Grapevine-chronology: Annual growth ring analysis for climate adaptation and vineyard management – A review

The study of annual growth rings in Vitis vinifera has recently emerged as a promising framework to explore long-term vine responses to climate and management. This review synthesizes current knowledge on grapevine wood anatomy, xylem functionality, and isotopic signatures, highlighting their role as archives of environmental and agronomic information. Grapevine growth rings provide high-resolution records of climate signals, including drought and heat stress, and reveal cultivar-specific hydraulic strategies shaped by soil conditions and management practices. Stable isotope analyses further complement anatomical chronologies by integrating physiological responses to water availability. Together, these approaches offer valuable insights into the structural memory and plasticity of grapevine xylem, with direct implications for vineyard sustainability and climate adaptation. We also examine the impact of viticultural practices such as irrigation, pruning, grafting, and rootstock choice on xylem architecture, emphasizing how agronomic decisions leave long-lasting anatomical imprints in wood. Finally, we outline future research perspectives, including the integration of dendrochronological, isotopic, and high-resolution imaging techniques, to fully exploit grapevine chronologies as tools for understanding vine resilience and for guiding varietal selection, breeding, and precision viticulture under changing environmental conditions.