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Kumar A, Mushtaq M, Kumar P, Sharma DP, Gahlaut V. Insights into flowering mechanisms in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) amidst climate change: An exploration of genetic and epigenetic factors. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2024; 1868:130593. [PMID: 38408683 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2024.130593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) holds a prominent position among global temperate fruit crops, with flowering playing a crucial role in both production and breeding. This review delves into the intricate mechanisms governing apple flowering amidst the backdrop of climate change, acknowledging the profound influence of external and internal factors on biennial bearing, flower bud quality, and ultimately, fruit quality. Notably, the challenge faced in major apple production regions is not an inadequacy of flowers but an excess, leading to compromised fruit quality necessitating thinning practices. Climate change exacerbates these challenges, rendering apple trees more susceptible to crop failure due to unusual weather events, such as reduced winter snowfall, early spring cold weather, and hailstorms during flowering and fruit setting. Altered climatic conditions, exemplified by increased spring warming coupled with sub-freezing temperatures, negatively impact developing flower buds and decrease overall crop production. Furthermore, changing winter conditions affect chilling accumulation, disrupting flower development and synchronicity. Although the physiological perception of apple flowering has been reviewed in the past, the genetic, epigenetic, and multi-omics regulatory mechanisms governing floral induction and flowering are still rarely discussed in the case of apple flowering. This article comprehensively reviews the latest literature encompassing all aspects of apple flowering, aiming to broaden our understanding and address flowering challenges while also laying a solid foundation for future research in developing cultivars that are ideally adapted to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anshul Kumar
- MS Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Shoolini University, Bhajol, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173229, India
| | - Muntazir Mushtaq
- MS Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Shoolini University, Bhajol, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173229, India
| | - Pankaj Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173230, India.
| | - Dharam Paul Sharma
- Department of Fruit Science, Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173230, India
| | - Vijay Gahlaut
- University Centre for Research & Development, Chandigarh University, Punjab 140413, India.
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Guerrero C, Cerezo S, Feito I, Rodríguez L, Samach A, Mercado JA, Pliego-Alfaro F, Palomo-Ríos E. Effect of heterologous expression of FT gene from Medicago truncatula in growth and flowering behavior of olive plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1323087. [PMID: 38455727 PMCID: PMC10917891 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1323087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Olive (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea) is one of the most important crops of the Mediterranean Basin and temperate areas worldwide. Obtaining new olive varieties adapted to climatic changing conditions and to modern agricultural practices, as well as other traits such as biotic and abiotic stress resistance and increased oil quality, is currently required; however, the long juvenile phase, as in most woody plants, is the bottleneck in olive breeding programs. Overexpression of genes encoding the 'florigen' Flowering Locus T (FT), can cause the loss of the juvenile phase in many perennials including olives. In this investigation, further characterization of three transgenic olive lines containing an FT encoding gene from Medicago truncatula, MtFTa1, under the 35S CaMV promoter, was carried out. While all three lines flowered under in vitro conditions, one of the lines stopped flowering after acclimatisation. In soil, all three lines exhibited a modified plant architecture; e.g., a continuous branching behaviour and a dwarfing growth habit. Gene expression and hormone content in shoot tips, containing the meristems from which this phenotype emerged, were examined. Higher levels of OeTFL1, a gene encoding the flowering repressor TERMINAL FLOWER 1, correlated with lack of flowering. The branching phenotype correlated with higher content of salicylic acid, indole-3-acetic acid and isopentenyl adenosine, and lower content of abscisic acid. The results obtained confirm that heterologous expression of MtFTa1 in olive induced continuous flowering independently of environmental factors, but also modified plant architecture. These phenotypical changes could be related to the altered hormonal content in transgenic plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Consuelo Guerrero
- Departamento de Botánica y Fisiología Vegetal, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea ‘La Mayora’, Universidad de Málaga, Spanish National Research Council (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Málaga, Spain
| | - Sergio Cerezo
- Departamento de Botánica y Fisiología Vegetal, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea ‘La Mayora’, Universidad de Málaga, Spanish National Research Council (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Málaga, Spain
| | - Isabel Feito
- Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario de Asturias, Finca Experimental “La Mata”, Grado, Spain
| | - Lucía Rodríguez
- Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario de Asturias, Finca Experimental “La Mata”, Grado, Spain
| | - Alon Samach
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - José A. Mercado
- Departamento de Botánica y Fisiología Vegetal, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea ‘La Mayora’, Universidad de Málaga, Spanish National Research Council (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Málaga, Spain
| | - Fernando Pliego-Alfaro
- Departamento de Botánica y Fisiología Vegetal, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea ‘La Mayora’, Universidad de Málaga, Spanish National Research Council (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Málaga, Spain
| | - Elena Palomo-Ríos
- Departamento de Botánica y Fisiología Vegetal, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea ‘La Mayora’, Universidad de Málaga, Spanish National Research Council (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Málaga, Spain
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Kerr SC, Shehnaz S, Paudel L, Manivannan MS, Shaw LM, Johnson A, Velasquez JTJ, Tanurdžić M, Cazzonelli CI, Varkonyi-Gasic E, Prentis PJ. Advancing tree genomics to future proof next generation orchard production. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 14:1321555. [PMID: 38312357 PMCID: PMC10834703 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1321555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
The challenges facing tree orchard production in the coming years will be largely driven by changes in the climate affecting the sustainability of farming practices in specific geographical regions. Identifying key traits that enable tree crops to modify their growth to varying environmental conditions and taking advantage of new crop improvement opportunities and technologies will ensure the tree crop industry remains viable and profitable into the future. In this review article we 1) outline climate and sustainability challenges relevant to horticultural tree crop industries, 2) describe key tree crop traits targeted for improvement in agroecosystem productivity and resilience to environmental change, and 3) discuss existing and emerging genomic technologies that provide opportunities for industries to future proof the next generation of orchards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie C Kerr
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Saiyara Shehnaz
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Lucky Paudel
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Mekaladevi S Manivannan
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Lindsay M Shaw
