Improving crop drought adaptation under climate change is a major challenge. Plants can deploy different stress-coping strategies to endure environmental stresses and, although still debated, they may retain a memory of past stress events.

Grapevine and tomato, two globally important crops, are strongly affected by drought. Although anatomical and physiological adjustments have been observed in grapevine after recurrent exposure to drought, a full characterization of epigenetic and transcriptional changes following repeated drought episodes is still lacking. In tomato as well, drought-primed ecological memory has been poorly studied.

REMIND aims to test whether repeated mild drought events can prime plants to better tolerate severe drought. Specifically, we are going to investigate whether the expected improved eco-physiological tolerance of drought-primed plants depends either on molecular memory, resulting in distinct epigenetic signatures, or on the resetting of stress-induced signals through transcriptional reprogramming. To elucidate which of these strategies is established, we will compare such responses in grapevine and tomato plants. A multidisciplinary approach combining eco-physiological, anatomical, biochemical, and molecular analyses will be used to fulfil these objectives.

The gained information will provide a predictive framework to estimate the impact of moderately dry periods on crop performance, considering memory-associated protective effects against drought. REMIND outcomes will also offer a valuable background to estimate the feasibility of water withholding practices in the field as sustainable, precision technique to prime crop adaptation to climate-change effects.

Unit coordinator: Secchi Francesca

Funding:

European Union through the Next-Generation EU programme [Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR), Missione 4 Istruzione e Ricerca, Componente 2 Dalla ricerca all’impresa, Investimento 1.1 Fondo per il Programma Nazionale della Ricerca (PNR) e Progetti di Ricerca di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale (PRIN)]

Start date: 12/10/2023

End date: 28/02/2026