Gene editing promises to futureproof the wine sector
Warmer temperatures are advancing grape ripening and harvest dates by 2-3 weeks compared to 40 years ago. Higher temperatures are altering wine styles and quality. If global warming exceeds 2°C, up to 70% of existing wine regions could face substantial risks of becoming unsuitable for quality wine production.
New wine regions are emerging in previously cooler areas. Places like Northern France, Southern England and Canada are becoming more suitable for quality wine production. New wine regions may even develop in countries like Belgium, Netherlands, and Denmark.
Winegrowers are adopting various strategies to cope with climate change such as planting new grape varieties more suited to warmer climates, changing vineyard management practices, and exploring new vineyard sites at higher altitudes or latitudes.
Thanks to gene editing, producers have the opportunity to develop more heat and drought-resistant selections of the grape varieties they already have, believes Caszyme’s chief executive officer, Monika Paule, meaning heritage and tradition are not compromised.
Speaking to AgTechNavigator at the sidelines of the recent World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in the UK, she warned, “we are losing some historical types of grape because they cannot grow.” Winemakers don’t necessarily need new traits, she said, but ways to make existing traits more resilient and tolerate to higher temperatures.
The company was at the conference to discuss how CRISPR solutions can drive advancements in agriculture.
At the event, the UK’s Food Security and Rural Affairs Minister Daniel Zeichner announced the next steps toward implementing the Precision Breeding Act, which aims to harness the benefits of gene editing technology in England.
Paule welcomed the news. “We need better plants and better species that can be resilient to climate change and all kinds of diseases… I think there are many applications which will benefit from this new regulation."
Lithuania: a significant player in gene editing technology
Lithuania has established itself as a noteworthy player in gene editing technology, particularly in CRISPR systems.
Several organisations in the country are at the forefront of gene editing research and development. One is the Life Sciences Centre of Vilnius University which houses three academic branches involved in joint activities related to biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, genetics, and next-generation genome editing.
Caszyme was co-founded in 2017 by Professor Virginijus Šikšnys, head of Vilnius University's Institute of Biotechnology and an internationally recognised pioneer in groundbreaking CRISPR gene editing research.
The country is actively working to position itself as a global player in life sciences and biotechnology. A €7-billion project called Bio City, aimed at becoming Europe's largest biotechnology hub, is under construction in Vilnius.
