Communication & Dissemination
Microbial Biodiversity in the Vineyard: Microorganisms at the Service of Soil and Plant Health
The REVINE project investigates how microbial biodiversity can be harnessed to enhance grapevine resilience and support more sustainable viticulture. Viewing the plant as a holobiont, the study highlights that plants and their associated microorganisms form a single functional entity, where microbial partners play essential roles in nutrient supply, stress tolerance, and disease protection. Over time, domestication and breeding have reduced plants’ ability to recruit these beneficial microbes, weakening their natural defences. To counteract this loss, the project established the ViMed-Biomebank, a comprehensive collection of endophytes isolated from grapevines thriving in challenging environments. From this resource, specific strains were selected and combined into tailored microbial consortia (SynComs), designed to restore functional plant–microbe interactions. Field and controlled trials demonstrated that these SynComs can significantly improve grapevine health: in vines affected by the esca syndrome, inoculated plants showed reduced pathogen growth and activation of defence-related genes; under drought stress, treated plants maintained higher photosynthetic efficiency, delayed wilting, and recovered more rapidly. Together, these findings confirm that rationally designed microbial consortia represent a promising and scalable strategy to strengthen grapevine resilience, reduce reliance on chemical inputs, and contribute to the transition toward climate-smart and microbiome-based viticulture.
​
​
Use of SynCom in regenerative viticulture: new clues from the REVINE project
Dr Luca Nerva’s presentation at International Conference in 2024 highlighted the outcomes of the REVINE project, focusing on the application of synthetic microbial consortia (SynComs) to strengthen grapevine resilience to both biotic and abiotic stresses. The talk addressed sustainability objectives within the framework of the EU Farm to Fork strategy, the holobiont concept, the ViMed-Biomebank collection of beneficial endophytes, and the implementation of SynComs in viticulture to mitigate esca disease and drought stress.
This work was carried out with the support of the REVINE project.
​
Microbial biodiversity:an invisiblealliedto improve resilienceand sustainabilityin agriculture
At the University of Pavia (December 2024), Dr Walter Chitarra presented “Microbial biodiversity: an invisible ally to improve resilience and sustainability in agriculture” within the scope of the REVINE project. The seminar detailed evidence-based strategies that leverage microbial biodiversity to advance resilient, lower-input viticulture. Anchored in the holobiont concept, it positioned arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and root-endophytic synthetic microbial consortia (SynComs) as scalable enablers of nutrient acquisition, pathogen suppression, and drought mitigation—supporting a progressive reduction in copper-based protection. The session introduced the ViMed Biomebank (>800 beneficial endophytes) and a rigorous bench-to-field pipeline encompassing PGP-trait screening, biocompetition assays, and SynCom formulation. Field validations in grapevine demonstrated improved plant establishment and physiology, increased stilbene-based defence metabolites, and activation of immunity genes against esca-associated pathogens. Preliminary results also indicate SynComs designed for drought tolerance and genotype-aware recruitment, paving the way for tailored, terroir-responsive formulations. Collectively, the REVINE project reinforces a translational pathway from discovery to deployment in sustainable viticulture.
​
Microbial Biodiversity in the Vineyard: Microorganisms at the Service of Soil and Plant Health
At Enoforum 2025, Dr Luca Nerva presented “Microbial Biodiversity in the Vineyard: Microorganisms at the Service of Soil and Plant Health,” delivered within the scope of the REVINE project. The presentation connected soil geology, root-system architecture, and depth-resolved shifts in microbial communities to measurable outcomes in vine performance and wine profile, underscoring the strategic relevance of terroir-aware microbiome management. Building on this foundation, field trials showed that synthetic microbial consortia (SynComs) improve vine engraftment and physiology, elevate stilbene-based defence metabolites, and trigger immunity gene expression; metabarcoding data support the feasibility of tailored SynComs for specific objectives. Under controlled drought, SynCom1 delayed the onset of severe stress and improved post-rewatering recovery, delivering a tangible resilience gain. Collectively, these results—advanced under REVINE—reinforce a translational pathway from discovery to deployment for more resilient, lower-input viticulture.
Preserving the grape-associated microbiota to improve the hologenomeplasticity and adaptability to the climate change
At the International Conference on Grapevine Breeding, Genetics and Management (Cappadocia, Turkey; 21–24 August 2023), Dr. Luca Nerva presented “Preserving the grape-associated microbiota to improve hologenome plasticity and adaptability to climate change.” Framed by the holobiont paradigm, the talk showcased an eight-year lab-to-field program (>1,000 endophytes) and field evidence that targeted SynComs enhance vine engraftment and photosynthetic performance, boost stilbene-based defenses, and tune immunity gene expression, including under controlled drought. Bottom line: a scalable, data-driven pathway to lower-input, climate-ready viticulture via terroir-aware microbiome management.
