Beyond dormancy: organ-specific gene regulatory networks control winter development in peach buds

However, whether this model applies uniformly to different bud types remains unclear. Here, we investigate the development of vegetative and flower buds in Prunus persica under the same winter conditions, integrating anatomical, hormonal, and transcriptomic data with network inference and interaction assays.

Vegetative buds, though assumed to be quiescent, show progressive histological differentiation and sustained transcriptional activity during chilling accumulation, akin to flower buds. Despite similar ABA/GA profiles, divergent transcriptional outputs suggest bud-specific hormone integration. Co-expression analysis identifies jasmonate-linked modules responsive to photoperiod in vegetative buds, while chilling-responsive modules centered on SVP1 characterize floral buds.