Genetic Analysis Of Drought Tolerance and Identification of Candidate Genes in Grapevine (Vitis Vinifera) Genotypes

Drought stress is one of the major environmental factors limiting grapevine growth, productivity, and fruit quality, particularly in regions affected by increasing water scarcity and climate variability. Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) genotypes exhibit substantial genetic variation in their responses to water deficit, making the identification of genetic factors associated with drought tolerance important for the development of resilient grapevine cultivars. İn this review, we discuss the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in grapevine, with particular emphasis on genes involved in water regulation, stress signaling, antioxidant defense, osmotic adjustment, and transcriptional regulation. We also examine the potential of molecular markers, gene expression analysis, transcriptomic approaches, and other genomic tools for identifying candidate genes associated with drought-responsive traits. Understanding the genetic basis of drought tolerance may facilitate the identification and characterization of superior grapevine genotypes and support marker-assisted selection and molecular breeding programs. Further investigation of candidate drought-responsive genes could contribute to the development of grapevine cultivars with improved adaptation to water-limited environments and help maintain grape production under changing climatic conditions.