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Amanda Johnson
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jose Teodoro J Velasquez
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Miloš Tanurdžić
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Erika Varkonyi-Gasic
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter J Prentis
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Sadka A, Walker CH, Haim D, Bennett T. Just enough fruit: understanding feedback mechanisms during sexual reproductive development. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:2448-2461. [PMID: 36724082 PMCID: PMC10112685 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The fruit and seed produced by a small number of crop plants provide the majority of food eaten across the world. Given the growing global population, there is a pressing need to increase yields of these crops without using more land or more chemical inputs. Many of these crops display prominent 'fruit-flowering feedbacks', in which fruit produced early in sexual reproductive development can inhibit the production of further fruit by a range of mechanisms. Understanding and overcoming these feedbacks thus presents a plausible route to increasing crop yields 'for free'. In this review, we define three key types of fruit-flowering feedback, and examine how frequent they are and their effects on reproduction in a wide range of both wild and cultivated species. We then assess how these phenomenologically distinct phenomena might arise from conserved phytohormonal signalling events, particularly the export of auxin from growing organs. Finally, we offer some thoughts on the evolutionary basis for these self-limiting sexual reproductive patterns, and whether they are also present in the cereal crops that fundamentally underpin global diets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catriona H Walker
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Dor Haim
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Institute of Plant Sciences, ARO, The Volcani Institute, Rishon Le’Zion 7528809, Israel
- The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
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Du W, Ding J, Li J, Li H, Ruan C. Co-regulatory effects of hormone and mRNA-miRNA module on flower bud formation of Camellia oleifera. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1109603. [PMID: 37008468 PMCID: PMC10064061 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1109603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Few flower buds in a high-yield year are the main factors restricting the yield of Camellia oleifera in the next year. However, there are no relevant reports on the regulation mechanism of flower bud formation. In this study, hormones, mRNAs, and miRNAs were tested during flower bud formation in MY3 ("Min Yu 3," with stable yield in different years) and QY2 ("Qian Yu 2," with less flower bud formation in a high-yield year) cultivars. The results showed that except for IAA, the hormone contents of GA3, ABA, tZ, JA, and SA in the buds were higher than those in the fruit, and the contents of all hormones in the buds were higher than those in the adjacent tissues. This excluded the effect of hormones produced from the fruit on flower bud formation. The difference in hormones showed that 21-30 April was the critical period for flower bud formation in C. oleifera; the JA content in MY3 was higher than that in QY2, but a lower concentration of GA3 contributed to the formation of the C. oleifera flower bud. JA and GA3 might have different effects on flower bud formation. Comprehensive analysis of the RNA-seq data showed that differentially expressed genes were notably enriched in hormone signal transduction and the circadian system. Flower bud formation in MY3 was induced through the plant hormone receptor TIR1 (transport inhibitor response 1) of the IAA signaling pathway, the miR535-GID1c module of the GA signaling pathway, and the miR395-JAZ module of the JA signaling pathway. In addition, the expression of core clock components GI (GIGANTEA) and CO (CONSTANS) in MY3 increased 2.3-fold and 1.8-fold over that in QY2, respectively, indicating that the circadian system also played a role in promoting flower bud formation in MY3. Finally, the hormone signaling pathway and circadian system transmitted flowering signals to the floral meristem characteristic genes LFY (LEAFY) and AP1 (APETALA 1) via FT (FLOWERING LOCUS T) and SOC1 (SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO 1) to regulate flower bud formation. These data will provide the basis for understanding the mechanism of flower bud alternate formation and formulating high yield regulation measures for C. oleifera.
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Gafni I, Rai AC, Halon E, Zviran T, Sisai I, Samach A, Irihimovitch V. Expression Profiling of Four Mango FT/TFL1-Encoding Genes under Different Fruit Load Conditions, and Their Involvement in Flowering Regulation. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11182409. [PMID: 36145810 PMCID: PMC9506463 DOI: 10.3390/plants11182409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Plant flowering is antagonistically modulated by similar FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1) proteins. In mango (Mangifera indica L.), flowering is induced by cold temperatures, unless the tree is juvenile or the adult tree had a high fruit load (HFL) in the summer. Here, we studied the effects of juvenility and fruit load on the expression of four MiFT/TFL1 genes cloned from the mango ‘Shelly’ cultivar. Ectopic expression of MiFT1 in Arabidopsis resulted in early flowering, whereas over-expression of MiFT2 and the two cloned MiTFL1 genes repressed flowering. Moreover, juvenility was positively correlated with higher transcript levels of MiFT2 and both MiTFL1s. In trees with a low fruit load, leaf MiFT1 expression increased in winter, whereas HFL delayed its upregulation. MiFT2 expression was upregulated in both leaves and buds under both fruit load conditions. Downregulation of both MITFL1s in buds was associated with a decrease in regional temperatures under both conditions; nevertheless, HFL delayed the decrease in their accumulation. Our results suggest that cold temperature has opposite effects on the expression of MiFT1 and the MiTFL1s, thereby inducing flowering, whereas HFL represses flowering by both suppressing MiFT1 upregulation and delaying MiTFL1s downregulation. The apparent flowering-inhibitory functions of MiFT2 are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itamar Gafni
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7528809, Israel
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Avinash Chandra Rai
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7528809, Israel
| | - Eyal Halon
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7528809, Israel
| | - Tali Zviran
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7528809, Israel
| | - Isaac Sisai
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7528809, Israel
| | - Alon Samach
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Vered Irihimovitch
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7528809, Israel
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +972-3-9683965; Fax: +972-3-9669583
