Corso di Laurea Magistrale in Scienze viticole ed enologiche - SVE

Learning area: Production and quality of grapes

To increase the knowledge of the grapevines physiology in relation to phenology, development and maturation of the fruit, the carbon, nutritional and water balance, in relation to environmental resources and varietal differences.The student will be able to understand the modern methods used in grape breeding, especially those involving the usage of molecular and genomics breeding. The student will acquire competencies and techniques to be used in grape cultivars molecular characterization and breeding. The student will be exposed to the most recent theories about grape domestication supported by molecular evidences. The student will be able to understand the basis of grape breeding through transgenesis and cisgenesis, and next breeding technologies

Knowledge of the physiology of grapevine development and fruiting, of the water and mineral nutrition and carbon balance in relation to changing environmental and genetic resources.The student will have to be able to understand the design of experiments in grape breeding programs. To this end, the student will have to master basic genetics, molecular genetics, biochemistry and population genetics. The student will have to be able to critically interpret the experiments in grape breeding using advanced molecular breeding and transgenetic technologies.

At the end of the course you will be able to:

-Know the physiology of the development and fruiting of the vine, of water and mineral nutrition and of the carbon balance in relation to the variation of environmental and genetic resources.

- Understand the experimental design of genetic improvement plans for grapevine, and for this you will be able to make use of basic notions, molecular genetics, biochemistry and population genetics.

- Critically interpret vine improvement experiments by applying advanced and transgenic molecular breeding technologies.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course, theoretical and practical information will be acquired relating to:

- Review of general genetics

- Genetic improvement plans for vines

- Genetics of quantitative traits in grapevine

- Bases of molecular genetics applied to the vine

- Bases of biotechnology applied to the vine

ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course you will be able to:

- Interpret a genetic improvement plan in grapevine

- To evaluate the application of molecular markers to genetic improvement in grapevine

AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT

At the end of the course, you will be able to evaluate and choose the most suitable genetic improvement processes for the vine and ideotypical goals.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Correct terminology in genetics and plant biotechnology will be acquired.

LEARNING ABILITY

At the end of the course, you will be able to evaluate and compare different genetic improvement programs, including on a biotechnological basis, and to identify the most useful sources of scientific information.

Face-to-face and / or online lessons unless otherwise specified. The teacher makes use of presentations / slides that are available to the students.
The course consists of 80 hours of frontal lessons. The teacher makes use of presentations / slides that are available to the students.

The lessons will also be streamed on the webex platform at these addresses:

"Genetics" module

https://unito.webex.com/unito/j.php?MTID=m4e24c27e5ad58dbc4abb3a92f623f3df

"Biology" module

https://unito.webex.com/meet/osvaldoumberto.failla

The lessons make use of Power Point presentations, which are available together with scientific articles and texts.

The material of the genetics module is available on the MOODLE website of the course.

"Genetics" module

https://unito.webex.com/unito/j.php?MTID=m4e24c27e5ad58dbc4abb3a92f623f3df

"Biology" module

https://unito.webex.com/meet/osvaldoumberto.failla

Genetics module

The exam is an oral or written interview, chosen by the student. The exam consists of six questions. In the oral version, the first question is chosen by the student. The written exam lasts 2 hours. The oral exam lasts about 30 minutes. The questions cover all topics of the program. The ability to argue about the topic of the question is required, in a logical and articulated way. The oral exam is face-to-face and / or remotely on the Webex platform according to the provisions in force.

Biology module

Oral exam in person or online. Three questions will be asked on three different parts of the program. The vote will be expressed out of thirty.

The final grade is the arithmetic average of the marks obtained in the two modules rounded up.

BIOLOGY OF GRAPEVINE

Introduction and recall of the grapevine morphology

Ecology, ecophysiology and phenology of the grapevine

Grapes development and ripening

Carbon balance and mineral nutrition

Water balance and environmental stresses

GENETICS

• Introduction to the course and Review of basic genetics and quantitative genetics (0.5 CFU)
  • Mendelian genetics and its laws
  • Quantitative genetics and introduction to its statistical bases
• Review of population genetics (0.5 CFU)
  • Varieties, clones, spontaneous plants and cultivated in viticulture
• Molecular characterization of varietal and clonal biodiversity (1 CFU)
  • Molecular markers: types, techniques
  • Molecular markers for varietal and clonal characterization
• Grape genomics (1 CFU)
  • Plant genome sequencing strategies and tools
  • Grape genome sequencing
  • Use of sequencing techniques in breeding: examples in grapevine
• Modern genetic improvement of the grape (1 CFU)
  • Notes on the history of genetic improvement of the vine
  • Hybridization and self-fertilization
  • Ideotypes for the grape
  • Molecular markers and genetic improvement
  • Molecular and genomic genetics for
  • QTL mapping and cloning
  • Mapping using linkage disequilibrium
  • Marker-assisted selection
  • Genetic improvement programs for grape
• Genetic improvement based on interspecific variability (1 CFU)
  • Transformation and regeneration of grape
  • Next breeding technologies applied to grape

Alpi, Pupillo, Rigano. 2004 Fisiologia delle piante. EdiSES. ISBN-978-8879591768

Taiz, Zeiger.2012 Fisiologia vegetale. Piccin. ISBN- 978-8829921577

Genetica e genomica (3 vol). 2008 G. Barcaccia, M. Falcinelli (Liguori Editore). ISBN- ISBN:8820736292

The course is held at the facility in Asti. 

The methods of carrying out the teaching activity may vary according to the limitations imposed by the current health crisis.