A genomic approach to study heat stress resistance in grapevine

In grapevine, heat stress is a major limiting factor of production and quality. Global warming is already negatively affecting viticulture. The response of plants to high temperatures clearly depends on genetic factors, but the genetic basis of this variability in heat tolerance has not been elucidated so far. With this project we aim at detecting genotypic and epigenotypic differences associated to heat stress resistance in grapevine. We hope to provide insights into stress tolerance in this species and also contribute to the development of resources that could be used for improving heat stress tolerance in grapevine (e.g. through varietal selection). This work is done in collaboration with Instituto Superior de Agronomia (Lisboa), namely with Prof. Elsa Gonçalves and Prof. Antero Martins experts in quantitative genetics, genetic diversity and grapevine conservation and selection and with Dr. Luísa Carvalho, expert in the physiological responses to heat stress in grapevine. We also collaborate with Camille Rustenholz and Amandine Velt (INRAE Colmar, France), Sylvain Santoni and Roberto Bacilieri (INRAE Montpellier, France) and Aline Muyle (CEFE, Montpellier, France) on the bioinformatic and genomic analyses.