De novo genome assembly of an interspecific hybrid grapevine 'Maeve'

The grapevine is one of the most ancient and economically important horticultural crops in the world. The grapevine species Vitis vinifera is cultivated globally; however, due to its susceptibility to pathogens and environmental stresses, wild Vitis species and their hybrids are often used as rootstocks in vineyards. Here, we report the genome analysis of a Vitis strain named Maeve, which was identified in a vineyard in Japan, though its genetic origin remains unclear. We performed haplotype-resolved de novo assembly of the Maeve genome using PacBio HiFi sequencing and Hi-C assembly. Our genome analysis revealed that Maeve has originated from an interspecific hybridization between an unknown V. vinifera cultivar and the V. riparia Gloire cultivar, likely arising through breeding or natural pollination. This novel cultivar has a potential to expand wine grape production across a wider range of environmental conditions where conventional cultivars are unsuitable for viticulture.