Unlocking the secrets of Vitis vinifera intraspecific hybrids cold hardiness: A comprehensive study of genetic factors and trait correlations

Challenges arise in global viticulture due to low temperatures. To ensure the sustainable and high-quality development of the wine industry, it is essential to breed wine grape varieties that are not only of high quality but also possess cold hardiness. Intraspecific recurrent selection in Vitis vinifera can enhance cold hardiness while maintaining fruit quality. In this study, we used ‘Ecolly ’as an intermediary grape variety for crossing with ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, ‘Marselan’, and ‘Dunkelfelder’, including three reciprocal crosses and a total of 1,657 intraspecific hybrids. We characterized the cold hardiness of these intraspecific hybrids and analyzed the genetic aspects of cold hardiness, ultimately identifying excellent strains with cold hardiness. Parameters like mean high-temperature exotherm (mHTE), mean low-temperature exotherm (mLTE), bound/free water ratio, water loss ratio in vitro, frost damage grades, and overall performance displayed partially normal distributions. In intraspecific hybrids, there was a maternal advantage in traits related to bound/free water ratio and water loss ratio. Some hybrid populations exhibited values for mHTE, mLTE, and water loss ratio that were lower than the low parent's values, while bound/free water ratio showed values higher than the high parent's values. Among the 1,657 intraspecific hybrids, 52 strains could bud under stress at −18 ℃, and seven of these strains excelled in three important cold hardiness measures. Our study revealed that cold hardiness in V. vinifera is influenced by multiple genes and is a quantitative trait. Intraspecific hybridization can produce a small number of superior strains with enhanced cold hardiness.