Vitaceae family(Vitis vinifera)
Vitaceae family
The grape has a long and complex history, dating back to its wild Near Eastern progenitor V. sylvestris. They were probably domesticated by 4000 B.C. Along with domestication came a single mutation-induced transition from dioecy to perfect flowers. Grapes are, of course, a prominent crop throughout the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Grape is the world's number one fruit crop, and well over 90% of the production goes into winemaking. The science of winemaking is known as enology. Grapes are best-adapted to the hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters of the Mediterranean climates of the world, which also include coastal California, the South African cape, Southwest Australia, and Central Chile. The common European grape has 2n=38 chromosomes. Concord and muscadine grapes are native to North America and are distinct species, V. labrusca and V. rotundifolia, respectively. Grapes are commonly propagated via root cuttings or grafting.