Cracking The Pinot Code
In what’s being called the agricultural equivalent of the first moonwalk (not MJ’s, the other one), Italian scientists have successfully sequenced the Pinot Noir genome. The San Michele all’Adige Agrarian Institute, the group responsible for the 6 year study, remarks that this development “will make it possible to create new, more resistant grape plants that can produce superior wines.”
This is the first fruit and the second food item, (rice was first), to have it’s gene sequenced.
The research shows that the pinot noir genome is spread across 12 chromosomes and is made up of around 500 million bases of DNA. The institute, based in the northern Italian province of Trento, collaborated in the project with the US firm Myriad Genetics Inc., which has taken part in decoding human and rice genomes.
Many wine lovers have expressed concern with the ethical, legal, and safety issues involved if winemakers were to begin using genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). Will the implied benefits of using GMO’s be enough to help consumers accept them? No doubt other varietals aren’t far behind Pinot Noir in being sequenced. It will be interesting to see how they are accepted by both winemaker and consumer.
Read [Ansa.it]
