Context

Mediterranean countries are among the biggest grape producers, but the current changes in climatic conditions including recurrent droughts, become a huge threat to the sustainability of grape production, food security and farmers’ incomes in this region. These climatic changes will also affect the plant diseases, altering more fruit yield and quality, as well as processing. The majority of the grown grapevine cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.) is susceptible to fungal diseases requiring use of chemical pesticides that are harmful to human health and the environment. These negative impacts have sparked increasing interest in developing safer innovative strategies, while maintaining, or even increasing levels of agricultural production, the quality of harvesting products, and the economic profitability of farms and agricultural value chains. Success will necessarily involve the use of combinations and integrations of many levers, ranging from varietal selection to changes in farming practices and systems. Using and managing functional microbial diversity with beneficial viticultural practices is among the most promising and innovative levers in farming system. Manipulation of plant microbiome has great potential in reducing disease incidences, promoting plant growth and fitness and increasing productivity even under stress conditions.