Grapevine cultivation in the Xizang Plateau, the highest-altitude vineyard region: a systematic literature review

Xizang, located in the southwestern region of the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau and often referred to as 'the roof of the world', is the highest-altitude grape-cultivation region globally. Although its viticultural heritage dates back to the Tubo Dynasty (7th century CE), industry development was impeded for over a millennium owing to bioclimatic extremes and technological limitations in the pre-industrial era. However, with major advances in transportation infrastructure and agrotechnological innovation, the viticulture industry began to experience transformative growth in the 21st century. As a result, the Southern Xizang Valley (Yarlung Zangbo Valley) and Eastern Xizang High-Mountain Canyon Area (Hengduan Mountains Region) have emerged as the dominant grape-growing areas in Xizang. In parallel, global climate change is reshaping the Xizang environment, enhancing the viability of high-altitude viticulture and enabling unprecedented expansion of climatically suitable viticultural zones. Despite these developments, systematic reviews of viticulture-related literature for this region remain scarce. Therefore, we conducted this systematic literature review to comprehensively characterize the viticulture industry in Xizang, incorporating its geomorphological and climatic context and multiple aspects of grape cultivation, including historical development, current practices, and fruit quality attributes. We also examined the impacts of global warming on regional viticulture and berry composition, elucidated key challenges in both industry practices and scientific research, and proposed evidence-based strategies for future industry advancement. This review provides a scientific reference for rational planning, cultivation model selection, and in-depth research on Xizang grapes.