Characterizing 3D inflorescence architecture in grapevine using X-ray imaging and advanced morphometrics:...

Area of Science:

• Plant biology
• Computational biology
• Evolutionary biology

Background:

• Inflorescence architecture is crucial for crop development and understanding plant evolution.
• Analyzing complex 3D branching structures requires advanced tools for geometric and topological feature analysis.
• High-content datasets are needed to capture phenotypic variation in plant structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively characterize grapevine inflorescence architecture in wild Vitis species.
• To develop and apply an advanced framework for quantifying 3D branched plant structures.
• To identify traits relevant to phenotypic variation and evolutionary patterns.

Main Methods:

• Combined advanced imaging (X-ray tomography) with computational approaches.
• Utilized topological and geometric data analysis.
• Performed structural simulations and correlation analyses.

Main Results:

• Characterized grapevine inflorescence architecture across 10 wild Vitis species.
• Identified unexpected trait independence, e.g., pedicel branch angles.
• Achieved 78.3% accuracy in classifying species based on multivariate traits.
• Discovered 12 traits with strong signals across phylogenetic clades.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework provides a robust method for quantifying 3D inflorescence architecture.
• This approach can differentiate species and reveal evolutionary insights into inflorescence patterns.
• The framework aids in understanding genetic and environmental influences on plant phenotypes.