Temporal and environmental factors interact with rootstock genotype to shape leaf elemental composition in grafted grapevines

Abstract

Plants take up elements through their roots and transport them to their shoot systems for use in numerous biochemical, physiological, and structural functions. Elemental composition of above-ground plant tissues, such as leaves, reflects both above- and below-ground activities of the plant genotype, as well the local environment. Perennial, grafted plants, where the root system of one individual is fused to the shoot system of a genetically distinct individual, offer a powerful experimental system in which to study the role of the root system in the elemental composition of the shoot system. We measured elemental composition of over 7000 leaves in the grapevine cultivar ‘Chambourcin’ growing ungrafted and grafted to three rootstock genotypes. Leaves were collected over multiple years and phenological stages (across the season) and along a developmental time series. Temporal components of this study had the largest effect on leaf elemental composition; and rootstock genotype interacted with year, phenological stage, and leaf age to differentially modulate leaf elemental composition. Further, the local, above-ground environment affected leaf elemental composition, an effect influenced by rootstock genotype. This work highlights the dynamic nature by which root systems interact with shoot systems to respond to temporal and environmental variation.

X-ray imaging of 30 year old wine grape wood reveals cumulative impacts of rootstocks on scion secondary growth and harvest index

“…Over 80% of vineyards grow grafted grapes, a process that became widespread in response to the phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae Fitch) crisis, in which grafting to tolerant and/or resistant rootstocks derived from North American Vitis species allowed wine and table grape scions to grow in infested soils (Ollat et al , 2016). Subsequently, grapevine rootstocks were recognized as not only conferring resistance to pathogens besides phylloxera (Cousins & Walker, 2002; Hwang et al , 2010; Ferris et al , 2012), but also salinity and drought tolerance (Zhang et al , 2002; Serra et al , 2014), as well as altering scion mineral composition (Walker et al , 2004; Gautier et al , 2018, 2020; Migicovsky et al , 2019; Harris et al , 2022) and the chemistry and maturation of berries (Ruhl, 1989; Walker et al , 2000; Kodur, 2011; Cheng et al , 2017). One of the most desirable properties that grapevine rootstocks can affect is Ravaz (or harvest) index: the ratio of yield to pruning weight (or, 1-year-old cuttings weighed the following dormant season at pruning).…”