Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Italians Find Key Gene to Pinot Noir Grape !! Agriculture's Equivalent of the First Moonwalk !!
The ANNOTICO Report
"Today's
event is agriculture's equivalent of the first moonwalk,"
"Agriculture will never be the same again".
Pinot noir, which is known as pinot nero in Italy, is the first fruit and only the second food crop, after rice, to have
its genetic material laid completely bare.
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ITALIANS FIND GENE KEY TO PINOT NOIR GRAPE
Checkbiotech.org
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
TRENTO - Italian scientists have
uncovered the 'life code' of the pinot noir grape plant, a breakthrough
destined to change the future of wine-making.
On Monday
experts from the San Michele all'Adige Agrarian Institute presented the results
of six years of research, in which they decoded the plant's genome - the
complex molecular chains that constitute each organism's unique genetic
heritage.
The institute says the development will make it possible to create new, more
resistant grape plants that can produce superior wines.
"Today's event is agriculture's equivalent of the first moonwalk,"
said Riccardo Velasco, the head of the team that decoded the DNA sequences, at
Monday's press conference.
"Agriculture will never be the same again".
Pinot noir, which is known as pinot nero in Italy, is the first fruit and only the second food crop, after rice, to have
its genetic material laid completely bare.
Francesco Salamini, a former researcher with the Max Planck Institute and a
member of the San Michele all'Adige Agrarian Ins! titute's board, said the
advance will lead to benefits for the environment too.
This is because the information about the plant's gene sets will make it
possible to produce new pesticides that protect it better but have less of an
impact on the ecosystem. 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.
"It's a historic moment," said Mark Skolnick, Myriad's Chief
Scientific Officer. "Let's hope that next time we can toast with wine
obtained from this research".
Pinot noir is a red grape used by wine-makers all over the world.
It is somewhat delicate, but is widely considered to produce excellent wines.
Its recent popularity was boosted by 2004 comedy Sideways, which is set in Ca! lifornia's
Santa Ynez Valley wine area. Pinot noir is the favourite wine of the movie's
main character, Miles.
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