Historical introgression of the downy mildew resistance gene Rpv12 from the Asian species Vitis amurensis into grapevine varieties.

The Amur grape (Vitis amurensis Rupr.) thrives naturally in cool climates of Northeast Asia. Resistance against the introduced pathogen Plasmopara viticola is common among wild ecotypes that were propagated from Manchuria into Chinese vineyards or collected by Soviet botanists in Siberia, and used for the introgression of resistance into wine grapes (Vitis vinifera L.

The powdery mildew resistance gene REN1 co-segregates with an NBS-LRR gene cluster in two Central Asian grapevines.

Background: Grape powdery mildew is caused by the North American native pathogen Erysiphe necator. Eurasian Vitis vinifera varieties were all believed to be susceptible. REN1 is the first resistance gene naturally found in cultivated plants of Vitis vinifera.

Resistance to Erysiphe necator in the grapevine 'Kishmish vatkana' is controlled by a single locus through restriction of hyphal growth.

Vitis vinifera 'Kishmish vatkana', a cultivated grapevine from Central Asia, does not produce visible symptoms in response to natural or artificial inoculation with the fungus Erysiphe necator Schwein., the casual agent of powdery mildew. 'Kishmish vatkana' allowed pathogen entry into epidermal cells at a rate comparable to that in the susceptible control Vitis vinifera 'Nimrang', but was able to limit subsequent hyphal proliferation.