Formation of a frost-resistant grapevine gene pool in the Eurasian space
The historical foundation of breeding interspecific grapevine hybrids in the Eurasian region was laid by Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin, who was among the first to systematically work with crosses between European cultivars of Vitis vinifera and American grape species. These hybrid populations were subsequently backcrossed with Vitis amurensis, which made it possible to stably incorporate genes for high frost resistance into the gene pool of cultivated grapevines.
One of the first significant outcomes of this breeding line was the cultivar Severnyj, which became a donor of resistance in further breeding cycles. These cultivars were often referred to as direct-fruiting hybrids (“self-rooting types”), as in many cases they could be grown on their own roots without the need for grafting onto phylloxera-resistant rootstocks.
First generation interspecific hybrids and their limits in Europe
At the same time, crosses of Vitis vinifera × Vitis labrusca were also carried out, giving rise to the group of cultivars of the Isabella type. Although these brought increased adaptability, their sensory profile and technological characteristics did not meet European winemaking standards. In addition, phytosanitary concerns emerged related to susceptibility to the leaf form of phylloxera and discussions about the presence of undesirable aromatic compounds. This led to legislative restrictions on their cultivation in some countries, though it did not halt the further development of interspecific breeding.
Bertille Seyve and Victor Villard enter the scene
Meanwhile, in France, work continued with more complex hybrid combinations involving species such as Vitis lindsekumii and Vitis rupestris. The aim was to overcome the sensory limitations of earlier labrusca-type hybrids while maintaining improved resistance to adverse abiotic and biotic factors. The resulting genotypes already exhibited significantly better must and wine quality and became starting material for further breeding programs in Eastern Europe.
A major shift occurred in the 1960s, when French selections bred by the Seyve–Villard pair were incorporated into hybridization schemes. The first cultivar used in crosses was the now legendary Villard Blanc (SV 12-375). Further crossing of these cultivars with genotypes containing a proportion of Vitis amurensis led to the emergence of the group now referred to as complex-resistant interspecific cultivars, or PIWI varieties. These cultivars combine enhanced frost resistance (approximately down to −26 °C), relatively high tolerance to fungal pathogens, and lower temperature requirements for the differentiation of fruitful buds (around 18–20 °C), which represents an important physiological advantage compared to pure Vitis vinifera genotypes that require substantially higher heat sums. Bertille Seyve and Victor Villard bred groundbreaking hybrid grape varieties, without which the later development of many cultivars would not have been possible.
Finally, the first hybrid table grape varieties are appearing
By incorporating complex-resistant genotypes into their own crossing schemes, several breeding institutions achieved significant successes. Moldovan research produced the table grape cultivar Kodrianka, the Ukrainian school (V. E. Tairov Institute) released the cultivar Original, and the All-Russian Research Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking named after Ya. I. Potapenko in Novocherkassk developed the cultivar Vostorg, which became the foundation of a large group of subsequent table grape hybrids. Within roughly two decades, more than 200 promising genotypes were selected from the initial crosses, a substantial proportion of which were successfully introduced into cultivation. Never before had it been possible to produce high-quality table grapes under the climatic conditions of Ukraine and southern Russia.
Russia and Ukraine versus Western Europe: Two different worlds in grape breeding
Current breeding goals build on the acquired gene pool and aim to further increase the level of disease resistance, improving frost tolerance, enlarging cluster and berry size, and optimizing sensory qualities. Intensive work with the Vitis amurensis genotype in table grape breeding is still primarily conducted in Russia and Ukraine, while in Western Europe clonal selection of existing Vitis vinifera cultivars and the development of PIWI varieties for technical use - wine and grape juice production - are more common.
An example of the limitations of classic vinifera cultivars outside warm regions is the Californian cultivar Cardinal. Although it produces attractive and organoleptically valuable grapes, its low resistance to frost and fungal diseases severely limits its cultivation in continental climates of Euroasia without intensive chemical protection. This contrast highlights the importance of regionally targeted breeding and testing of new genotypes.
Practical Deployment and Limits of Expansion
The introduction of cultivars from abroad is a valuable source of genetic variability, but it also carries risks associated with different genotype responses to local climatic and soil conditions. Grapevines are strongly influenced by the interaction between genotype, growing environment, and vintage, leading to considerable variability in trait expression among regions and between individual years. Therefore, multi-year and multi-location testing of new cultivars before their commercial release is an essential prerequisite for the responsible transfer of breeding results into practice.
Experience from leading breeders shows that the mere availability of high-quality parental forms is not sufficient. The creation of a stable and agronomically valuable cultivar is the result of long-term, systematic selection. As noted by A. I. Kostrikin, one of the breeders behind the cultivar Vostorg, successful cultivars are built on decades of collective work by research teams, not on a single crossing event.