Seminar on Seminar on Genetic variability and adptive potential of temperate and boreal forest Genetic variability and adptive potential of temperate and boreal forest

tree speciestree species23 – 25 February 201023 – 25 February 2010Bucharest - RomaniaBucharest - Romania

““Extreme events in southern European Extreme events in southern European temperate areas: temperate areas:

an important role of an important role of collections for monitoring collections for monitoring the variation of species”the variation of species”

Many new problems for phenologists......Many new problems for phenologists......

Fulvio Ducci & Anna De Fulvio Ducci & Anna De RogatisRogatis

CRA SEL IT – P 12CRA SEL IT – P 12

Stone fruit trees such as wild cherry develop their vegetative and fruiting buds in summer and, as winter approaches,

the already developed buds go dormant in response to both shorter day lengthsshorter day lengths and cooler cooler temperaturestemperatures.

Once buds have entered dormancy, they will be tolerant to temperatures much below freezing and will not grow in response to mid-winter will not grow in response to mid-winter warm spellswarm spells.

These buds remain dormant until they have remain dormant until they have accumulated sufficient chilling units (CU) of accumulated sufficient chilling units (CU) of cold weathercold weather.

As long as there have been enough CUs the flower and leaf buds are ready to develop normally.

If the buds do not receive sufficient chilling temperatures during winter to completely release dormancy, trees will develop one or more of the physiological symptoms associated with insufficient chilling: 1) delayed foliation, 2) reduced fruit set and increased buttoning and, 3) reduced fruit quality.

A Southern Apennines A Southern Apennines clone (MR03) clone (MR03)

A Dolomites clone A Dolomites clone (PVN03)(PVN03)

A central Apennines clone (VM03)

A Chilling Unit: is the amount of hour passed under a A Chilling Unit: is the amount of hour passed under a certain Temperature levelcertain Temperature level

Phenology of domestic

cherry in Europe

The climate in the Mediterranean The climate in the Mediterranean RegionRegion

The typic Mediterranean termo-pluviographyc distribution in Apennines (Arezzo)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

Months

Tem

per

atu

res

(°C

.) a

nd

Rai

nfa

lls

(mm

)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

P mm

T°C.

Average late frost Average late frost date (24 April)date (24 April)

Average early Average early frost date (9 frost date (9 November)November)

250 m

8050 mm/year

11,5° mean T

Phenophases used:Phenophases used:

1.1. Flower Bud scales Flower Bud scales openopen

2.2. Petiole elonged, Petiole elonged, flowers closedflowers closed

3.3. Anthesis 1/3 of Anthesis 1/3 of flowersflowers

4.4. Anthesis ½ of Anthesis ½ of flowersflowers

5.5. 1/1 flowers open1/1 flowers open

6.6. 1/3 flowers 1/3 flowers released petalsreleased petals

7.7. ½ flowers released ½ flowers released petalspetals

8.8. 1/1 small cherries1/1 small cherries

What happen in early autumn 2009?

Early frost average date

Sep.t-Dec.2009 Temperatures in Pomaio AR, 600 m elev.

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Days

°C.

T° Max

T° Min.

T° Mean

Flower phenology in Wild cherry clone oct dec 2009 (the first date include colour of leaves)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

26.10.09 26.10.09 2.11.09 5.11.09 11.11.09 16.11.09 19.11.09 23.11.09 26.11.09 1.12.09 10.12.09

Days

Flo

wer

ph

eno

log

t p

has

e

Lombardy Alps

Dolomites

N Calabria

Dolomites NW Alps

Lombardy Alps N calabria

Lombardy Alps

northern clones

Flower phenology autumn 2009 (P. avium L clones AR 600 m

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

26.10

.09

2.11

.09

5.11

.09

11.11

.09

16.11

.09

19.11

.09

23.11

.09

26.11

.09

1.12

.09

10.12

.09

Days

Sco

rin

g

N Calabria

E Prealps

Lombardy Prealps

S Apennines

Average date of early frosts

CU counting started

You passed from temperatures like summer conditions, therefore no dormancy induction messages, to the direct counting of CU. The earliest clones registered that as winter and following eating 10 days as a spring. Another problem is that also BEES recorded that.

Rainfalls have facilitated the false message

Autumn Flow er phenology in Arezzo 250 m

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Days

Sco

res

FL 07

FL 01

ACW 08

AL 04

AL 04

AL 05

AR 01

AR 01

BF 03

BF 04

BF 08

BF 12

BF 12

CAUCASO

CAUCASO

PME 04

PVN 03

Senza nome

TNW 01

TNW 02

TNW 03

TNW 03

TNW 04

TNW 04

TNW 04

TNW 04

TNW 04

TNW 05

TNW 10

VLS 03

VM 02

VM 02

VM 02

VM 02

VTN 03

VTS 01

VV 03

Temperatures (°C.) and Rainfalls (P mm) in Arezzo CRASEL 250 m

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

6/9/

09

12/9

/09

18/9

/09

24/9

/09

30/9

/09

6/10

/09

12/1

0/09

18/1

0/09

24/1

0/09

30/1

0/09

5/11

/09

11/1

1/09

17/1

1/09

23/1

1/09

29/1

1/09

5/12

/09

11/1

2/09

17/1

2/09

23/1

2/09

29/1

2/09

Days

T°C

. an

d m

m Max

Min

Media gior

P mm

Chilling Units needed?

Chilling Units in Oct.-Nov. 2009 in the clonal archives at 600 and 250 m elevation

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

DATA

01/1

0/200

9

03/1

0/200

9

05/1

0/200

9

07/1

0/200

9

09/1

0/200

9

11/1

0/200

9

13/1

0/200

9

15/1

0/200

9

17/1

0/200

9

19/1

0/200

9

21/1

0/200

9

23/1

0/200

9

25/1

0/200

9

27/1

0/200

9

29/1

0/200

9

31/1

0/200

9

date

Su

m o

f h

ou

rs

POMAIO600 m<0° Pomaio600m < 6°Arezzo250 m< 0°Arezzo250 m<6°

67 mm precipitations the week before the lower 67 mm precipitations the week before the lower temperaturestemperatures

LateLate

EarlierEarlier

Spring phenology: according to Spring phenology: according to latitude and mainly altitudelatitude and mainly altitude

Neutral markers

89% of total variation is common to pupolations

High individual variation componentHigh individual variation component

• Clones induced to flower by the false winter/spring short period are the same of previuos surveys and come from:

• Southern Apennines Areas (usually very cold and snowy, >1500 m

• Central Apennines , 700 – 1000 m• Very low elevations, 20 – 70 m in the middle

of PO valley (but with very long winters and and frequent temperature inversion);

• From the southern slope of Alps, very wide daily temperature range and snowy, 700 – 1000 m

Hypotheses

• Interactions Drought/Rainfalls in autumn?Interactions Drought/Rainfalls in autumn?

• Interactions Drought/rainfalls-in-autumn/early Interactions Drought/rainfalls-in-autumn/early lower temperatures?lower temperatures?

• Bud Dormancy not induced by decreasing Bud Dormancy not induced by decreasing temperatures?temperatures?

• Introgression of ancient early fruit varieties?Introgression of ancient early fruit varieties?

• Would it be possible characterising clones for Would it be possible characterising clones for a really reduced CU need?a really reduced CU need?

• Possible uses for genetics?Possible uses for genetics?

• Why they are more concentrated in some Why they are more concentrated in some areas at higher altitude and southern aspects?areas at higher altitude and southern aspects?

• More uses of this information?More uses of this information?