Grape expectations: disentangling environmental drivers of microbiome establishment in winegrowing ecosystems.

ABSTRACT: Microbial communities play a central role in viticulture, influencing wine characteristics (a concept termed microbial terroir). Yet, the individual factors shaping these microbiomes remain poorly understood. We conducted a multi-year, large-scale survey of Swiss vineyards (95 sites, 680 samples), longitudinally sampling 12 sites (within 2.46 km and identical cultivar and rootstock) over three years. Using 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon sequencing, untargeted metabolomics (GC-MS, LC-MS/MS), environmental monitoring, and sensory data, we disentangled environmental factors associated with community assembly and fermentation dynamics. Topography and climate collectively structured microbiomes but affected soil- and plant-associated communities differently. Berry-

SUBMITTER: Florl L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12905190 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature