RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Increases in vein length compensate for leaf area lost to lobing in grapevine JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2022.03.15.484490 DO 10.1101/2022.03.15.484490 A1 Zoƫ Migicovsky A1 Joel F. Swift A1 Zachary Helget A1 Laura L. Klein A1 Anh Ly A1 Matthew Maimaitiyiming A1 Karoline Woodhouse A1 Anne Fennell A1 Misha Kwasniewski A1 Allison J. Miller A1 Peter Cousins A1 Daniel H. Chitwood YR 2022 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/03/16/2022.03.15.484490.abstract AB Premise There is considerable variation in leaf lobing and leaf size, including among grapevines, some of the most well-studied leaves. We examined the relationship between leaf lobing and leaf size across grapevine populations which varied in extent of leaf lobing.Methods We used homologous landmarking techniques to measure 2,632 leaves across two years in 476 unique, genetically distinct grapevines from 5 biparental crosses which vary primarily in the extent of lobing. We determined to what extent leaf area could explain variation in lobing, vein length, and vein to blade ratio.Results Although lobing was the primary source of variation in shape across the leaves we measured, leaf area varied only slightly as a function of lobing. Rather, leaf area increases as a function of total major vein length, total branching vein length, and decreases as a function of vein to blade ratio. These relationships are stronger for more highly lobed leaves, with the residuals for each model differing as a function of distal lobing.Conclusions For a given leaf area, more highly lobed leaves have longer veins and higher vein to blade ratios, allowing them to maintain similar leaf areas despite increased lobing. These findings show how more highly lobed leaves may compensate for what would otherwise result in a reduced leaf area, allowing for increased photosynthetic capacity through similar leaf size.Competing Interest StatementPC is employed by E. & J. Gallo Winery. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.