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Metwally RA, Abdelhameed RE, Soliman SA, Al-Badwy AH. Potential use of beneficial fungal microorganisms and C-phycocyanin extract for enhancing seed germination, seedling growth and biochemical traits of Solanum lycopersicum L. BMC Microbiol 2022; 22:108. [PMID: 35448979 PMCID: PMC9027073 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-022-02509-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Biopriming as a new technique of seed treatment involves the application of beneficial microorganisms on the seed surface to stimulate seed germination, plant growth, and protect the seed from soil and seed-borne pathogens. The present investigation was carried out on seed germination, seedling vigor and biochemical traits of one of the most important vegetable crops (Tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L.). The treatments comprised viz. T1: Non primed seeds (Control), T2: Hydropriming, T3: Biopriming with C-phycocyanin (C-PC) (Spirulina platensis extract), T4: Biopriming with Trichoderma asperellum, T5: Biopriming with T. viride, T6: Biopriming with Beauveria bassiana. Results Extraction and purification of C-phycocyanin (C-PC) from the dry S. platensis powder using various methods was performed. The purity after dialyses was 0.49 and its ultimate purity (A620/A280) after ion-exchange chromatography was 4.64. The results on tomato seedlings revealed that the maximum germination percentage (100%), germination index (15.46 and 15.12), seedling length (10.67 cm), seedling dry weight (1.73 and 1.97 mg) and seedling length vigor index (1066.7) were recorded for tomato biopriming with T. viride, and B. bassiana (T5 and T6). Moreover, the quantitative estimation of total carbohydrates and total free amino acids contents in bioprimed tomato seedlings indicated a significantly higher amount with T. viride, followed by those bioprimed with T. asperellum, B. bassiana and C-PC extract. Conclusion Thus, our results indicated that biopriming of tomato seeds with beneficial fungal inoculants and C-PC was very effective. The most operative biostimulants were those bioprimed with T. viride and B. bassiana compared to other biostimulants (T. asperellum and C-PC). Therefore, to ensure sustainable agriculture, this study offers new possibilities for the biopriming application as an alternative and ecological management strategy to chemical treatment and provides a valuable basis for improving seed germination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabab A Metwally
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Reda E Abdelhameed
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt.
| | - Shereen A Soliman
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Asmaa H Al-Badwy
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
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Agustí M, Reig C, Martínez-Fuentes A, Mesejo C. Advances in Citrus Flowering: A Review. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:868831. [PMID: 35463419 PMCID: PMC9024417 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.868831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Citrus are polycarpic and evergreen species that flower once in spring or several times a year depending on the genotype and the climatic conditions. Floral induction is triggered by low temperature and water-deficit stress and occurs 2-3 months before bud sprouting, whereas differentiation takes place at the same time as sprouting. The induced buds develop single flowers or determinate inflorescences, so that vegetative growth is required at the axillary buds to renew the polycarpic habit. The presence of fruits inhibits sprouting and flower induction from nearby axillary buds in the current season. In some species and cultivars, this results in low flowering intensity the following spring, thus giving rise to alternate bearing. A number of key flowering genes act in the leaf (CiFT3, CcMADS19, etc.) or in the bud (CsLFY, CsTFL1, etc.) to promote or inhibit both flowering time and reproductive meristem identity in response to these climatic factors, the fruit dominance, or the age of the plant (juvenility). The expression of some of these genes can be modified by gibberellin treatments, which reduce bud sprouting and flowering in adult trees, and constitute the main horticultural technique to control flowering in citrus. This review presents a comprehensive view of all aspects of the flowering process in citrus, converging the research published during the past half century, which focused on plant growth regulators and the nutritional source-sink relationships and guided research toward the study of gene transcription and plant transformation, and the advances made with the development of the tools of molecular biology published during the current century.
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Liang Q, Song K, Lu M, Dai T, Yang J, Wan J, Li L, Chen J, Zhan R, Wang S. Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses Reveal the Involvement of Multiple Pathways in Flowering Intensity in Mango. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:933923. [PMID: 35909785 PMCID: PMC9330041 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.933923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is famous for its sweet flavor and aroma. China is one of the major mango-producing countries. Mango is known for variations in flowering intensity that impacts fruit yield and farmers' profitability. In the present study, transcriptome and metabolome analyses of three cultivars with different flowering intensities were performed to preliminarily elucidate their regulatory mechanisms. The transcriptome profiling identified 36,242 genes. The major observation was the differential expression patterns of 334 flowering-related genes among the three mango varieties. The metabolome profiling detected 1,023 metabolites that were grouped into 11 compound classes. Our results show that the interplay of the FLOWERING LOCUS T and CONSTANS together with their upstream/downstream regulators/repressors modulate flowering robustness. We found that both gibberellins and auxins are associated with the flowering intensities of studied mango varieties. Finally, we discuss the roles of sugar biosynthesis and ambient temperature pathways in mango flowering. Overall, this study presents multiple pathways that can be manipulated in mango trees regarding flowering robustness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingzhi Liang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
- *Correspondence: Qingzhi Liang
| | - Kanghua Song
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Mingsheng Lu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
- College of Tropical Crops, Yunnan Agricultural University, Puer, China
| | - Tao Dai
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
- College of Tropical Crops, Yunnan Agricultural University, Puer, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Zhanjiang Experimental Station, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Jiaxin Wan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Li Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Jingjing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Rulin Zhan
- Haikou Experimental Station, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Rulin Zhan
| | - Songbiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
- Songbiao Wang
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Capelli M, Lauri PÉ, Léchaudel M, Normand F. Hormones and carbohydrates are both involved in the negative effects of reproduction on vegetative bud outgrowth in the mango tree: consequences for irregular bearing. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 41:2293-2307. [PMID: 34089058 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The negative effects of fruit production during one cycle on reproduction during the following cycle are generally explained by two complementary processes: hormone synthesis and carbohydrate mobilization. Our study focused on mango (Mangifera indica L.) for which it has been shown that reproduction decreases and delays vegetative bud outgrowth. This, in turn, affects flowering and fruiting in the following cycle. Vegetative growth therefore plays a pivotal role in irregular fruit production patterns across consecutive years. Our aim was to decipher the respective roles of hormones and carbohydrates on the negative effects of reproduction on vegetative growth. We analyzed the changes in various hormone (auxin, cytokinin, abscisic acid) and carbohydrate (glucose, sucrose, starch) concentrations in terminal axes with vegetative and reproductive fates of two mango cultivars, Cogshall and José, characterized by different bearing patterns, across consecutive phenological periods during a growing cycle. Auxin concentrations were high in inflorescences, fruit peduncles and axes bearing inflorescences or fruit, suggesting auxin-induced inhibition of vegetative bud outgrowth in the flowering and fruiting axes. Moreover, growing fruits, which are strong sink organs, depleted carbohydrates from non-fruiting axes. During vegetative growth, this starch depletion probably contributed to decreasing the probability of and to delaying vegetative bud outgrowth of reproductive axes for Cogshall, and of reproductive and nonreproductive axes for José. Starch dynamics in quiescent and flowering growth units during early fruit growth and their starch concentrations at fruit maturity differed between the two cultivars, presumably in relation to the observed contrasted crop loads and/or to differences in photosynthetic capacity or carbohydrate allocation. These differences between the two cultivars in terms of starch concentration in terminal axes during vegetative growth could partly explain their different bearing patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Capelli
