M. de la Fuente

Transforming viticulture through genomic innovation and integrated pest management for sustainable grape production

Climate change and intensifying disease pressure push viticulture beyond incremental adaptation, especially where grape production depends on repeated pesticide applications. Reducing chemical inputs requires an integrated strategy combining broader genetic diversity, conventional and genomic-assisted breeding, new genomic techniques, somaclonal and clonal variation, and cultivar-tailored IPM. The Horizon Europe projects Shield4Grape and GrapeBreed4IPM operationalize this vision across genetics, agronomy, socioeconomics, and policy, with success depending on governance, stewardship, and proportionate regulation.