It is therefore developing work to characterize and understand the diversity of the Vitis vinifera L. species and the physiological, molecular and genetic bases of traits of interest and to develop innovative breeding methods in order to integrate them into selection schemes.

Grapevine Vitis vinifera L. is a species of major interest in France where it is grown on approximately 796 000 ha (in 2020, 3 % of national UAA and 10 % of the world’s vineyards ). In 2021, France was the world's leading exporter of wine with exports worth 11.1 billion euros. Vineyards have a large impact on the environment, notably via the intensive usage of pesticides. Wine making also links intimately  to human societies, through the notion of terroir as well as its frequent location around cities. Due to all these aspects as well as to the potential threats on wine quality due to climate change, viticulture has to adapt. A mid-term answer would consist in diffusing new varieties resistant to diseases and better adapted to a changing environment while maintaining a high quality level.

Grapevine is a perennial, diploid species, characterized by vegetative multiplication, high heterozygozity and short linkage disequilibrium.

In this context, our research follows three axes:

1. Study of the diversity and evolution of grapevines and related species
2. Identification of the genetic and molecular basis of traits of interest and adaptation
3. Integration for trait prediction and varietal innovation

These research themes involve knowledge from various disciplines, such as ampelography, population genetics, quantitative genetics, physiology and phyto-pathology, as well as methodological skills, such as molecular biology, statistical modeling and algorithmics. Furthermore, in the framework of our applied research, we built a joint technological unit, Géno-Vigne®, in partnership with the Institut Français de la Vigne et du Vin (IFV) and L'Institut agro Montpellier, which aims to accelerate the transfer of research work to the sector and allows us to interact with professionals in the sector..

To carry out our projects, we are actively involved in the management of the world largest genetic collection for grapevine (Vassal), as well as of various other resources (experimental plots, greenhouses, growth rooms). We master the production technique of “dwarf” grapevines. We benefit from a privileged access to genotyping facilities in AGAP Institute as well as computer clusters from the SouthGreen and URGI bioinformatics platforms.