Drought is a major threat to walnut production globally, often resulting in lower yields and weaker trees. While grafting has traditionally been used to improve the resilience of fruit and nut trees, the exact mechanisms of signal transfer between rootstocks and scions have remained elusive. Given these challenges, there is a pressing need to explore how genetic modifications in rootstocks can be leveraged to enhance drought tolerance in walnut trees.
Drought is a major threat to walnut production globally, often resulting in lower yields and weaker trees. While grafting has traditionally been used to improve the resilience of fruit and nut trees, the exact mechanisms of signal transfer between rootstocks and scions have remained elusive. Given these challenges, there is a pressing need to explore how genetic modifications in rootstocks can be leveraged to enhance drought tolerance in walnut trees.
Researchers at Zhejiang A&F University have published a study in Horticulture Research on May 24, 2024, investigating how genetically altered rootstocks affect drought responses in grafted walnut trees. The research focused on the JrGA20ox1 gene, which plays a key role in gibberellin production, examining how its overexpression or suppression in rootstocks influences scion performance under drought.
