Research in: Agricultural & Veterinary Sciences

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the world’s most economically important fruit crops, supporting fresh consumption and a wide range of processed products, particularly wine. Global grape production is increasingly threatened by climate change–driven abiotic stresses and severe biotic constraints, among which downy mildew and powdery mildew are the most destructive diseases. This manuscript reviews current knowledge on grapevine–pathogen interactions with Plasmopara viticola and Erysiphe necator, focusing on disease symptoms, impacts on yield and fruit quality and underlying molecular mechanisms of host defense. We summarize major resistance loci, including Rpv, Run and Ren and highlight the roles of pathogen effectors, host immune signaling and metabolic reprogramming during infection. Advances in conventional breeding, introgression from wild Vitis species and modern biotechnological approaches such as CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and susceptibility gene targeting are discussed. Understanding these mechanisms provides a foundation for developing durable, disease-resistant grapevine cultivars under changing environmental conditions.