Cytoembryological and morphometric characteristics of some Armenian grape cultivars

Research Not

Micropropagation of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) seedless cultivar 'Parvana' through lateral bud development

Factors affecting successful establishment in vitro, rapid proliferation, rooting and acclimatization of grapevine seedless cultivation 'Parvana' were studied. A treatment combination of 2.0 % calcium hypochlorite for 7 minutes plus 70 % ethanol for 3 minutes was found to be effective with 75.0 % of aseptic culture establishment in vitro. The highest number of new microshoots (4.5) was obtained in a culture medium (Gambourg's B5 modification) supplemented with 0.6 mg∙L-1 BAP + 0.2 mg∙L-1 KIN + 0.5 mg∙L-1 GA3. Presence of GA3 in combination with BAP and KIN promoted elongation of shoots. A concentration of 0.4 mg/l IAA in half strength of MS (Murashige and Skoog) proved to be the best for rooting (84.4 % root induction, 4.66 roots with 7.9 cm length). In vitro rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatized, with 82.2 % survival rate in plastic pots containing garden soil, sand and peat moss(1:1:1). In this study an efficient micro propagation technique of grapevine seedless cultivar 'Parvana' was successfully achieved through lateral bud culture. Such a technique would be useful for large scale plant production and in vitro conservation

Preliminary study of Armenian grapevines phenolic contents

Research Not

Armenian grapevines: cytoembryological, morphological and chemical analysis

The objectives of our study was to phenotype Armenian grapevines on the base of cytoembryological, morphometric and phenolic content analysis of 10 wine and 10 table cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.). The presented results suggest that Armenian table grape cultivars have higher level of abnormalities in the process of seed formation than wine cultivars. However, during ovule development, the observed differences between table and wine varieties were not significant. The berry morphometric analysis demonstrated that table cultivars formed significantly larger and heavier berries than wine cultivars. The obtained results show that wine grapes contained significantly higher phenol concentrations than table grapes, in both colored and white grapevine cultivars. The study of phenol composition, an important chemical descriptor in grapevine phenotyping, provides oenological information useful to improve the wine quality. Cultivar characterization could be used as marker for the selection of table and wine grape breeding programs. These results will be upgraded in the database for Armenian grapevine varieties. In future Armenian germplasm will be compared with datasets of neighboring countries, to determine the varietal origins relationships

Molecular investigation of Caucasian and Eastern European grapevine cultivars (V. vinifera L.) by microsatellites

Grapevine (V. vinifera L.) is one of the most widely cultivated species of agricultural interest. The domestication of wild grapes starting in the Neolithic Age, took place in the Near East area. The aim of this study was the genotyping of germplasm coming from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova by SSR markers in order to investigate the genetic relationships among samples along the East-to-West dissemination route of grapevine after the domestication. Based on the descriptive statistics Azerbaijani samples appeared having the highest genetic diversity. PCoA and STRUCTURE analysis revealed three groups: i) Central European group; ii) a group reuniting cultivars coming from Armenia, Georgia and Moldova; iii) the group of Azerbaijani cultivars (94%). The analysis of genetic relationships in our dataset provided evidence of connection among cultivars included in the proles pontica and proles orientalis and geographical origin and human uses as well

Sanitary status of the Eurasian wild grapevine in the South Caucasian region

A prospecting on the sanitary status of the aerial organs and roots of the Eurasian wild grapevine, Vitis vinifera L. ssp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi, was carried out on 14 natural populations situated along river bank forests, floodplains and colluvial positions in Georgia (Marneuli, Mtskheta and Gori districts, Gardabani Protected area and Lagodekhi Reserve), Armenia (Akhtala and Tavoush regions) and Azerbaijan (Quba region). These zones are included within the Holarctic kingdom, Eurosiberian region, and to the Caucasian, Euxine and Hyrcanian biogeographical provinces. The results of study indicate that roots are free of symptoms caused by phylloxera, rot fungi and root-knot nematodes. Symptoms caused by the erineum strain of Colomerus vitis (Pagenstecher) and Calepitrimerus vitis (Nalepa) (Acari, Eriophyidae) are frequent. On the other hand, damages caused by powdery and downy mildews, Erysiphe necator (Schweinitz) Burrill and Plasmopara viticola (Berkeley and Curtis) Berlease and de Toni), respectively, show an irregular intensity on leaves belonging to different vines from each location

Hippocampal long-term potentiation is disrupted during expression and extinction but is restored after reinstatement of morphine place preference

