In my projects, I am advancing the knowledge on key physiological and genetic regulation of flower bud induction, biennial bearing and winter dormancy in apple. To study these biological mechanisms I use experimental set-ups with fruit trees under controlled climatic conditions, histological bud sectioning and microscopy, proteomic and metabolic profiling (ESI-MS), phytohormone analysis (MRM), analysis of carbohydrates (LC-MS), RNA sequencing (transcriptomics), smallRNA sequencing, as well as validation of growth regulating compounds in field experiments.