Characterization of the berry size in grapevine Vitis vinifera L., association genetics approaches and search of traces of selection for this trait ; Caractérisation de la variation phénotypique de la taille de la baie chez la vigne Vitis vinifera L. et approches de génétique d'association et de recherche de traces de sélection pour ce caractère

Fruit size is an important trait in fruit crops. However, excepted in tomato, little is known about the genetic and molecular control of fleshy fruit size variation. The aim of my thesis was to identify themain anatomical factors underlying berry size variation, to carry out an association genetics based approach with candidate genes and to search for possible signatures of domestication linked toberry size variation. Cell divisions before anthesis and cell expansion after anthesis were found tobe the major determinants of flesh weight variation between varieties in grapevine. Three geneswere identified by association genetics approaches. The VvAGL11 MADS box was found associated only with the seed number per berry. VvHMGR1, a putative HMGR involved in the synthesis of isoprenoid, a precursor of plant growth regulators, was found associated with berry length. Finally,VvJMJ encoding a putative transcription factor jumonji was associated both with berry weight andberry length variation. The characterization of the Fleshless berry locus (Flb) was also pursued with(i) the analysis of the sequence polymorphism of 69 regions between wild and cultivated grapevines,that leaded to the identification of one gene showing a trace of selection and a higher nucleotide diversity in the wild compartment than in the cultivated compartment. (ii) The discovery of acomplete homozygosity of a 1 Mb region containing the Flb locus in some cultivars such as theUgni Blanc, making impossible the fine mapping of the Flb locus in a F1 population. This study has highlighted the complexity of the mechanisms underlying the berry size variation in grapevines. We demonstrated the feasibility to screen in grapevine by association genetics candidate genes for berryweight and to select the most interesting ones for marker-assisted selection and for furtherfunctional studies. ; La taille du fruit est un caractère agronomique important pour le rendement des espèces cultivées.Or, excepté chez la tomate, les mécanismes impliqués dans la variation de ...