- CIRAD, UPR HortSys, Station de Bassin Plat, PO Box 180, F-97455 Saint-Pierre, Réunion, France
- Université de Montpellier, 163 rue Auguste Broussonnet, F-34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre-Éric Lauri
- Université de Montpellier, 163 rue Auguste Broussonnet, F-34090 Montpellier, France
- INRAE, UMR ABSys, 2 place Viala, F-34060 Montpellier, France
| | - Mathieu Léchaudel
- Université de Montpellier, 163 rue Auguste Broussonnet, F-34090 Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR Qualisud, Station de Neufchâteau-Sainte-Marie, F-97130 Capesterre-Belle-Eau, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Frédéric Normand
- CIRAD, UPR HortSys, Station de Bassin Plat, PO Box 180, F-97455 Saint-Pierre, Réunion, France
- Université de Montpellier, 163 rue Auguste Broussonnet, F-34090 Montpellier, France
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Mathiazhagan M, Chidambara B, Hunashikatti LR, Ravishankar KV. Genomic Approaches for Improvement of Tropical Fruits: Fruit Quality, Shelf Life and Nutrient Content. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1881. [PMID: 34946829 PMCID: PMC8701245 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The breeding of tropical fruit trees for improving fruit traits is complicated, due to the long juvenile phase, generation cycle, parthenocarpy, polyploidy, polyembryony, heterozygosity and biotic and abiotic factors, as well as a lack of good genomic resources. Many molecular techniques have recently evolved to assist and hasten conventional breeding efforts. Molecular markers linked to fruit development and fruit quality traits such as fruit shape, size, texture, aroma, peel and pulp colour were identified in tropical fruit crops, facilitating Marker-assisted breeding (MAB). An increase in the availability of genome sequences of tropical fruits further aided in the discovery of SNP variants/Indels, QTLs and genes that can ascertain the genetic determinants of fruit characters. Through multi-omics approaches such as genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and proteomics, the identification and quantification of transcripts, including non-coding RNAs, involved in sugar metabolism, fruit development and ripening, shelf life, and the biotic and abiotic stress that impacts fruit quality were made possible. Utilizing genomic assisted breeding methods such as genome wide association (GWAS), genomic selection (GS) and genetic modifications using CRISPR/Cas9 and transgenics has paved the way to studying gene function and developing cultivars with desirable fruit traits by overcoming long breeding cycles. Such comprehensive multi-omics approaches related to fruit characters in tropical fruits and their applications in breeding strategies and crop improvement are reviewed, discussed and presented here.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kundapura V. Ravishankar
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru 560089, India; (M.M.); (B.C.); (L.R.H.)
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12
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Nawaz R, Khan MA, Hafiz IA, Khan MF, Khalid A. Climate variables effect on fruiting pattern of Kinnow mandarin (Citrus nobilis Lour × C. deliciosa Tenora) grown at different agro-climatic regions. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18177. [PMID: 34518610 PMCID: PMC8438049 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97653-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Kinnow orchards grown in different agro-ecological regions of Punjab, Pakistan, namely Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh (TTS) and Vehari districts, were selected to assess the effect of climate variables on fruit-bearing patterns. Experiment was laid out in RCBD while selecting identical features Kinnow plants and labeled twigs at analogous canopy positions in all three sites. Temperature was reported higher in TTS and Vehari areas, while relative humidity in Sargodha accounted for different levels of agrometeorological indices by computing more variations in warm districts. Climate variables influenced fruit-bearing habits and vegetative growth trend in all three flushes while recording heavy fruit-bearing plants during on-year and light fruit-bearing in off-year at Vehari. Similarly, three vegetative flushes were recorded unevenly in all three sites due to different fruit-bearing patterns induced by climate variables. Harvesting pattern of orchards began earlier in Sargodha, where maximum orchards were harvested before new flowering to add evenness to fruiting habits during on & off-years. In warm conditions, fruit ripening arrived in the peak of winter and mostly domestic market-driven harvesting resulted in late start of fruit picking with more erratic fruit-bearing habits. Both physiological and pathological fruit drops have been significantly affected by climate variables with a higher degree of physiological drop in warm regions and pathological effects in the humid conditions of Sargodha on heavy fruit-bearing plants. Fruit yield and grading quality were also affected in both seasons by showing more asymmetrical trend in yield and fruit grading in warm areas of TTS and Vehari due to an irregular fruiting pattern compared to Sargodha. From now on, the climate variables of the three sites directly influenced the fruiting patterns, vegetative flushes, fruit drops, yields and grades of Kinnow mandarin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rab Nawaz
- grid.440552.20000 0000 9296 8318Department of Horticulture, Pir Mehr Ali Shah- Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Azam Khan
- grid.440552.20000 0000 9296 8318Department of Horticulture, Pir Mehr Ali Shah- Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Ishfaq Ahmad Hafiz
- grid.440552.20000 0000 9296 8318Department of Horticulture, Pir Mehr Ali Shah- Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | | | - Azeem Khalid
- grid.440552.20000 0000 9296 8318Department of Environmental Sciences, Pir Mehr Ali Shah- Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
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13
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A Complex Gene Network Mediated by Ethylene Signal Transduction TFs Defines the Flower Induction and Differentiation in Olea europaea L. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12040545. [PMID: 33918715 PMCID: PMC8070190 DOI: 10.3390/genes12040545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is a typical Mediterranean crop, important for olive and oil production. The high tendency to bear fruits in an uneven manner, defined as irregular or alternate bearing, results in a significant economic impact for the high losses in olives and oil production. Buds from heavy loaded (‘ON’) and unloaded (‘OFF’) branches of a unique olive tree were collected in July and the next March to compare the transcriptomic profiles and get deep insight into the molecular mechanisms regulating floral induction and differentiation. A wide set of DEGs related to ethylene TFs and to hormonal, sugar, and phenylpropanoid pathways was identified in buds collected from ‘OFF’ branches. These genes could directly and indirectly modulate different pathways, suggesting their key role during the lateral bud transition to flowering stage. Interestingly, several genes related to the flowering process appeared as over-expressed in buds from March ‘OFF’ branches and they could address the buds towards flower differentiation. By this approach, interesting candidate genes related to the switch from vegetative to reproductive stages were detected and analyzed. The functional analysis of these genes will provide tools for developing breeding programs to obtain olive trees characterized by more constant productivity over the years.
