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Societal Impact StatementGrapevine leaves are emblematic of the strong visual associations people make with plants. Leaf shape is immediately recognizable at a glance, and therefore, this is used to distinguish grape varieties. In an era of computationally enabled machine learning‐derived representations of reality, we can revisit how we view and use the shapes and forms that plants display to understand our relationship with them. Using computational approaches combined with time‐honored methods, we can predict theoretical leaves that are possible, enabling us to understand the genetics, development, and environmental responses of plants in new ways. SummaryGrapevine leaves are a model morphometric system. Sampling over 10,000 leaves using dozens of landmarks, the genetic, developmental, and environmental basis of leaf shape has been studied and a morphospace for the genusVitispredicted. Yet, these representations of leaf shape fail to capture the exquisite features of leaves at high resolution.We measure the shapes of 139 grapevine leaves using 1672 pseudo‐landmarks derived from 90 homologous landmarks with Procrustean approaches. From hand traces of the vasculature and blade, we have derived a method to automatically detect landmarks and place pseudo‐landmarks that results in a high‐resolution representation of grapevine leaf shape. Using polynomial models, we create continuous representations of leaf development in 10Vitisspp.We visualize a high‐resolution morphospace in which genetic and developmental sources of leaf shape variance are orthogonal to each other. Using classifiers,Vitis vinifera,Vitisspp., rootstock and dissected leaf varieties as well as developmental stages are accurately predicted. Theoretical eigenleaf representations sampled from across the morphospace that we call synthetic leaves can be classified using models.By predicting a high‐resolution morphospace and delimiting the boundaries of leaf shapes that can plausibly be produced within the genusVitis, we can sample synthetic leaves with realistic qualities. From an ampelographic perspective, larger numbers of leaves sampled at lower resolution can be projected onto this high‐resolution space, or, synthetic leaves can be used to increase the robustness and accuracy of machine learning classifiers.
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From buds to shoots: insights into grapevine development from the Witch’s Broom bud sport
Abstract BackgroundBud sports occur spontaneously in plants when new growth exhibits a distinct phenotype from the rest of the parent plant. The Witch’s Broom bud sport occurs occasionally in various grapevine (Vitis vinifera) varieties and displays a suite of developmental defects, including dwarf features and reduced fertility. While it is highly detrimental for grapevine growers, it also serves as a useful tool for studying grapevine development. We used the Witch’s Broom bud sport in grapevine to understand the developmental trajectories of the bud sports, as well as the potential genetic basis. We analyzed the phenotypes of two independent cases of the Witch’s Broom bud sport, in the Dakapo and Merlot varieties of grapevine, alongside wild type counterparts. To do so, we quantified various shoot traits, performed 3D X-ray Computed Tomography on dormant buds, and landmarked leaves from the samples. We also performed Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing on the samples and called genetic variants using these sequencing datasets. ResultsThe Dakapo and Merlot cases of Witch’s Broom displayed severe developmental defects, with no fruit/clusters formed and dwarf vegetative features. However, the Dakapo and Merlot cases of Witch’s Broom studied were also phenotypically different from one another, with distinct differences in bud and leaf development. We identified 968–974 unique genetic mutations in our two Witch’s Broom cases that are potential causal variants of the bud sports. Examining gene function and validating these genetic candidates through PCR and Sanger-sequencing revealed one strong candidate mutation in Merlot Witch’s Broom impacting the gene GSVIVG01008260001. ConclusionsThe Witch’s Broom bud sports in both varieties studied had dwarf phenotypes, but the two instances studied were also vastly different from one another and likely have distinct genetic bases. Future work on Witch’s Broom bud sports in grapevine could provide more insight into development and the genetic pathways involved in grapevine.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2310355
- PAR ID:
- 10500832
- Publisher / Repository:
- Springer Science + Business Media
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- BMC Plant Biology
- Volume:
- 24
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 1471-2229
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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