Francesca Zuffa


Last Name

Zuffa

First Name

Francesca

ORCID

0009-0009-8797-0205

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2024 - 20253
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Publications 1 - 3 of 3
  • Genetic control and physiological impact of stomatal density in apple trees
    Item type: Doctoral Thesis
    Zuffa, Francesca (2025)
  • Interannual Variation of Stomatal Traits Impacts the Environmental Responses of Apple Trees
    Item type: Journal Article
    Zuffa, Francesca; Jung, Michaela; Yates, Steven; et al. (2025)
    Plant, Cell & Environment
    Stomata are fundamental to plant-water relations and represent promising targets to enhance crop water-use efficiency and climate resilience. Here, we investigated stomatal density (SD) variation in 269 apple accessions across 3 years (2019-2021), which demonstrated significant differences between accessions but consistency over time. We selected 2 subsets of 20 accessions, each with contrasting SD: high stomatal density (HSD; 370-500 mm(-2)) and low stomatal density (LSD; 192-316 mm(-2)). SD groups were compared in stomatal function, leaf physiology and crop productivity across two seasons (2021-2022). LSD had lower stomatal conductance (g(s)) and higher intrinsic water-use efficiency in both years (p < 0.05). Hotter and drier conditions in 2022 reduced g(s) similarly in both groups (-22% HSD, -21% LSD), but also created a difference in net carbon assimilation (A(net)) that was not present in 2021 (HSD + 1.7 mu mol CO2 m(-2) s(-1), p < 0.05). LSD constraints on A(net) were reflected in carbon isotope discrimination (delta C-13, p < 0.001) and annual decline in fruit yield (-35%, p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate the suitability of SD as a trait to improve WUE, but also identifies a trade-off between water savings and productivity, which requires consideration for breeding.
  • Interannual variation of stomatal traits in apple trees and the impact on environmental resilience
    Item type: Other Conference Item
    Dow, Graham; Zuffa, Francesca; Jung, Michaela; et al. (2024)
    S03: Fruit Production Systems for Sustainable and Resilient Development - Book of Abstracts
    Climate change is driving an increased demand for freshwater in agriculture and this highlights an important need to enhance crop water-use efficiency. Making these improvements in perennial crops, such as fruit trees, can be particularly challenging because of long generation cycles and difficulties in genetic transformation. Nonetheless, tree crops play critical roles in global food security and strategies for climate adaptation are strongly needed. Stomata are fundamental gatekeepers of plant-water relations and represent promising targets for crop improvement. Here, we investigated stomatal density (SD) and function in four consecutive years from 2019 to 2022 in a genetically diverse population of 269 apple accessions from across the globe (Malus × domestica Borkh.). SD exhibited a normal distribution within the population, showing significant differences among accessions that remained consistent across 2019, 2020, and 2021. From this population, we identified two subsets of 20 accessions with contrasting SD: the highest stomatal density (HSD) ranging from 370 mm-2 to 500 mm-2, and the lowest stomatal density (LSD) ranging from 192 mm-2 to 316 mm-2. These SD groups were used to compare stomatal function, leaf physiology, and crop productivity across two seasons in 2021 and 2022. While SD defined consistent differences in stomatal conductance (gs) and instantaneous water-use efficiency (iWUE) between groups, seasonal conditions defined the operational values. LSD had lower gs and greater iWUE in both years, but hotter and drier conditions in 2022 reduced gs to rates that constrained photosynthesis and ultimately reduced fruit yield compared with 2021. HSD experienced an equivalent gs decline in 2022, but photosynthesis and fruit yield were unaffected compared with 2021. Our results demonstrate a clear trade-off between water savings (LSD) and tree productivity (HSD) as driven by stomatal traits. Moreover, the consistency of SD across years makes it a reliable functional trait for predicting plant performance amidst environmental responses. Finally, in contrast to the prevailing literature that suggests LSD would be the preferred ideotype for climate adaptation in crops, HSD plants may actually provide greater resilience to climate variability in managed orchards and other agricultural systems.
Publications 1 - 3 of 3