Cytology
Definition - What does Cytology mean?
Cytology is the scientific study of the cells in a grapevine. A branch of pathology, cytology specializes in the study and diagnosis of both the growth of the vine and diseases and their effect on vines through the study of cell samples from the vine.
Cytology can be used by viticulturists to screen for or to diagnose diseases in wine vines.
WineFrog explains Cytology
Viticulturists use cytology to learn how growth happens and how diseases affect vines at the cellular level. Cytology lets viticulturists develop practices to promote growth and ward off diseases that can harm or kill vines.
The cytologic study uses a sample of plant tissue taken from the vine that is transferred to a slide and looked at underneath a microscope. This up-close look at how the cells of the vine change and interact under different conditions and stimuli is part of how new practices in viticulture develop.
