Donato Antonacci (CREA): table grape research, solution to climate change
Donato Antonacci
Doct. Donato Antonacci, director of the viticulture centre CREA in Turi (BA), is one of the top experts in the sector of genetic improvement of table grapes.
"Besides selecting grapes without seeds, genetic improvement has to deal with the ever-changing environmental conditions. For example, we should find cultivars that are more resistant to certain diseases or humidity rates", Antonacci emphasises.
According to the researcher, when a vineyard is inundated by rainwater, it takes only two hours for gray mould to affect grapes. "We can't help but see that the weather is becoming tropical. The problems we had this year were the same in in 2014. Thus, the situation is worrying".
Testing areas
Researchers are testing at 11 hectares in the area of Bari. 500 individual crops have been seeded, 91 seem to be promising and 10 have been signed up, to be registered.
"In our research we are evaluating several factors, among them performance, in order to consider cost optimisation. One of the most important aspects is selecting well the progenitors for the grapes to hybridize".
"We are particularly interested in seedless varieties".
Click on play to watch the interview with Donato Antonacci
CREA has been working on the genetic improvement of table grapes for ages. One of the most important results is the determination of the genomic map of four table grapes with respect to Pinot Noir.
Donato Antonacci concludes: " Our work consists in helping Nature out".
Contacts:
CREA-UTV
Via Casamassima, 148
Tel.: +39 080 8915711
Tel.: +39 080 8916367
Fax: +39 080 4512925
70010 Turi (BA) - Italia
Email: donato.antonacci@crea.gov.it
Email2: utv@crea.gov.it
Website: www.crea.gov.it