Italy tests first gene-edited vines for winemaking – Nature Biotechnology
Europe’s first field trial of gene-edited vines began in northern Italy on 30 September 2024. Developed by EdiVite, a spinoff from the University of Verona, these Chardonnay vines have undergone gene inactivation to enable them to better defend themselves against downy mildew, a major fungal disease. The trial is being conducted on university land, with plans to expand to another site in the Veneto region. Researchers aim to gather initial data by 2025, with the potential for experimental winemaking in 2026.
A CRISPR–Cas9 complex was introduced into naked cells (protoplasts) to target a gene from the DMR6 family, encoding a protein that typically suppresses the plant’s immune defense by limiting salicylic acid production. “Editing is the easy part; however, regenerating the vines is challenging and requires variety-specific tricks,” said Mario Pezzotti, a geneticist and co-founder of EdiVite. If the proposed new EU regulation on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) is approved in Brussels, these vines should be exempt from GMO restrictions because they do not contain any foreign DNA.
Chardonnay is a renowned grape that is easy to grow but suffers from fungal diseases.
Credit: SweetHour/Alamy Stock Photo
Viticulture urgently needs innovation to become more sustainable, as vineyards account for just 2% of Europe’s cultivated area but use 41% of its fungicides. Cross-breeding with resistant wild vines could help, but at the expense of the genetic identity of grape varieties, which is the cornerstone of their commercial value. Gene editing circumvents this issue by leaving the genome intact except for the desired mutation. Knocking out a single susceptibility gene, however, may offer only partial protection against downy mildew, according to lab tests. “The field trial should clarify whether this translates into a reduced need for fungicides in the real world,” explained geneticist Sara Zenoni, co-founder of the spinoff, which also involves some local wine producers.
Other Italian groups are nearly ready to follow with further advancements. The Edmund Mach Foundation (FEM) in San Michele all’Adige has developed a Chardonnay grape with both DMR6 genes knocked out, aiming to achieve higher protection. “We are applying to field-test the single and double mutants to compare the results,” said Umberto Salvagnin, a researcher at FEM. Meanwhile, a collaboration between the Research Centre for Viticulture and Enology (CREA-VE), operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture, and a team from the National Research Council in Turin is also progressing. “We have several gene-edited varieties undergoing final checks before applying for field trial authorization. The first to be tested could be a Chardonnay resistant to powdery mildew,” said Riccardo Velasco, director of CREA-VE.
It’s a promising sign that Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida backs these efforts, marking a turning point from opposing GMOs to embracing NGTs. It’s also notable that Ettore Prandini, president of the Coldiretti farmers’ association and a longtime critic of GMOs, went to Verona to underscore the shift by planting an edited vine with his own hands.
Earlier this year, Italy gave the green light to the experimental release of a rice variety edited for fungal resistance by the University of Milan, ending a 20-year deadlock due to opposition to GMOs. This first field was vandalized in June, a month after it began. Still, no one has claimed responsibility for the act, and geneticist Vittoria Brambilla, who leads the project, remains undeterred: “We received a great deal of support from institutions and the public, so we look forward to continuing the trial in 2025.”
