 1.1);

3) the introduction of Canada’s first true-to-type diagnostic testing for vines, which supports quality control and assurance of the Clean Plant Program (subproject 1.2);

4) identifying superior performing grapevine material for resilience to disease and cold temperature (subprojects 0.1, 2.1, 2.2) as well as understand how a vineyard treatment can enhance grapevine cold hardiness and develop rapid screening tests for cold tolerance and other abiotic stresses (subproject 0.1, 2.2) and

5) developing pheromone baited lures to support pest management controls for the mealybug insect in Ontario (subproject 3.1) and AI-based methods to detect virus in grapevines (subproject 3.2, 3.3).

Part II of our program of Building Resiliency in Wine Production, wine producers are looking for novel methods to develop unique and high-quality wines that distinguish Ontario wines from domestic and international competition. The innovations supporting wine production include:

1) a testing service to help wine makers identify unique yeast strains on their grapes to develop distinctive wine profiles (subproject 4.1);

2) characterizing and licensing yeast that can overcome sour rot contamination in grapes, enhance wine aroma, and reduce alcohol content (subprojects 4.2, 4.3, 4.4); and

3) improve the winemaking process to develop low-alcohol wines, using newer fungus resistant grape varieties, addressing changes in consumer preferences (subprojects 2.1 and 4.4) and assess the impact of viral load on wine quality (subproject 3.2).

Subproject 1.1 Novel pathogen-free rapid clonal micropropagation and grafting protocol development towards the development of a National Clean Plant Program

The collaborative efforts of Ontario Grape and Wine Research Inc (OGWRI) and Brock, with funding from OMAFRA, have manifested in the initiative entitled “Development of micro-shoot tip tissue culture-based protocols for maintaining virus-free grapevine germplasm for elite and local varieties.” Led by Dr. Poojari, this research has two strategies: the utilization of meristem tip tissue culture for virus elimination and high throughput sequencing-based virus screening. The protocols established will be used to clean infected grapevine plant material to enter the G1A repository through this ORF-RE funding. Brock is committed to investing in the Clean Plant Program and anticipates securing CFI infrastructure funding to expand existing greenhouse, screen house, and tissue culture facilities. Although traditional grafting techniques are established, micro- and green-grafting methods are popularizing but need to be tailored for each grape rootstock-scion combination to assess their success rate for both domestic and international grape accessions. Presently, our focus is on the formulation of novel micropropagation protocols of well-known scion and rootstock varieties. Our initial findings come from 54 grapevine varieties. 15 varieties have survival rates exceeding 70%, 14 varieties exhibit survival rates of 40–70% while 27 varieties have exhibited survival rates <40%. Our goal is to develop highly efficient methodologies that sustain optimal growth conditions and propagation in substantial quantities.

Objectives:

1. Use meristem-shoot tip culture protocols to generate clean plants to add new/adaptive varieties that are free of viruses and other pathogens into the G1A collection at Brock.
2. Finalize new micropropagation and grafting methods for tissue culture generated plants with an efficient survival rate for nursery use.

Subproject 3.2 Impact of grapevine red blotch and leafroll virus 3 on popular interspecific hybrid grapevines cultivars in Ontario

The negative impacts of both GLRaV-3 and GRBV are well studied for V. vinifera varieties here in Canada,38 and Washington State.39 40 However, such impact studies have not been conducted for interspecific hybrid varieties, although they are susceptible to viral infections and represent one third of ON grape production.41 From 2003 – 2022, the production of hybrids in ON increased by 32% (red hybrids by 54%, and white hybrids by 25%). The only study by Kovacs et al., 200142 on the impact of GLRaV-3 on hybrids Vidal Blanc and St. Vincent cultivars reports a reduction in berry weight and an increase in titratable acid levels. Recent ON virus incidence surveys show interspecific hybrid grape cvs. Baco Noir, Marquette, Chambourcin, Marechal Foch, and Vidal Blanc are susceptible for virus infections4 30 and could serve as a reservoir for transmission. Economic impacts of virus infection have been quantified for V. vinifera varieties in California, New York, Oregon, and Washington State.43 44 Although these studies may be extrapolated to Canada for V. vinifera, the negative economic impacts may not have the same outcomes on interspecific hybrids. We propose to study the profitability impact of GRBV and GLRaV-3 in cvs. Cabernet Franc (V. vinifera) and Vidal (hybrid) respectively.

Objectives:

1. Identify virus-infected and healthy vines of two (Baco Noir and Vidal Blanc) cultivars.
2. Monitor the viral load and spread in the experimental vineyard block and evaluate physiological effects) on virus-infected and healthy vines.
3. Evaluate wine quality and sensory attributes from wine made from virus-infected and healthy fruit.
4. Study the profitability impact of the GRBV and GLRaV-3 in cvs. Cabernet Franc/Pinot noir and Vidal.

In March 2024, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced $5.9 million to fund the Canadian Grape and Wine Science Cluster.

The Canadian Grapevine Certification Network (CGCN) will adminster the Canadian Grape and Wine Science Cluster, under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership AgriScience funding program and OGWRI is providing the industry cash for all Ontario led research activities within the cluster.

Research activities within the cluster will end in 2028, with final report summaries to be inlcuded below. Details on Ontario led activities can be found here. For additional information on the cluster, please visit the CGCN website.

Year 1 (2023-24) research summaries are posted HERE.

Year 2 (2024-25) research summaries are posted HERE.

Year 3 (2025-26) research summeries are posted HERE.

Below are descriptions of the 4 Ontario led research activities.

Activity 10b -  Grapevine trunk disease: an under-rated threat to the Ontario grape industry?