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14
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Haim D, Shalom L, Simhon Y, Shlizerman L, Kamara I, Morozov M, Albacete A, Rivero RM, Sadka A. Alternate bearing in fruit trees: fruit presence induces polar auxin transport in citrus and olive stem and represses IAA release from the bud. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:2450-2462. [PMID: 33345278 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In many fruit trees, heavy fruit load in one year reduces flowering in the following year, creating a biennial fluctuation in yield termed alternate bearing (AB). In subtropical trees, where flowering induction is mostly governed by the accumulation of chilling hours, fruit load is thought to generate a signal (AB signal) that blocks the perception of cold induction. Fruit removal during a heavy-fruit-load year is effective at inducing flowering only if performed one to a few months before the onset of the flowering induction period. We previously showed that following fruit removal, the content of the auxin indoleacetic acid (IAA) in citrus buds is reduced, suggesting that the hormone plays a role in the AB signal. Here, we demonstrate that fruit presence generates relatively strong polar auxin transport in citrus and olive stems. Upon fruit removal, polar auxin transport is reduced and allows auxin release from the bud. Furthermore, using immunolocalization, hormone, and gene expression analyses, we show that in citrus, IAA level in the bud and specifically in the apical meristem is reduced upon fruit removal. Overall, our data provide support for the notion that fruit presence generates an auxin signal in the bud, which may affect flowering induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dor Haim
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, The Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Liron Shalom
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, The Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Yasmin Simhon
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, The Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Lyudmila Shlizerman
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, The Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Itzhak Kamara
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, The Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Michael Morozov
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, The Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Alfonso Albacete
- CEBAS-CSIC, Department of Plant Nutrition, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Rosa M Rivero
- CEBAS-CSIC, Department of Plant Nutrition, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Avi Sadka
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, The Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
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Gottschalk C, Zhang S, Schwallier P, Rogers S, Bukovac MJ, van Nocker S. Genetic mechanisms associated with floral initiation and the repressive effect of fruit on flowering in apple (Malus x domestica Borkh). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245487. [PMID: 33606701 PMCID: PMC7894833 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many apple cultivars are subject to biennial fluctuations in flowering and fruiting. It is believed that this phenomenon is caused by a repressive effect of developing fruit on the initiation of flowers in the apex of proximal bourse shoots. However, the genetic pathways of floral initiation are incompletely described in apple, and the biological nature of floral repression by fruit is currently unknown. In this study, we characterized the transcriptional landscape of bourse shoot apices in the biennial cultivar, 'Honeycrisp', during the period of floral initiation, in trees bearing a high fruit load and in trees without fruit. Trees with high fruit load produced almost exclusively vegetative growth in the subsequent year, whereas the trees without fruit produced flowers on the majority of the potential flowering nodes. Using RNA-based sequence data, we documented gene expression at high resolution, identifying >11,000 transcripts that had not been previously annotated, and characterized expression profiles associated with vegetative growth and flowering. We also conducted a census of genes related to known flowering genes, organized the phylogenetic and syntenic relationships of these genes, and compared expression among homeologs. Several genes closely related to AP1, FT, FUL, LFY, and SPLs were more strongly expressed in apices from non-bearing, floral-determined trees, consistent with their presumed floral-promotive roles. In contrast, a homolog of TFL1 exhibited strong and persistent up-regulation only in apices from bearing, vegetative-determined trees, suggesting a role in floral repression. Additionally, we identified four GIBBERELLIC ACID (GA) 2 OXIDASE genes that were expressed to relatively high levels in apices from bearing trees. These results define the flowering-related transcriptional landscape in apple, and strongly support previous studies implicating both gibberellins and TFL1 as key components in repression of flowering by fruit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Gottschalk
- Department of Horticulture, Plant and Soil Science Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Songwen Zhang
- Department of Horticulture, Plant and Soil Science Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Phil Schwallier
- Michigan State University Extension, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sean Rogers
- Department of Horticulture, Plant and Soil Science Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Martin J. Bukovac
- Department of Horticulture, Plant and Soil Science Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Steve van Nocker
- Department of Horticulture, Plant and Soil Science Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
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16
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Dastkar E, Soleimani A, Jafary H, de Dios Alche J, Bahari A, Zeinalabedini M, Salami SA. Differential expression of genes in olive leaves and buds of ON- versus OFF-crop trees. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15762. [PMID: 32978460 PMCID: PMC7519672 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72895-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternate bearing (AB) refers to the tendency of trees to have an irregular crop load from 1 year (ON) to the next year (OFF). Despite its economic importance, it is not fully understood how gene networks and their related metabolic pathways may influence the irregular bearing in olive trees. To unravel molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon in olive (cv. Conservalia), the whole transcriptome of leaves and buds from ON and OFF-trees was sequenced using Illumina next generation sequencing approach. The results indicated that expressed transcripts were involved in metabolism of carbohydrates, polyamins, phytohormones and polyphenol oxidase (POD) related to antioxidant system. Expression of POD was increased in leaf samples of ON- versus OFF-trees. The expression pattern of the greater number of genes was changed more in buds than in leaves. Up-regulation of gene homologues to the majority of enzymes that were involved in photorespiration metabolism pathway in buds of ON-trees was remarkable that may support the hypotheses of an increase in photorespiratory metabolism in these samples. The results indicated changes in expression pattern of homologous to those taking part of abscisic acid and cytokinin synthesis which are connected to photorespiration. Our data did not confirm expression of homologue (s) to those of chlorogenic acid metabolism, which has been addressed earlier that have a probable role in biennial bearing in olive. Current findings provide new candidate genes for further functional analysis, gene cloning and exploring of molecular basses of AB in olive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebrahim Dastkar
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Ali Soleimani
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran.
