Prof. Luigi Manzoni (1888-1968), native of Agordo (Belluno province), was the pioneer of a series of genetic experiments carried out on the vine in the early twentieth century with the aim to identify new red and white grapes that could replace and complement those already cultivated in Veneto.

He graduated in Agricolture at the University of Pisa, and was then engaged from the Viticulture and Oenology School of Conegliano, first as an assistant and later as Professor of Natural Sciences and Plant Pathology. He started and perfectioned experimentation and agrarian research on transpiration, on the water requirements of plants, on the anatomy of the vine and on the genetic improvement through cross-breeding.

In June 1933 he was nominated Principal of the Viticulture and Oenology School of Conegliano where he remained until 1958 and thanks to his efforts the school was reopened after the end of the Second World War when he then founded the “ex-alumni Union”.

Luigi Manzoni was not only a teacher, but also a researcher and experimenter as testified by more than 70 publications among which there are his studies on the anatomy of the grapevine and on the water requirements of the plants (in cooperation with Prof. Puppo), documented by incredible microphotographs.
From 1946 to 1949, Luigi Manzoni was Mayor of Conegliano, and the city also entitled him a street.