Articles
POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON SOFT FRUIT PRODUCTION: THE EXAMPLE OF WINTER CHILL IN RIBES
Article number
838_2
Pages
27 – 33
Language
English
Abstract
Analysis of historical meteorological data for the UK confirms a trend towards warmer winters and also changes in woody plant phenology, particularly flowering traits.
As a result, there is increasing concern in parts of Europe that commercial cropping of some berry fruit crops, notably blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), has been adversely affected by a succession of mild winters, leading to insufficient winter chill and poor bud development in the subsequent year.
In order to provide environmentally-resilient cultivars for the sustainability of future fruit production, breeders require accurate and high-throughput phenotyping protocols for the identification of the varying levels of chill requirement in the available germplasm.
We illustrate here preliminary results of one such screening method.
As a result, there is increasing concern in parts of Europe that commercial cropping of some berry fruit crops, notably blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), has been adversely affected by a succession of mild winters, leading to insufficient winter chill and poor bud development in the subsequent year.
In order to provide environmentally-resilient cultivars for the sustainability of future fruit production, breeders require accurate and high-throughput phenotyping protocols for the identification of the varying levels of chill requirement in the available germplasm.
We illustrate here preliminary results of one such screening method.
Authors
H.G. Jones, R.M. Brennan
Keywords
chill units, climate change, winter chill
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