Alessandro Bignardi, a PhD fellow affiliated with the University of Trento (Italy), carried out a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) within the FruitCREWS COST Action. The mission was hosted by the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center of Washington State University (WSU) in Prosser, USA, under the supervision of Dr Markus Keller. Alessandro stayed at the host institution from 19 July to 19 October 2025. His work focused on the effects of water stress on bud dormancy and cold acclimation in grapevine.
The research was conducted on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay cultivars grown under the naturally dry conditions typical of eastern Washington. Field experiments were combined with controlled-environment studies to better understand the onset and progression of bud endodormancy. Measurements focused on dormancy depth, cold hardiness, bud water content, and carbohydrate dynamics. Several physiological and tracer-based techniques were applied to study bud–shoot interactions during dormancy transitions.
The STSM produced valuable results showing that carbon availability can influence dormancy progression, even during cold acclimation. Bud water status was also found to be highly responsive to changes in photoperiod. These findings improve understanding of grapevine responses to water-limited conditions and support research on climate adaptation in woody crops. The mission also strengthened collaboration between Italian and US research teams and laid the foundation for future joint publications. This STSM was supported by the FruitCREWS COST Action (CA21142).