Vagra – A new disease-resistant wine grape cultivar for quality winemaking from the North Caucasian Federal Scientific Center of Horticulture, Viticulture, Wine-making

   Russian vineyards face the problem of shortage of high-quality disease-resistant wine grape cultivars. Genotypes of domestic breeding exhibit higher adaptability to local growing conditions, which is particularly relevant in the context of climate change. The process of cultivation contributes to increased yield, reduced maintenance costs, and the promotion of environmentally sustainable viticulture development in the North Caucasus. This paper presents a study of the Vagra wine grape cultivar, a selection from the North Caucasian Federal Scientific Center of Horticulture, Viticulture, and Wine-making, presently under official state cultivar testing. The cultivar was developed using the Varuset interspecific hybrid as the maternal genotype and V. vinifera Granatovy as the paternal genotype. This hybrid was created as part of a breeding program aimed at developing cultivars resistant to downy and powdery mildew. An ampelographic description of the cultivar is provided according to UPOV standards. Vagra was identified as a mid-season cultivar with a frost resistance of up to -25 °C. Molecular genetic analysis determined the Vagra genotype to carry the downy mildew resistance locus Rpv3 (haplotype Rpv3null-297) and the powdery mildew resistance loci Ren3 and Ren9. In field conditions, the cultivar demonstrated moderate tolerance to downy mildew and high tolerance to powdery mildew. A DNA passport for the Vagra genotype was developed based on nine standard SSR markers recommended by the OIV, confirming the declared parentage. The results of agro-biological studies conducted in the Anapa Ampelographic Collection from 2018 to 2020 are presented. The agro-climatic data for the research period indicated that the sum of active temperatures was 17–25 % higher than the climatic norm. The wine material produced from the Vagra grape harvest is characterized by a dark ruby color and a rich aroma with notes of black and red berries, paprika, and nightshade. The wine has a full-bodied taste with moderate freshness, receiving a tasting score of 8.0. The research results indicate that the Vagra cultivar is promising for the production of high-quality dry red wines and for extending the grape assortment of the North Caucasus.

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