Grapevine germplasm consists in a large number of cultivars and rootstocks, many of which typical of small and remote environments and, therefore, important for biodiversity conservation and the reduction of genetic erosion. Biotechnologies offer valid alternatives to the traditional methods of germplasm conservation. This study had the task of exploring the potentialities for grape rootstock "Kober 5BB" (Vitis berlandieri x V. riparia) preservation, both in condition of slow growth storage, and by means of cryopreservation (in liquid nitrogen, at -196degreesC). As regards slow growth storage, the variables studied were: temperature of conservation (4degreesC and 10degreesC), photoperiod (darkness and 8h), sucrose concentration (15 and 30 g/l) and presence/absence of activated charcoal in the storage medium. After 4 months of storage, the results indicate a strong influence of temperature, shoots kept at 10degreesC having higher survival (80%) than those at 4degreesC conservation. Moreover, the addition of activated charcoal to the conservation medium induced a faster recovery of shoots after their return to standard culture conditions. Cryopreservation trials have been carried out with shoot tips, using encapsulation-vitrification technique followed by directly plunging the explants into liquid nitrogen. Encapsulated and cryopreserved explants have shown survival and regrowth, although the percentages are still unsatisfactorily low.
