This Research Topic has been developed in collaboration with the Phytochemical Society of North America.

Bud winter dormancy is an adaptive trait evolved to protect the vegetative and reproductive meristems of deciduous perennials from cold weather. The proper onset and timely release of winter dormancy in buds is critical for the flowering, yield, and product quality of deciduous fruit and nut crops, which are abundant sources of nutrients for humans. Winter dormancy of buds can be divided into endodormancy and ecodormancy, which are regulated by endogenous signals such as phytohormones in conjunction with environmental factors including temperature and photoperiod. The transition from endodormant to ecodormant buds requires an exposure to a certain amount of winter chill, defined by the number of low-temperature hours experienced by the buds. After the fulfilment of endodormancy release, favorable environmental conditions are required to wake flower buds from ecodormancy. This process of bud break is increasingly perturbed by steadily warmer winters and extreme spring weather in recent years. Although several conserved mechanisms have been reported for different tree crops in the establishment and release of bud winter dormancy, species-specific processes may also modulate the response of some tree crops to this changing environment. Consequentially, a better understanding of bud winter dormancy in various deciduous tree crops is urgently needed to ensure a sustainable production of economically and nutritionally important fruits and nuts.

The goal of this Research Topic is to investigate the phenological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular changes underlying the establishment, progression, and break of winter dormancy, as well as the endogenous and environmental mechanisms governing these processes. Recent developments in chemical treatments, management practices, and breeding strategies to overcome climate barriers will also be explored.

We encourage the submission of studies that advance the mechanistic understanding of the functioning of plants or focus on the physiological traits linked to increasing crop yield.

We welcome submissions including, but not limited to, reviews, mini-reviews, methods, and research articles, with the following foci:
• Agroclimatic and phenological modeling for predicting the establishment and breaking of bud dormancy
• Physiological, biochemical, and genetic mechanisms driving the onset, progression, and break of bud dormancy
• Experimental methodology to assess bud dormancy and break as well as the resumption of flower growth
• Agrochemical treatment and agronomic and horticultural practices to compensate for the lack of winter chill
• New strategies for breeding specialty tree crops for current and future climate conditions

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Frontiers in Plant Science

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