| | - Hossein Jafary
- Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
| | - Juan de Dios Alche
- Plant Reproductive Biology and Advanced Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Cell and Molecular Biology of Plants, Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC), Granada, Spain
| | - Abbas Bahari
- Research Institute of Modern Biological Techniques (RIMBT), University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Mehrshad Zeinalabedini
- Department of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Karaj, Iran
| | - Seyed Alireza Salami
- Faculty of Agricultural Science and Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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17
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Hassankhah A, Rahemi M, Ramshini H, Sarikhani S, Vahdati K. Flowering in Persian walnut: patterns of gene expression during flower development. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 20:136. [PMID: 32245410 PMCID: PMC7118962 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-020-02372-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Flower development and sufficient fruit set are important parameters with respect to walnut yield. Knowledge about flowering genes of fruit trees can help to conduct better molecular breeding programs. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the expression pattern of some flowering genes (FT, SOC1, CAL, LFY and TFL1) in Persian walnut (cv. Chandler) during the growing season and winter dormancy. RESULTS The results showed that walnut flower induction and initiation in Shahmirzad, Iran occurred in early June and late September, respectively. After meeting chilling and heat requirement, flower differentiation and anthesis occurred in late-March and mid-April to early-May, respectively. Study of flowering gene expression showed that the expression of the FT gene increased in three stages including before breaking of bud dormancy, from late March to late April (coincided with flower differentiation and anthesis) and from late May to mid-June (coincided with flower induction). Like FT, the expression of SOC1 gene increased during flower induction and initiation (mid-May to early-August) as well as flower anthesis (mid-April to early-May). LFY and CAL genes as floral meristem identity genes are activated by FT and SOC1 genes. In contrast with flowering stimulus genes, TFL1 showed overexpression during winter dormancy which prevented flowering. CONCLUSION The expression of FT gene activated downstream floral meristem identity genes including SOC1, CAL and LFY which consequently led to release bud dormancy as well as flower anthesis and induction. Also, TFL1 as a flowering inhibitor gene in walnut showed overexpression during the bud dormancy. Chilling accumulation reduced TFL1 gene expression and increased the expression of flowering genes which ultimately led to overcome dormancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Hassankhah
- Department of Horticulture, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Rahemi
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hossein Ramshini
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding Sciences, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saadat Sarikhani
- Department of Horticulture, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kourosh Vahdati
- Department of Horticulture, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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18
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Sharma N, Singh AK, Singh SK, Mahato AK, Srivastav M, Singh NK. Comparative RNA sequencing based transcriptome profiling of regular bearing and alternate bearing mango (Mangifera indica L.) varieties reveals novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying alternate bearing. Biotechnol Lett 2020; 42:1035-1050. [PMID: 32193655 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-020-02863-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study is to understand a comprehensive perspective on the molecular mechanisms underlying alternate bearing in mango (Mangifera indica L.) via transcriptome wide gene expression profiling of both regular and irregular mango varieties. RESULTS Transcriptome data of regular (Neelam) and irregular (Dashehari) mango varieties revealed a total of 42,397 genes. Out of that 12,557 significantly differentially expressed genes were identified, of which 6453 were found to be up-regulated and 6104 were found to be down-regulated genes. Further, many of the common unigenes which were involved in hormonal regulation, metabolic processes, oxidative stress, ion homeostasis, alternate bearing etc. showed significant differences between these two different bearing habit varieties. Pathway analysis showed the highest numbers of differentially expressed genes were related with the metabolic processes (523). A total of 26 alternate bearing genes were identified and principally three genes viz; SPL-like gene (GBVX01015803.1), Rumani GA-20-oxidase-like gene (GBVX01019650.1) and LOC103420644 (GBVX01016070.1) were significantly differentially expressed (at log2FC and pval less than 0.05) while, only single gene (gbGBVW01004309.1) related with flowering was found to be differentially expressed. A total of 15 differentially expressed genes from three important pathways viz; alternate bearing, carbohydrate metabolism and hormone synthesis were validated using Real time PCR and results were at par with in silico analysis. CONCLUSIONS Deciphering the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and potential candidate genes associated with alternate bearing, hormone and carbohydrate metabolism pathways will help for illustrating the molecular mechanisms underlying the bearing tendencies in mango.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nimisha Sharma
- Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India.
