Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) productivity is highly sensitive to water deficit, a condition of increasing concern in Mediterranean viticulture. The cultivar 'Italia', one of the most economically important table grapes in southern Italy, was selected to investigate physiological and molecular responses to drought. Six candidate genes previously identified in transcriptomic analyses (VvPP2C4, VvPP2C8, VvGolS1, VvGolS2, VvHSP18, and VvRD26) were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR under controlled water stress conditions. The results revealed significant changes in expression, with four genes showing marked differential regulation, particularly those related to ABA signaling and osmoprotection. These findings provide the first targeted validation of candidate drought-responsive genes in 'Italia', highlighting their functional role and offering valuable information for breeding strategies aimed at improving grapevine resilience and sustainability under climate change.
Gene expression and physiological responses in grapevine under water stress conditions
Mascio I.;Savoia M. A.;Procino S.;Vivaldi G. A.;Nigro D.;De Giovanni C.;Fanelli V.;Camposeo S.;Miazzi M. M.
;Montemurro C.
2026-01-01
Abstract
Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) productivity is highly sensitive to water deficit, a condition of increasing concern in Mediterranean viticulture. The cultivar 'Italia', one of the most economically important table grapes in southern Italy, was selected to investigate physiological and molecular responses to drought. Six candidate genes previously identified in transcriptomic analyses (VvPP2C4, VvPP2C8, VvGolS1, VvGolS2, VvHSP18, and VvRD26) were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR under controlled water stress conditions. The results revealed significant changes in expression, with four genes showing marked differential regulation, particularly those related to ABA signaling and osmoprotection. These findings provide the first targeted validation of candidate drought-responsive genes in 'Italia', highlighting their functional role and offering valuable information for breeding strategies aimed at improving grapevine resilience and sustainability under climate change.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
