Carolin Weiler

University of Hohenheim, Institute of Crop Science, Fruwirthstr. 23, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany

Challenges:

The effects of climate change will influence table grape production in Germany and Israel. In some areas production will be particularly endangered because drought stress might decrease quality and/or yields of agricultural crops. In Germany natural precipitation is hardly able to fulfil the water requirements of plants during increasing severities and durations of drought periods. Cultivation in Israel already combat with severe water scarcity. Both situations, in Germany and Israel, will lead to water use conflicts. Adaption of plants on drought periods, increased water use efficiency as well as selection of cultivars are necessary.

Physiological drought response of table grapes and specific characteristics of cultivar and rootstocks are of major importance to establish distinct recommendations regarding choose of cultivar and rootstock or management and scheduling of irrigation.

Objectives:

1. Characterization of the four most relevant German and two Israeli table grape varieties according to their physiological drought response.
2. Assessment of the effect of drought stress on relevant internal and external quality traits.
3. Analysing rootstocks’ influence on drought stress and evaluate rootstock-scion interaction for selected cultivars and rootstock genotypes.
4. Evaluation of selected sensors regarding their ability to identify drought stress.

Expected results:

Determination of physiological drought stress reaction of selected table grape cultivars

Identification of cultivar specific implications of physiological drought stress reaction

Evaluation of different rootstocks, their influence on drought stress reaction and the rootstock-scion interaction

Coupling different states of water supply and their effects on yield and quality with sensor detectable changes in appearance of grapevine

Aims:

Researching physiological reactions of plants and find solutions how plants and humans can adapt to coming environmental changes.

Determination of physiological reactions of table grape varieties on drought stress in order to evaluate the effect of water limitation on plant growth and productivity.

Poster presentation:

• Tropentag 2015, 16th September 2015, Humboldt University Berlin
  Title: Effect of water stress on German and Israeli table grapes - tolerant or sensitive?
• EcoSummit 2016, 29th August to 3rd September 2016, Montpellier
  Title of poster: Gene expression analysis of German and Israeli table grapes with regard to drought stress tolerance
• Gesellschaft für Pflanzenbauwissenschaften – Tagung 2016, 26th -28th September 2016, University of Gießen
  Title: Klimawandel und Tafeltraubenanbau in Deutschland – Auswirkungen von Trockenstress auf Wachstum und Entwicklung ausgewählter Sorten. 

Oral presentation:

• World Water Day 2016 – Colloquium, 22th March 2016, University of Hohenheim
  Title: Minimizing water use conflicts of table grape production in Germany and Israel – Screening of German and Israeli table grapes with regard to drought stress tolerance.
• Weinbau Symposium 2015, 12th March 2015, University of Hohenheim
  Title: Presentation of PhD-Project: Minimierung von Wassernutzungskonflikrten bei der Tafeltraubenproduktion in Deutschland und Israel - Screening von deutschen und israelischen Tafeltrauben in Hinblick auf Trockenstresstoleranz

Peer reviewed publications:

1. Weiler, C.S., Merkt, N., Graeff-Hönninger, S., 2018. Impact of Water Deficit during Fruit Development on Quality and Yield of Young Table Grape Cultivars, Horticulturae, 4 (4) , 45
2. Weiler, C.S., Merkt, N., Hartung, J., Graeff-Hönninger, S., 2019. Variability among Young Table Grape Cultivars in Response to Water Deficit and Water Use Efficiency,  Agronomy, 9 (3),135