Breeding of fungal resistant varieties derived from Grüner Veltliner by chromosomal selection

Abstract

Traditional cultivar Grüner Veltliner is the most appreciated vine in Austrian viticulture. Due to organic growing the demand for mildew resistance within the same wine profile has increased. Cross breeding can provide such new genotypes which combine traits from different sources by parenthood. Linkage of traits with chromosomes or markers allows to predict some aspects of the phenotype. Equipped with chromosomal assisted selection the development of new varieties could be much easier and faster. On the base of two segregating populations derived from crosses of Grüner Veltliner with Malverina and Seyval blanc we could define correlation of chromosomes with some traits. Mainly ampelographic descriptors and resistance against mildew could be aligned. As a quality parameter of the wine Rotundone analyses were performed and could be attributed to chromosome 5 and 9. Selection supported by the composition of the parental chromosomes enables breeding with some arguments of design. The limits for free choice were the availability of sufficient different genotypes with a broad spectrum of chromosomal combinations. Recently released descendent cultivar Donauveltliner was selected due to the high rate of Traminer alleles.