| | - Anand Kumar Singh
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhawan-II, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - Sanjay Kumar Singh
- Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - Ajay Kumar Mahato
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Pusa campus, New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - Manish Srivastav
- Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - Nagendra Kumar Singh
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Pusa campus, New Delhi, 110012, India
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Hayat S, Ahmad H, Nasir M, Khan MN, Ali M, Hayat K, Khan MA, Khan F, Ma Y, Cheng Z. Some Physiological and Biochemical Mechanisms during Seed-to-Seedling Transition in Tomato as Influenced by Garlic Allelochemicals. Antioxidants (Basel) 2020; 9:antiox9030235. [PMID: 32178294 PMCID: PMC7139351 DOI: 10.3390/antiox9030235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of aqueous garlic extracts (AGEs), diallyl disulfide (DADS), and allicin (AAS) were investigated during seed-to-seedling transition of tomato. Independent bioassays were performed including seed priming with AGE (0, 100, and 200 µg∙mL-1), germination under the allelochemical influence of AGE, DADS, and AAS, and germination under volatile application of AGE. Noticeable differences in germination indices and seedling growth (particularly root growth and fresh weights) were observed in a dose-dependent manner. When germinated under 50 mM NaCl, seeds primed with AGE exhibited induced defense via antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)), lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde content (MDA)), and H2O2 scavenging. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent analysis (ELISA) of the endogenous phytohormones auxin (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinin (ZR), and gibberellic acid (GA3) in the roots and shoots of the obtained seedlings and the relative expression levels of auxin-responsive protein (IAA2), like-auxin (LAX5), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK7 and MPK2), respiratory burst oxidase homolog (RBOH1), CHI3 and SODCC1 suggested allelopathic functions in stimulating growth responses. Our findings suggest that garlic allelochemicals act as plant biostimulants to enhance auxin biosynthesis and transportation, resulting in root growth promotion. Additionally, the relative expressions of defense-related genes, antioxidant enzymes activities and phytohormonal regulations indicate activation of the defense responses in tomato seedlings resulting in better growth and development. These results, thus, provide a basis to understand the biological functions of garlic allelochemicals from the induced resistance perspective in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sikandar Hayat
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; (M.N.)
| | - Husain Ahmad
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Mubasher Nasir
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; (M.N.)
| | - Muhammad Numan Khan
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; (M.N.)
| | - Muhammad Ali
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Kashif Hayat
- Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), School of Agriculture and Biology, Ministry of Agriculture & Bor S. Luh Food Safety Research Center, SJTU, Shanghai 200240, China;
| | - Muhammad Ali Khan
- Department of Agriculture, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Pakistan;
| | - Farmanullah Khan
- Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan;
| | - Yongqing Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Correspondence: (Y.M.); (Z.C.)
| | - Zhihui Cheng
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Correspondence: (Y.M.); (Z.C.)
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20
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Ma YJ, Li PT, Sun LM, Zhou H, Zeng RF, Ai XY, Zhang JZ, Hu CG. HD-ZIP I Transcription Factor ( PtHB13) Negatively Regulates Citrus Flowering through Binding to FLOWERING LOCUS C Promoter. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9010114. [PMID: 31963238 PMCID: PMC7020176 DOI: 10.3390/plants9010114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
For floral induction in adult citrus, low temperature is one of the most important environmental factors. FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) plays a very important role in low-temperature-induced Arabidopsis flowering by repressed FLC expression under exposure to prolonged low-temperature conditions. However, little is known about the FLC regulation mechanism in perennial woody plants such as citrus. In this study, the functions of citrus FLC homolog (PtFLC) were investigated by ectopic expression in Arabidopsis. Transcription factor of homeodomain leucine zipper I (HD-ZIP I) as an upstream regulator of PtFLC was identified by yeast one-hybrid screen to regulate its transcription. The HD-ZIP I transcription factor was highly homologous to Arabidopsis ATHB13 and thus was named PtHB13. Ectopically expressed PtHB13 inhibited flowering in transgenic Arabidopsis. Furthermore, the expression of PtFLC and PtHB13 showed a seasonal change during the floral induction period and was also affected by low temperature. Thus, we propose that PtHB13 binds to PtFLC promoter to regulate its activity during the citrus floral induction process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jiao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.-J.M.); (P.-T.L.); (H.Z.); (R.-F.Z.)
| | - Pei-Ting Li
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.-J.M.); (P.-T.L.); (H.Z.); (R.-F.Z.)
| | - Lei-Ming Sun
- Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute, Zhengzhou 450009, China;
| | - Huan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.-J.M.); (P.-T.L.); (H.Z.); (R.-F.Z.)
| | - Ren-Fang Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.-J.M.); (P.-T.L.); (H.Z.); (R.-F.Z.)
| | - Xiao-Yan Ai
- Institute of Pomology and Tea, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430070, China;
| | - Jin-Zhi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.-J.M.); (P.-T.L.); (H.Z.); (R.-F.Z.)
- Correspondence: (J.-Z.Z.); (C.-G.H.); Tel.: +86-27-6201-8231 (J.-Z.Z.); Fax: +86-27-8728-2010 (J.-Z.Z.)
| | - Chun-Gen Hu
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.-J.M.); (P.-T.L.); (H.Z.); (R.-F.Z.)
- Correspondence: (J.-Z.Z.); (C.-G.H.); Tel.: +86-27-6201-8231 (J.-Z.Z.); Fax: +86-27-8728-2010 (J.-Z.Z.)
