Grapevine shoot tip cryopreservation and cryotherapy: Secure storage of disease-free plants

Authors: BETTONI, JEAN CARLOS - New Zealand Institute Of Plant & Food Research; MARKOVIC, ZVJEZDANA - University Of Zagreb; BI, WENLU - University Of Guelph; Volk, Gayle; MATSUMOTO, TOSHIKAZU - Shimane University; WANG, QIAO-CHUN - Northwest A&f University

Submitted to: Plants
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/11/2021
Publication Date: 10/15/2021
Citation: Bettoni, J., Markovic, Z., Bi, W., Volk, G.M., Matsumoto, T., Wang, Q. 2021. Grapevine shoot tip cryopreservation and cryotherapy: Secure storage of disease-free plants. Plants. 10(10). Article e2190. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10102190.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10102190

Interpretive Summary: This manuscript provides up-to-date information about cryopreservation technologies available for long-term storage and pathogen-clean up of grape collections. The information is relevant to both genebank collections as well as for programs that produce clean plant materials for nurseries and distribution. It includes an historical context of research performed up to thirty years ago as well as Vitis cryopreservation methods that have been implemented at the USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation in Fort Collins, Colorado. Cryopreservation methods are widely applicable to diverse Vitis species and have been adapted for successful eradication of critical diseases from grapevine plants.

Technical Abstract: Grapevine (Vitis spp.) is one of the most economically important temperate fruit crops. Grapevine breeding programs require access to high quality Vitis cultivars and wild species, which may be maintained within genebanks. Shoot tip cryopreservation is a valuable technique for the safe, long-term conservation of Vitis genetic resources that complements traditional field and in vitro germplasm collections. Vitis is highly susceptible to virus infections. Virus-free plants are required as propagation material for clonally propagated germplasm, and also for the global exchange of grapevine genetic resources. Shoot tip cryotherapy, a method developed based on cryopreservation, has proven effective in eradicating virus infections from infected plants, including grapevine viruses. This review provides updated and comprehensive information on the development and recent progress of Vitis shoot tip cryopreservation and cryotherapy that resulted in healthy plants with high regrowth levels across diverse Vitis species.