вЂњThis year's funded projects will address a range of those challenges, from energy and water saving in vine plants, finding cost-effective solutions for heat tolerance and drought, to addressing food safety risks for produce,вЂќ Moffitt said. USDA funding supports research across state lines to find innovative solutions to regional and national problems, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt said in a news releaseВ announcing this and other grants. вЂњClimate change is a great opportunity for the horticultural industry to innovate and promote climate-ready plant productions,вЂќ Ossola said. It could lead to plants being designated as вЂњwater-wise,вЂќ вЂњlow-water use,вЂќ вЂњenergy-savingвЂќ or вЂњcooling.вЂќД®xtensive engagement and outreach will also publicize the information. The findings will enable recommendations to be developed for regions, planners, the landscape industry and the public. вЂњWe want to understand which vine characteristics relate to fast growth, reduced water use and increased aesthetic appeal,вЂќ he added.

Many vines can be grown along cables and wire nets that are actually detached from walls to avoid direct contact and still provide shade, Ossola said. Thermal images of trellis coverage and other environmental measurements will also be taken to assess shading and cooling potential, according to grant documents. The vines will be rated on aesthetics, foliage quality, floral quantity, pest and disease resistance, appearance and other factors. Over the next two years, the vines will experience low, moderate and high water allocations. The vines will be planted, supported by a trellis and watered regularly during the first growing season to establish deep roots and healthy shoots. Two research sites will be in California, with one each in Arizona, Utah and Washington.ДЄ trumpet flower attracts hummingbirds and provides shade as it grows up a trellis beside a home in Yolo Country, California. вЂњBut we need to understand the relationships between low water-use plants and their ability to reduce thermal loads on buildings.вЂќ вЂњIn addition to rapid growth rates, vines can be easily integrated with structures to maximize potential cooling effects,вЂќ said Loren Oki, a Cooperative Extension specialist with Department of Plant Sciences, who is the project lead. The goal of this research is to identify vines that can help save energy by providing cooling and reduce the need for irrigated water. Water conservation will be vital as populations rise, climate extremes become more prevalent and the demand for agricultural and drinking water increases.

California Department of Food and Agriculture is administering the grant. Department of AgricultureвЂ™s Agricultural Marketing Service will fund work to plant and monitor at least 10 types of vines on trellises in five locations in different climate zones over three years. вЂњWe believe vines can be an effective and cheap measure to help cities accelerating climate change adaptation.вЂќ вЂњVines can quickly shade buildings and reduce energy consumption while trees slowly grow to maturity,вЂќ said Alessandro Ossola, an assistant professor of plant sciences who is a principal investigator for the project.

Researchers from UC Davis are leading a nearly $880,000 federal grantВ to study how vines may provide cooling and shade in Western states in less time than it takes a tree to grow tall. Honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, pink trumpet and other vines could be a fast-growing substitute in climate-smart cities of the future. Perhaps trees arenвЂ™t the only green solution when it comes to cooling urban spaces and reducing energy costs.

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