The Grape Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory was established in 1984. The laboratory's mission-oriented goal is to produce disease resistant grapevines for Florida by various means, including conventional breeding, somatic cell genetics and genetic engineering. Research in bacterial and fungal disease resistance is emphasized. The current focus of the program is development of protected technology to facilitate commercially-useful, genetically-engineered varieties.

Recent News:
- ‘Southern Jewel’: A Self-Fertile, Black Muscadine Grape...
- New muscadine grape cultivar called Delicious...

Recent Presentations:
- "Cisgenics: Green Genetic Engineering" Soc In Vitro Biol Charleston 2009
- "Field Testing Transgenic Grapevine Expanded Version” Univ. Virgin Islands 2007
- "Field Testing Transgenic Grapevine" Amer Soc Horticulture Scottsdale 2007
- "Greenhouse & Field Screening Fungal Resistant Grapevine" Soc In Vitro Biol Indianapolis 2007
- "Selecting Disease Resistant Transgenic Grapevines for Field Tests" Soc In Vitro Biol Minneapolis 2006
- "Transgenic Fungal Resistant Grapevine" Soc In Vitro Biol Minneapolis 2006
- "Transformation in Vitis" Soc In Vitro Biol Baltimore 2005

Selected Publications:
- “Genetic Transformation of Vitis“ ASEV 60(3) 285-292 2009
- “Optimizing Somatic Embryogenesis” HortScience 2009
- “Marker Gene-Free Co-Transformation Grape” Plant Sci 2008
- “Improved Agro-Mediated Transformation of Grape” Plant Cell Tiss. Org. Cult 2008
- “Agro-Mediated Transformation of Muscadine Grape” Plant Cell Rep 2008
- "Transgenic Grapevines From Shoot Apical Meristems" Plant Cell Rep 2007
- "Transpeptide Transmission from Rootstock to Scion" ACTA Hort 2007
- "Optimizing Agro-Mediated Transformation Grape" In Vitro Cell Dev Biol 2006
- "Grapevine Albumin Gene and Promoter" Genome 2005
- "Bidirectional Dual Promoter System" Trans Res 2004
- "Somatic Embryo Development" Amer J Bot 2003
- "Vitis Vinifera Thaumatin Protein Expression" Func Plant Biol 2003
- "GFP NPTII Fusion Gene" Plant Sci 2001

Personnel of the Grape Biotechnology Laboratory at the MREC:

  - Dennis J. Gray , Professor/Developmental Biologist

Zhijian Li, PhD,
Laboratory Manager & Molecular Biologist

Sadanand Dhekney, PhD,
Research Associate & Developmental Biologist

Mr. Matthew McKinley, Greenhouse/Vineyard Manager

Ms. Aurora Salazar, Laboratory Technician

Ms. Marlene Saldivar, Laboratory Technician

Community College/High School Interns:

Mr. Matthew Creech

Mr. Stephen Bethel

Mr. Case Lorance

Ms. Cynthia Mahesh