Phenotypic traits of berries and seeds of Sicilian grape cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.)

Grapevine is characterized by high variability in seed and berry morphology and their phenotypic traits are usually used to describe V. vinifera varieties. The goal of this study was to investigate the phenotypic diversity of berry and seed traits and the relationships between berry and seed morphological characteristics of autochthonous accessions of Sicilian germplasm. In two seasons, twenty bunches per cultivar were harvested at technological maturity. Berry weight; berry longitudinal and transversal diameters; seed number/weight per berry; and seed length, thickness, width and beak length were determined, after which the diameter ratio was calculated. Black and white cultivars showed large differences in berry weight; number and weight of seeds per berry; and berry and seed shape (Stummer’s index). Stummer’s index varied due to seed width variation, which was influenced by seed number. Nevertheless, Stummer’s index was used as a tool to discover the relationship between berry and seed shape in white cultivars. Seed and berry morphological characters are useful for describing and separating the Sicilian cultivars, which showed high variability – especially the white varieties. It is possible that less variability observed in seeds of black varieties could be due to artificial selection carried out in the past by humans, to improve the qualitative traits of berries, which could have an indirect influence on seed morphology. A better understanding of the phenotypic diversity of berry and seed traits and the relationship between berry and seed morphological characteristics of the autochthonous cultivar of Sicilian were achieved.