University of Milan Researcher Studies Grapevine Phytoplasma Diseases in Georgia

As part of the National Wine Agency’s “Georgian Vine and Wine Culture Scientific Project,” Associate Professor Fabio Quaglino from the University of Milan visited Georgia to conduct research on phytoplasma diseases affecting grapevines.

Professor Quaglino has been collaborating with Georgian scientists on this research since 2014. During his recent visit, he and his Georgian colleagues collected wild grapevine samples from the Jighaura collection of the Agricultural Scientific Research Center of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, as well as from a specially organized expedition in natural conditions.

The collected samples will be analyzed at the University of Milan. The results are expected to answer key questions related to grapevine phytoplasma diseases—specifically grapevine yellows, a complex group of diseases associated with phytoplasmas. These diseases pose a serious threat to viticulture by causing significant crop losses in nearly all wine grape varieties.

The research is considered critical for the sustainable development of Georgia’s viticulture and winemaking sectors.