Insights into Long-Term Acclimation Strategies of Grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) in Response to Multi-Decadal Cyclical Drought

Changing climatic conditions across Australia’s viticulture regions is placing increasing pressure on resources such as water and energy for irrigation. Therefore, there a pressing need to identify superior drought tolerant grapevine clones by exploring the extensive genetic diversity of early European in old vineyards. Previously, field trial, we identified drought-tolerant (DT) dry-farmed Cabernet Sauvignon that had higher intrinsic use efficiency (WUEi) under prolonged soil moisture deficiency compared drought-sensitive (DS) clones. To investigate whether field-grown have been primed confer phenotypes their subsequent vegetative progenies, evaluated responses DT DS progenies two sequential events glasshouse alongside commercial The clonal exhibited improved gas exchange, photosynthetic performance WUEi recurrent relative progenies. Concentration natural priming agent, γ-amino butyric acid (GABA), was significantly other drought. Although displayed similar acclimation responses, underlying hydraulic, stomatal regulatory mechanisms were quite distinct. Our study provides fundamental insights into potential intergenerational grapevine.