Learned associations between environmental cues and morphine use play an important role in the maintenance and/or relapse of opioid addiction. Although previous studies suggest that context-dependent morphine treatment alters glutamatergic transmission and synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, their role in morphine conditioned place preference (CPP) and reinstatement remains unknown. We investigated changes in synaptic plasticity and NMDAR expression in the hippocampus after the expression, extinction, and reinstatement of morphine CPP. Here we report that morphine CPP is associated with increased basal synaptic transmission, impaired hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), and increased synaptic expression of the NR1 and NR2b NMDAR subunits. Changes in synaptic plasticity, synaptic NR1 and NR2b expression, and morphine CPP were absent when morphine was not paired with a specific context. Furthermore, hippocampal LTP was impaired and synaptic NR2b expression was increased after extinction of morphine CPP, indicating that these alterations in plasticity may be involved in the mechanisms underlying the learning of drug–environment associations. After extinction of morphine CPP, a priming dose of morphine was sufficient to reinstate morphine CPP and was associated with LTP that was indistinguishable from saline control groups. In contrast, morphine CPP extinguished mice that received a saline priming dose did not show CPP and had disrupted hippocampal LTP. Finally, we found that reinstatement of morphine CPP was prevented by the selective blockade of the NR2b subunit in the hippocampus. Together, these data suggest that alterations in synaptic plasticity and glutamatergic transmission play an important role in the reinstatement of morphine CPP

Plastid DNA sequence diversity in wild grapevine samples (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris) from the Caucasus region

DNA sequence diversity was investigated in three plastid regions (the trnH-psbA intergenic spacer, accDpsaI intergenic spacer and the rpl16 intron) in a group of 40 wild grape (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris) samples from the South Caucasus. This group included 22 samples from Georgia, 9 samples from Azerbaijan, 2 samples from Armenia and 7 samples from Turkey. The South Caucasus region is widely believed to be the area in which grape domestication began, and the study of genetic diversity in this region is viewed as key to understanding grape domestication in general. Four plastid haplotypes are evident in the 40 samples, and are designated by their character states at each of the 4 polymorphic positions: AAAT – 22 samples, ATTT – 6 samples, GTAC – 1 sample, and ATAT – 11 samples. The AAAT haplotype is restricted to Georgia and Azerbaijan, the ATAT haplotype is distributed across the entire study area, the ATTT haplotype is distributed in the southern part of the study area from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. The single GTAC haplotype was only found in southwestern Georgia. The AAAT haplotype is restricted to both wild (V. vinifera subsp. sylvestris) and cultivated (V. vinifera subsp. vinifera) grape samples from the Caucasus. This observation and the presence of all other plastid haplotypes observed in a previous study of worldwide grape cultivars highlight both unique and high levels of genetic variation in wild grape (V. vinifera subsp. sylvestris) from the greater Caucasus region.

Armenian national grapevine collection: Conservation, characterization and prospects

The general strategy for grapevine genetic resources conservation in Armenia encompasses the collection of the still existing diversity and the use of protection techniques to minimize the losses over time. Being studied mainly by ampelography, the genetic diversity of Armenian grapevine needs to be re-investigated in accordance with modern requirements and international scales. The purpose of the presented research was the first large-scale molecular characterization of Armenian grape varieties by molecular methods using a set of 24 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers encompassing the nine SSR markers recommended by the European project GrapeGen06. The obtained results indicate the uniqueness of the major part of the investigated varieties and reveal a substantial level of genetic variation within the Armenian grapevine. Based on the realized large-scale investigation a true-to-type inventory of Armenian grape germplasm will be realized and documented in theVitis International Variety Catalogue and in the European Vitisdatabase. The next step having strategic importance in terms of conservation of grape genetic resources in Armenia will be establishment of the first ArmenianVitis database with multi-crop passport description of all varieties preserved in grape collection

Support trees and shrubs for the Eurasian wild grapevine in Southern Caucasus

A prospecting of habitats and mechanical support host species for the climber Eurasian wild grapevine, Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi, was carried out on 13 natural populations situated along river bank forests, floodplains and colluvial positions in Georgia (Marneuli, Mtskheta and Gori districts, Gardabani Protected area and Lagodekhi Reserve), Armenia (Akhtala and Tavoush regions) and Azerbaijan (Quba region) during survey of 2013. The research demonstrated that Eurasian wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris) is found in Southern Caucasus in a wide variety of habitats always linked to water availability. Punica granatum trees are the commonest mechanical support for wild grapevine in the South Caucasus and Hedera helix often shares the same support trees. However we documented wild grapevines climbing on other 24 different species of trees and large shrubs and, further, 32 associated species. We determined, four different clusters of localities using Structure software and the Weighted Neighbor Joining tree. These clusters are characterized by specific mechanical support and accompanying species. Other vines competing for host with Eurasian wild grapevine belong to the genera Clematis, Hedera, Humulus, Smilax and Vitis ssp