Shoot transcriptomic response is more sensitive to a 14 day water deficit than root transcriptomic response in Vitis riparia

Drought has become an increasingly important constraint on grapevine sustainability due to global climate change. Vitis riparia, the only grapevine native to the upper Midwest region of the United States, is widely used in scion and rootstock breeding; however, it is not considered drought tolerant. In this study, RNA-Seq data were generated from grapevine root/shoot under WD and well-watered (control (C)) conditions to compare root signaling and shoot responses to water deficit. Overall design: 36 grapevines were randomized into two groups: water deficit (WD) and well-watered control (C). Five days after randomization, differential water treatments began in replicates (3 vines/ replicate) of each treatment: WD received no water and C received 2 L of tap water each day. Root and shoot samples from the 14 d C and WD treatments were used for transcriptomic analysis, as this time point showed distinct physiological differences between treatments.