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Open Access

ARTICLE

Seed Morphological Changes Associated with the Domestication of Vitis Cultivars

José Luis Rodríguez-Lorenzo1, José Javier Martín-Gómez2, Ángel Anocibar Beloqui3, Félix Cabello Sáenz de Santamaría4, Gregorio Muñoz Organero4, Ángel Tocino5, Emilio Cervantes2,*
1 Plant Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biophysics v.v.i, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Královopolská 135, Brno, Czech Republic
2 Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40, Salamanca, Spain
3 Abadía Retuerta, Sardón de Duero, Spain
4 Instituto Madrileño de Investigación y Desarrollo Rural Agrario y Alimentario (IMIDRA), Finca El Encín, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
5 Departamento de Matemáticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Salamanca, Plaza de la Merced 1-4, Salamanca, Spain
* Corresponding Author: Emilio Cervantes. Email: email
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Genomics and Molecular Breeding of Grapevine and Kiwifruit)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2026.080612

Received 12 February 2026; Accepted 25 May 2026; Published online 10 June 2026

Abstract

Background: The transition from wild Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris to cultivated grapes led to major changes in seed shape, known as the “domestication syndrome.” While traditional measurements distinguish these groups, high-resolution geometric analysis provides a more precise way to track domestication and variety stability. Objective: This study uses a multi-parametric approach—combining Fourier descriptors, curvature analysis, and the J-Index—to quantify seed shape variation across 121 Vitis populations. Methods: We analysed 48 varieties, including wild species and three major cultivated lineages (Iberian, Central European, and Muscat). Results: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) successfully separated wild and cultivated groups. The first three components explained 79% of the variation, driven mainly by seed elongation and curvature. The J-Index proved to be a highly stable metric; it remained consistent across different harvest years (2020–2025) for ‘Hebén’ and across different locations for ‘Cabernet Sauvignon.’ Cultivated seeds showed a consistent decrease in solidity and a significant increase in lateral curvature compared to wild seeds. Conclusion: Our findings confirm that the J-Index is a robust tool for identifying grapevine varieties. The stability of these geometric traits across different years and environments suggests that clonal propagation effectively “freezes” the morphological identity of grapevine lineages.

Keywords

Convexity; curvature; ferals; morphometry; seeds; solidity; viticulture

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