Estimating the grapevine cultivated biodiversity: indices for an objective evaluation

There is always a lot of discussion about consequences of the concentration of the number of grapevine varieties cultivated and about the decline in diversity of the plant material and clones available from nurseries and used by the winegrowers. With the aim to better understand and to define more precisely the disadvantages or advantages of the different situations in terms of “cultivated biodiversity”, we sought to develop different indices adapted to grapevine allowing to compare in a neutral and objective way these diverse situations. These indicators may concern different geographical levels of vineyards (world, countries, regions, estates, plots) and may take into account different categories of plant material such as varieties, clones or rootstocks and different categories of products (wine, table grape, etc.). They could also be used and applied for some labels or certification programs to guarantee certain levels of biodiversity to consumers.