Institut für Rebenzüchtung
One of the tasks of grapevine breeding is to contribute to the preservation of viticultural cultural landscapes by developing robust and climate-adapted varieties. New grape varieties must have a strong resistance to pathogens, pests, and abiotic factors such as heat, while maintaining consistently high wine quality. During the breeding process, molecular markers are already used for early selection of resistance to diseases such as powdery and downy mildew. Additionally, further morphological and physiological traits, particularly viticultural characteristics and resilience to new biotic and climate-induced abiotic stressors, are assessed visually in the field. The institute's extensive breeding material is currently evaluated manually concerning key breeding traits such as resistance, yield, vitality, and wood maturity. To support selection in the breeding process and to screen genetic resources, high-throughput phenotyping pipelines are being developed, validated, and implemented. These pipelines enable automated and objective trait assessments using field-based sensor technology. Custom AI models are being developed and applied for image data analysis. The project aims to enhance breeding efficiency by enabling faster, non-destructive, and more objective evaluation of breeding material.
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity
