Genetius

The study performed a meta‑transcriptomic analysis of over twenty drought versus control experiments in Vitis vinifera and two hybrid rootstocks, identifying a core set of 4,617 drought‑responsive genes. Using transcription factor binding motif enrichment and random‑forest machine learning, gene regulatory networks were built, revealing key regulators such as ABF2, MYB30A, and a novel HMG‑box protein. These regulators and network hierarchies provide candidate targets for breeding and biotechnological improvement of grapevine drought tolerance.

The study used wood metatranscriptomics, metabolomics, and metabarcoding to compare grapevine (Vitis vinifera) responses to drought and esca leaf symptom expression, revealing distinct but overlapping transcriptomic and metabolic signatures, including activation of phenylpropanoid and stilbenoid pathways. Drought reduced esca symptom expression, associated with decreased abundance of the wood‑decay fungus Fomitiporia mediterranea and altered fungal virulence factor expression, while increasing the relative abundance and anti‑oxidative gene expression of Phaeomoniella chlamydospora.

The study reanalyzed 1,107 public grapevine RNA‑seq datasets to build condition‑specific gene expression atlases and a whole‑genome co‑expression network associated with drought stress, and deployed these resources via a web‑based Hydric Stress Atlas App. Network topology analysis identified candidate hub genes that could serve as molecular markers or targets for gene editing to improve drought tolerance in Vitis vinifera.

The study evaluated high‑throughput spectroscopy and poro‑fluorometry to predict leaf morphological and ecophysiological traits in a grapevine diversity panel under well‑watered and drought conditions. Spectroscopy reliably estimated leaf mass per area and water content, while poro‑fluorometry accurately predicted net CO2 assimilation, and the derived predicted traits showed substantial broad‑sense heritability. These results demonstrate that non‑destructive, rapid phenotyping tools can support genetic analyses of drought‑related traits in grapevine.