A Field Collection of Indigenous Grapevines as a Valuable Repository for Applied Research.

The grapevine is an economically important plant, with a historical connection to the development of human culture. Currently, over 6000 accessions are known as individual grapevine varieties, some of which are important to national heritage, valuable for current viticultural practices, and as genetic resources to maintain plasticity under changing climatic conditions, environmental sustainability, and market demands. Recently, the diversity of cultivated grapevines has declined significantly, due to the increased focus of global wine industries on a few major cultivars.