Location: Grape Genetics Research Unit (GGRU)
Project Number: 8060-21220-007-006-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jun 1, 2017
End Date: Jul 31, 2019
Objective:
Grapevine cold hardiness is a complex trait which begins in fall as vines acclimate and concludes in spring following budburst. As a result, the phenological progression during the growing season can impact the vine’s preparedness for winter. Similarly, very cold hardy wild grapevines can burst very late in the spring, preventing frost damage. However, these same vines then do not ripen and are not ready for fall. Understanding the genetic architecture of phenology is thus very important for combining essential traits in new hybrid grapevines.
Approach:
The cooperator maintains several mapping populations of grapevine which appear to segregate for phenological traits. The cooperator will lead phenotyping efforts including sample collection for gene expression analysis. The ARS scientist will receive samples, process tissues and analyze genetic variation and gene expression data to identify differences between early budburst, early flower, and early scenescence phenotypes.