Exploring grapevine microbial-based inoculants for trunk disease management: comparing a custom endophytic-based microbial synthetic community with a commercial microbial inoculum
At the International Workshop on Grapevine Trunk Diseases (IWGTD 2025), Dr. Walter Chitarra presented “Exploring grapevine microbial-based inoculants for trunk disease management: comparing a custom endophytic-based microbial synthetic community with a commercial microbial inoculum.” The talk operationalizes the holobiont paradigm and “microbial breeding” alongside NPBTs, leveraging the ViMED-Biomebank to design a targeted SynCom against trunk-disease pathogens. In Pinot gris field trials, both the bespoke SynCom and an AMF+rhizobacteria product improved cutting survival; the SynCom shifted photosynthetic balances while both treatments sharply increased stilbene defences (t-resveratrol, viniferin). Leaf transcriptomics (including elevated VvCHL) showed strong activation of immunity programs, and metabarcoding indicated the feasibility of tailor-made SynComs for specific outcomes. Collectively, the data position microbial inoculants as a scalable, lower-input route to mitigate trunk diseases and build resilient vineyard performance.
Synthetic Communities: promising allies to sustain green transition in viticulture
At Plant Biology 2022 (Portland, Oregon July 9–13, 2022), Marco Sandrini presented “Synthetic Communities: Promising Allies to Sustain Green Transition in Viticulture.” The poster detailed an Actinobacteria-enriched endophyte collection functionally screened for plant growth–promoting traits (e.g., phosphorus solubilization, IAA, ACC deaminase, stress tolerance) and antagonism versus key pathogens (Botrytis cinerea; esca agents), and translated hits into two SynComs: a commercial AMF+rhizobacteria inoculum and a custom actinomycete consortium. In rooted-cutting trials, the AMF SynCom lifted net photosynthesis and confirmed mycorrhization, while both consortia upregulated stilbene defences (resveratrol, viniferin); the actinomycete SynCom prioritized defence at a measurable growth cost collectively validating SynComs as levers to rebalance the growth–defence trade-off and enable lower-input, climate-aligned viticulture.
Metatranscriptomics of wood plant tissue: a powerful tool to resolve the hidden microbial world within plants
At Plant Biology 2022 (Portland, Oregon; July 9–13, 2022), Dr. Luca Nerva presented a poster titled “Metatranscriptomics of woody plant tissues: a powerful tool to resolve the hidden microbial world within plants.” In simple terms, the work showed how sequencing all RNA from grapevine wood can reveal, in one go, what the plant is doing and which microbes are active inside it including fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
The poster described a combined workflow that links microbiome profiling, total RNA sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and follow-up lab tests (microbial isolation and competition assays). Using this approach, the team compared vines showing esca symptoms with symptom-free vines. They found widespread differences in the plant’s gene activity, with many changes linked to defence responses (Gene Ontology enrichment). Key genes were then confirmed with RT-qPCR using Actin and Ubiquitin as reference genes.
Overall, the message was that metatranscriptomics can make the “invisible” community inside woody tissues measurable and interpretable, helping researchers connect symptoms to both plant responses and microbial activity useful for prioritizing targets and guiding microbiome-informed strategies to manage grapevine trunk diseases.
Carbon farming with biochar from vineyard pruning residues and its application in regenerative agricultural approaches
At OIV - World Congress of Vine and Wine (Càdiz, Spain; 5 -10 June 2023) Dr Rocco Perniola presented the collaborative activities of ENEA and CREA regarding testing the biochar produced by ENEA on grapevines in mesocosm conditions. These activities aim to improve carbon storage and vineyard performance in the context of a circular economy.
Carbon farming with biochar from vineyard pruning residues and its application in regenerative agricultural approaches
At OIV - World Congress of Vine and Wine (Càdiz, Spain; 5 -10 June 2023) Dr Rocco Perniola presented the collaborative activities of ENEA and CREA regarding testing the biochar produced by ENEA on grapevines in mesocosm conditions. These activities aim to improve carbon storage and vineyard performance in the context of a circular economy.
Potenziale bioprotettivo della collezione di endofiti batterici ViMed-BiomeBank
Dr. Marco Sandrini presented “Bioprotective potential of the ViMed-BiomeBank bacterial endophyte collection,” detailing a standardized screening pipeline across four isolate collections (n=159) sourced from V. vinifera woody tissues. The program quantified in-vitro antagonism against priority grapevine pathogens: Botrytis cinerea, Neofusicoccum parvum, Phaeoacremonium minimum, Fomitiporia mediterranea, and Guignardia bidwellii with top performers across Saccharopolyspora, Streptomyces, Mycolicibacterium, Achromobacter, and Pseudomonas achieving >90% inhibition in specific assays.