GLOBAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE UP TO 6 °C BY THE END OF THE CENTURY, WITH THE POTENTIAL TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT COLD ACCLIMATION AND DORMANCY INDUCTION IN CULTIVATED GRAPEVINE. LOW TEMPERATURES AND SHORTENING PHOTOPERIOD IN LATE-SUMMER AND FALL INDUCE MOLECULAR, METABOLIC, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES NECESSARY FOR GRAPEVINES TO SURVIVE LOW TEMPERATURES DURING WINTER DORMANCY. WHEN GRAPEVINES ARE NOT ADEQUATELY ACCLIMATED TO LOW TEMPERATURES, FALL AND WINTER FREEZE DAMAGE CAN COMPROMISE PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION THE FOLLOWING SEASON, LEADING TO ECONOMIC LOSSESFOR GRAPE GROWERS.THE GOAL OF THIS GRANTIS TO DISCOVER HOW GRAPEVINES PREPARE FOR DORMANCY AND ACQUIRE COLD TOLERANCE UNDER INCREASED LATE-SUMMER AND FALL TEMPERATURES. FROM AN APPLIED PERSPECTIVE, THIS RESEARCH WILL INFORM PERENNIAL FRUIT GROWERS ON HOW INCREASED TEMPERATURES DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING AFFECT CROP HEALTH AND PRODUCTION. ON A MECHANISTIC LEVEL, RESEARCH OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROPOSAL SEEK TO: 1) ELUCIDATE THE TRANSCRIPTOMIC, METABOLOMIC, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING GRAPEVINE ACQUISITION AND MAINTENANCE OF COLD TOLERANCE AND 2) EXPLORE THE RATE AND PLASTICITY OF COLD ACCLIMATION IN TWO GRAPEVINE GENOTYPES WITH DIFFERENT EVOLUTIONARY HISTORIES. THESE OBJECTIVES WILL INFORM PLANT BREEDING FOR COLD ACCLIMATION UNDER CLIMATE CHANGETHROUGH THE IDENTIFICATION OF ELITE GERMPLASM. THE OUTLINED OBJECTIVES WILL BE ACHIEVEDTHROUGH AN INTERDISCIPLINARY, MULTI-INSTITUTIONALCOLLABORATIONLED BY A PREDOCTORAL, GRADUATERESEARCH SCIENTIST.
$156,154FY2021National Institute of Food and AgricultureUSDA
The Pennsylvania State University