SMSU instructors organize genomics event

Laszlo Kovacs, associate research professor of fruit science, and Wenping Qiu, assistant research professor of fruit science, both of SMSU’s Mountain Grove research campus, are organizing the first-ever International Grape Genomics Symposium July 12-14 in St. Louis. The event will be the first international meeting devoted entirely to grape genetics, known as “genomics.”

The fruit science department at SMSU’s Mountain Grove campus participates in the Vitis Gene Discovery Program, a multi-institutional collaborative effort with the Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis and the University of Missouri-Columbia, which explores the genetic makeup of wild grapevines.

The program’s goal is to produce a disease-resistant, hardy fruit that requires minimal chemical input and rivals the grapes of Europe in fruit and wine quality.

“Our goal is to bring all or most of the very well-known grape genomics researchers worldwide to St. Louis so we can explore the genetic mechanisms of why native grapes are much hardier than the European grapes, or so-called French grapes, like cabernet sauvignon or merlot,” Qiu said.

The symposium, Qiu said, will focus on basic research, such as the structure of the grapevine genome, genomic approaches to diseases in grapevines and disease resistance.

“We’re not going to talk about wine or taste or flavor,” he said, adding that studying the basics will help scientists better understand native Missouri grapes, which could lead to changes in the flavor of Missouri wines. “That’s what we’ll try to figure out, to see if we can improve it.”

Kovacs, in a news release, added, “The problem we’re finding with grapes in North America is that the grape vine is hardy, but the wine is not readily acceptable by consumers who are accustomed to the flavors and aromas of the wines made from the European grape.”

Kovacs noted that because of their native status and Missouri’s soil, grapes have great potential for the state’s economy.

Scheduled speakers at the Millennium Hotel event include Anne-Francoise Adam-Blondon, National Institute for Agronomic Research, France; Stella Grando, Agricultural Instititue of San Michele, Italy; Melane Vivier, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Eva Zyprian, Federal Center for Crop Breeding, Germany; Douglas Cook, University of California-Davis; Grant Cramer, University of Nevada, Reno; Steven Lund, University of Columbia, Canada.

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