We collaborated with winegrowers across Switzerland to study the interaction of environmental conditions and vineyard management practices on the soil and berry microbiome as well as on berry quality 🤝

New preprint of our citizen science project is out! 🍇

So early days!
But a first insight into these complex interactions between the plant host and the associated microbiome, as well as the potential underlying genetic mechanisms! 🧬

But also interesting, as variable fermentative yeasts contribute to unique wine characteristics - so this may help us further understand why different cultivars ferment and then *taste* differently 🍷

This is relevant for potential further breeding programs e.g. for increased pathogen resistance for a more sustainable viticulture 🍇

Using Microbiome-QTL mapping - as the first study in a woody, perennial! - we showed that certain genetic regions are associated with pathogenic and fermentative species. 🪢

Environmental factors are the main drivers of diversity in the berry microbiome - in a controlled setting we could show that the cultivar still has a distinct influence in recruiting bacteria and fungi! 🤩

Excited to share our now @newphyt.bsky.social paper on the Genetic Basis of Microbiome Recruitment in Grapevine - a cool collaboration with @cantulab.bsky.social! 🍇🦠🧬

➡️ doi.org/10.1111/nph....

Here are some highlights: 🧵

Excited to present my research on @femsmicro.org! Swing by to poster 231 (Section D) if you want to chat about microbiota, omics, cancer or music! @lenafloerl.bsky.social @starwut.bsky.social

Lena Flörl and Nicholas A. Bokulich evaluated the efficacy of universal mitochondrial and chloroplast PNA blockers across a range of concentrations and estimated their impact on alpha and beta diversity. Learn more: doi.org/10.1094/PHYT...