Exploring the Grapevine Microbiome: Insights into the Microbial Ecosystem of Grape Berries

Abstract

Plant growth, health, and resilience to stress are intricately linked to their associated microbiomes. Grapevine, functioning as a holobiont, forms essential relationships with fungi and bacteria across both its belowground (roots) and aboveground (leaves and berries) compartments. The root microbiome exhibits a stable, site-specific structure, whereas the microbiomes of ephemeral tissues such as leaves and berries, which regenerate annually, display more stochastic assembly patterns across growing seasons. Among these, grape berries represent a critical component in viticulture due to their direct influence on wine quality and flavor complexity. Berries provide a unique ecological niche, hosting diverse microbial communities composed of yeasts, bacteria, and fungi that interact with the grapevine and its surrounding environment. These microorganisms are not only pivotal to berry development but also contribute significantly to the synthesis of secondary metabolites and fermentation processes, ultimately shaping the sensory and organoleptic properties of wine. This review consolidates current knowledge on the grapevine microbiome, with a particular emphasis on the microbial dynamics of grape berries.

Keywords: grape berries; grapevine; plant microbiome; secondary metabolites; viticulture.

Figure 1

Role of microbiome in grapevine: the rhizosphere microbiome supports nutrient acquisition (A) and stress resilience (B) and the aerial microbiota contributes to plant immunity (C) and quality (D), while grapevine berries host highly specialized microbial communities that directly impact the synthesis of secondary metabolites (E) and the fermentation processes (F) critical for wine production. The microbial communities are shaped by plant genotype, age, environmental conditions, and agricultural practices (G).

Figure 2

Grape pulp is the main part of the grape, consisting of water, sugars, acids, and aroma compounds. Most grapes have colorless pulp (A); skin holds abundant aroma compounds, precursors, tannins, and color compounds (B); seeds contain oils, tannins, and the embryo for potential growth (C); the surface is covered by a powdery waxy coating (D); and the stem which contains tannins connects the grape to the vine (E).

Figure 3

Composition of the main phyla of bacteria and fungi forming the microbiome of grapevine in underground compartments (A) [10,12,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51], woody parts (B) [52,53,54,55], phyllosphere (C) [9,43,56,57,58,59], and reproductive organs (D) [9,40,53,56,57,58,59,60,61].