Lead: Oualid Ellouz (AAFC Vineland) & Wendy McFadden-Smith (Brock University)

Grapevine trunk diseases caused by fungi have been largely ignored in Ontario vineyards with assumptions that vine decline and death are due to cold injury rather than pathogenesis.  The goal of this project is to determine a baseline of incidence of grapevine trunk diseases, the pathogens responsible for them, the timing of inoculum presence (when infection could occur) relative to weather and vine development, and to identify possible cultural, chemical and biological management options.   

Baseline incidence will be determined by observing symptoms and collecting trunk samples in the early and late summer from Ontario vineyards of different ages.  Pathogens will be isolated and identified using molecular techniques.  The presence of inoculum (fungal spores) will be monitored using volumetric spore traps.  Spores will be sucked into tubes that will be collected weekly and analyzed using molecular techniques to identify which pathogens are present and the weather conditions that are associated with spore release.  Diagnostic tools will be developed to facilitate identification of infected vines by growers and consultants.

This project aims to shed light on a hidden problem in Ontario vineyards: the role of fungal trunk infections in the decline and death of grapevines, a problem previously attributed mainly to cold weather. Fungal trunk diseases can weaken grapevines, leading to reduced vigor, lower fruit yield, and poorer fruit quality, while also shortening the lifespan of the vines. Researchers are setting out to understand how widespread these fungal diseases are, identify the specific fungi responsible, and pinpoint the times these fungi are most likely to infect the vines. This includes exploring various ways to protect the vines, ranging from traditional farming practices to chemical treatments and biological controls.

To gather the necessary information, the team will examine grapevines at key growth stages during the growing season, collecting samples to identify the fungi using advanced lab techniques. They will also deploy spore traps to capture and identify fungal spores in the air, linking their presence to specific weather conditions that might trigger outbreaks. The ultimate goal is to develop easy-to-use tools for vineyard owners and consultants, enabling them to quickly detect infected plants. This research not only aims to protect Ontario's grapevines from these hidden threats but also to ensure the sustainability and productivity of the vineyards. 

Activity 11 -  Wine flavour modification through non-traditional yeasts, oenological treatments and taint remediation 

Lead: Debbie Inglis (Brock University)

The Ontario, and broader Canadian, wine industry is searching for ways to further improve wine quality through flavour modification to increase the competitiveness of domestic wines to capture a higher percentage of wine market share. Canadian wine has always competed on quality rather than price.  Our research program will focus on processes that will provide new and improved wine attributes, making our industry more resilient to the challenges of climate change that negatively impact fruit quality, and more resilient to market pressure requiring our wines to be price competitive but with added quality.   

Although it is widely accepted that making great wines begins in the vineyard with quality fruit, winemakers still require additional oenological tools to enhance the aroma profile of wines to offer resilience in winemaking to overcome threats from climate change. Those tools include non-traditional yeast strains that alter and improve the volatile aroma compounds in wine, oenological additives and fermentation temperature that allow yeast to create flavours that further enhance wine character. This program will use all of these tools to address industry priority issues facing winemakers.

This project has two main objectives in wine flavour modification, addressing key areas of concern in the Ontario grape and wine industry with application to industries in British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia. 

Objective 1: Assess the commercial application of locally isolated S. uvarum strains to mitigate the impact of botrytis and sour rot taints in white grape varieties through consumption of acetic acid and assess their use to form volatile fatty acids and acetate esters that increase the fruity volatile aroma compounds in Riesling and Chardonnay wine.

Objective 2:  Increase volatile thiol concentrations in Vidal table wine through a yeast micronutrient additive, fermentation temperature and yeast strain to enhance the “Sauvignon blanc” characteristic of Vidal to diversify uses of the Vidal grape, improve marketability and increase the domestic wine market share.  

Activity 12 -  Selection of superior grapevine material using traditional field evaluations and genomic/metabolic signatures for cold resilience

Lead: Jim Willwerth (Brock University)

Climate change is a threat to the Canadian grape and wine industry and adaptation strategies are urgently needed.  The main objective of this research is to support the Canadian Grapevine Certification’s domestic clean plant program through accelerated selection of superior grapevine material for improved performance, cold resilience, and quality using traditional evaluations and genomic and metabolic signatures.

The goal is to improve the sustainability of grape production by greater cold tolerance resilience through identification of superior vine material and their genomic and metabolic signatures and mitigation strategies such as the use plant growth regulators such as Abscisic acid analogs. 

Activity 13 - Grapevine red blotch virus: insect vector biology and ecology

Lead: Justin Renkema (AAFC Vineland)

Red blotch disease caused by grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) is a new and important problem in grapes in North America. Secondary spread of GRBV is occurring in some regions, but the ability of insects to transmit GRBV is not well understood, particularly in Ontario. In this proposal, we will build on our previous research showing that a planthopper, Melanoliarus, and buffalo treehoppers, Stictocephala, can acquire GRBV. We will focus on determining the ecology and biology of Melanoliarus, and whether grapes are feeding and reproductive hosts, including for its soil-dwelling/root-feeding immature stages. Research has focused on insect adults transmitting GRBV to grape leaves and stems, but acquisition of GRBV through root feeding may also occur for Melanoliarus.  We will conduct experiments with planthoppers and treehoppers to determine whether GRBV can be transmitted from GRBV-infected vines to uninfected vines, while focusing on insect-virus interactions that may inhibit the circulation of the virus within insects and thus it transmissibility. Finally, we will determine the phenology and movement of planthoppers and treehoppers to work towards recommendations for management of these potential GRBV vectors. Overall, the goal of the projects is to provide new insights about the secondary spread of GRBV by insects in Ontario so that the grape industry can take appropriate action to mitigate losses due to GRBV.