SCREENING COMMON LEBANESE GRAPEVINE VARIETIES FOR HIGH ACCUMULATION OF BENEFICIAL PHYTOCHEMICALS

Abstract

Grapevine germplasm enhancement is critical to the viticulture sector. Conventional breeding efforts have been somewhat effective in producing new commercial cultivars with higher quality produce under current production regimes over the years. Nonetheless, due of the severe heterozygosity of the grape genome, which is exacerbated by inbreeding depression, the breeding method has limited utility for producing unique value-added cultivars. in this study, we characterized phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of 10 grape seed and pulp extracts from commercial varieties growing in Lebanon. The target is to identify potential advanced selections that can be promoted into new commercially accessible cultivars for fresh fruit consumption and seed extract. the goal of this study was to compare some of the phytochemical features extracted from 10 commercial grape varieties. data on the phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity of grapes consumed in Lebanon revealed that some of the phytochemical content was recorded to be higher in local varieties such as “Baytamouni” in flesh and seeds while this correlation was not shown in other local and imported varieties. This research study will generate substantial fundamental knowledge that will not only enrich the characteristics of the Lebanese grape varieties but will also assist grape breeders worldwide to exploit molecular mechanisms underlying valuable traits.