Six new vineyard varieties identified in Ibiza and Formentera
A study reveals the richness and diversity of the vineyards on the islands of Eivissa and Formentera, in the Balearic Islands. 21 different genetic profiles have been identified, of which 6 had never been characterized. Although the presence of the vineyard on these islands dates to the 7th century BC. C., research in this area has been scarce, with a focus mainly focused on Mallorca and Menorca.
Research has analyzed the traditional vineyards (Vitis vinifera L.) of Ibiza and Formentera to characterize the existing genetic profiles and find out if local varieties are still cultivated.
The research has been carried out within the framework of the doctoral thesis being developed by Raquel González (IRBio, Universitat de Barcelona), directed by Joan Vallès (IRBio, University of Barcelona) and Teresa Garnatje (Barcelona Botanical Institute, CSIC-CMCNB), in collaboration with Alba M Vargas and Mª Teresa de Andrés, researchers at IMIDRA (Madrid Institute of Rural, Agrarian and Food Research and Development).
Through interviews with local farmers, 36 samples in 12 plots have been characterized, using botanical descriptions of the varieties and SSR genetic markers (microsatellites) for their identification.
The samples selected for this study have been those that farmers have identified as local breeds or had doubts about their origin. In these interviews, farmers provided information about the varieties planted or known, the age of the plant, the rootstock used, crop management and winemaking processes. This information has been used, together with characterization and SSR genetic markers, to identify and clarify synonyms, homonyms and misdenominations of the studied samples.
21 genetic profiles, 6 unknown until now
The results have revealed the existence of 21 different genetic profiles, of which 6 had never been characterized: ‘Colló de gall’, ‘Grec’, ‘Maçanet’, ‘VIEIV015-Maçanet’, ‘Morzacà’ and‘Vermelleta’. Ten new synonyms and three homonyms have been proposed for inclusion in the VIVC (Vitis International Variety Catalogue) catalogue.
This study, aimed at evaluating and identifying vine crops in the Pitiusas Islands, has been carried out from a different point of view than most similar works carried out in Europe, given that ethnobotanical interviews have been used to select samples.
“The idea is to recover varieties or breeds that are not officially documented and collect information that allows them to identify their origin. The results of this work constitute the first information reported for the islands of Eivissa and Formentera on local vineyard races or varieties,” explains Raquel González, author of the study.
With this approach, an image of the current state of the varieties maintained in plots and vineyards in Ibiza and Formentera has been obtained, discovering that only one of the six new genotypes has been included in a collection intended for conservation. Most of these varieties or races belong to local traditions, especially 'Monestrell' (syn. “Llora”), present in all the plots studied.
“We must emphasize the importance of these studies, to continue conserving the natural and cultural heritage in the face of the loss of biodiversity and the erosion of traditional knowledge,” concludes Teresa Garnatje, co-director of the thesis.
Reference article:
González, R., Vargas, A. M., Garnatje, T., Vallès, J., & de Andrés, M. T. (2023). Exploring Diversity among Grapevines Varieties (Vitis vinifera L.) in Ibiza and Formentera (Balearic Islands, Spain) Using Microsatellite Markers, Ampelographic Methods and an Ethnobotanical Approach. https://doi.org/10.13039/501100002809