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Agustí M, Mesejo C, Muñoz-Fambuena N, Vera-Sirera F, de Lucas M, Martínez-Fuentes A, Reig C, Iglesias DJ, Primo-Millo E, Blázquez MA. Fruit-dependent epigenetic regulation of flowering in Citrus. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 225:376-384. [PMID: 31273802 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In many perennial plants, seasonal flowering is primarily controlled by environmental conditions, but in certain polycarpic plants, environmental signals are locally gated by the presence of developing fruits initiated in the previous season through an unknown mechanism. Polycarpy is defined as the ability of plants to undergo several rounds of reproduction during their lifetime, alternating vegetative and reproductive meristems in the same individual. To understand how fruits regulate flowering in polycarpic plants, we focused on alternate bearing in Citrus trees that had been experimentally established as fully flowering or nonflowering. We found that the presence of the fruit causes epigenetic changes correlating with the induction of the CcMADS19 floral repressor, which prevents the activation of the floral promoter CiFT2 even in the presence of the floral inductive signals. By contrast, newly emerging shoots display an opposite epigenetic scenario associated with CcMADS19 repression, thereby allowing the activation of CiFT2 the following cold season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Agustí
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Mesejo
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Natalia Muñoz-Fambuena
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco Vera-Sirera
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, CSIC-UPV, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Miguel de Lucas
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Rd, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Amparo Martínez-Fuentes
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carmina Reig
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Domingo J Iglesias
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, IVIA-GV, 46113, Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Eduardo Primo-Millo
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, IVIA-GV, 46113, Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Miguel A Blázquez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, CSIC-UPV, 46022, Valencia, Spain
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22
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Avila de Dios E, Delaye L, Simpson J. Transcriptome analysis of bolting in A. tequilana reveals roles for florigen, MADS, fructans and gibberellins. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:473. [PMID: 31182030 PMCID: PMC6558708 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5808-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reliable indicators for the onset of flowering are not available for most perennial monocarpic species, representing a drawback for crops such as bamboo, agave and banana. The ability to predict and control the transition to the reproductive stage in A. tequilana would represent an advantage for field management of agaves for tequila production and for the development of a laboratory model for agave species. RESULTS Consistent morphological features could not be determined for the vegetative to reproductive transition in A. tequilana. However, changes in carbohydrate metabolism where sucrose decreased and fructans of higher degree of polymerization increased in leaves before and after the vegetative to reproductive transition were observed. At the molecular level, transcriptome analysis from leaf and shoot apical meristem tissue of A. tequilana plants from different developmental stages identified OASES as the most effective assembly program and revealed evidence for incomplete transcript processing in the highly redundant assembly obtained. Gene ontology analysis uncovered enrichment for terms associated with carbohydrate and hormone metabolism and detailed analysis of expression patterns for individual genes revealed roles for specific Flowering locus T (florigen), MADS box proteins, gibberellins and fructans in the transition to flowering. CONCLUSIONS Based on the data obtained, a preliminary model was developed to describe the regulatory mechanisms underlying the initiation of flowering in A. tequilana. Identification of specific promoter and repressor Flowering Locus T and MADS box genes facilitates functional analysis and the development of strategies to modulate the vegetative to reproductive transition in A. tequilana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Avila de Dios
- Department of Genetic Engineering, Cinvestav Unidad Irapuato, Km. 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, Apdo. Postal 629, 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Luis Delaye
- Department of Genetic Engineering, Cinvestav Unidad Irapuato, Km. 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, Apdo. Postal 629, 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - June Simpson
- Department of Genetic Engineering, Cinvestav Unidad Irapuato, Km. 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, Apdo. Postal 629, 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
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23
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Avila de Dios E, Delaye L, Simpson J. Transcriptome analysis of bolting in A. tequilana reveals roles for florigen, MADS, fructans and gibberellins. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:473. [PMID: 31182030 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5808-5809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reliable indicators for the onset of flowering are not available for most perennial monocarpic species, representing a drawback for crops such as bamboo, agave and banana. The ability to predict and control the transition to the reproductive stage in A. tequilana would represent an advantage for field management of agaves for tequila production and for the development of a laboratory model for agave species. RESULTS Consistent morphological features could not be determined for the vegetative to reproductive transition in A. tequilana. However, changes in carbohydrate metabolism where sucrose decreased and fructans of higher degree of polymerization increased in leaves before and after the vegetative to reproductive transition were observed. At the molecular level, transcriptome analysis from leaf and shoot apical meristem tissue of A. tequilana plants from different developmental stages identified OASES as the most effective assembly program and revealed evidence for incomplete transcript processing in the highly redundant assembly obtained. Gene ontology analysis uncovered enrichment for terms associated with carbohydrate and hormone metabolism and detailed analysis of expression patterns for individual genes revealed roles for specific Flowering locus T (florigen), MADS box proteins, gibberellins and fructans in the transition to flowering. CONCLUSIONS Based on the data obtained, a preliminary model was developed to describe the regulatory mechanisms underlying the initiation of flowering in A. tequilana. Identification of specific promoter and repressor Flowering Locus T and MADS box genes facilitates functional analysis and the development of strategies to modulate the vegetative to reproductive transition in A. tequilana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Avila de Dios
- Department of Genetic Engineering, Cinvestav Unidad Irapuato, Km. 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, Apdo. Postal 629, 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Luis Delaye
- Department of Genetic Engineering, Cinvestav Unidad Irapuato, Km. 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, Apdo. Postal 629, 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - June Simpson
- Department of Genetic Engineering, Cinvestav Unidad Irapuato, Km. 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, Apdo. Postal 629, 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
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24
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Muñoz-Fambuena N, Nicolás-Almansa M, Martínez-Fuentes A, Reig C, Iglesias DJ, Primo-Millo E, Mesejo C, Agustí M. Genetic inhibition of flowering differs between juvenile and adult Citrus trees. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2019; 123:483-490. [PMID: 30289429 PMCID: PMC6377094 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcy179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS In woody species, the juvenile period maintains the axillary meristems in a vegetative stage, unable to flower, for several years. However, in adult trees, some 1-year-old meristems flower whereas others remain vegetative to ensure a polycarpic growth habit. Both types of trees, therefore, have non-flowering meristems, and we hypothesize that the molecular mechanism regulating flower inhibition in juvenile trees is different from that in adult trees. METHODS In adult Citrus trees, the main endogenous factor inhibiting flower induction is the growing fruit. Thus, we studied the expression of the main flowering time, identity and patterning genes of trees with heavy fruit load (not-flowering adult trees) compared to that of 6-month-old trees (not-flowering juvenile trees). Adult trees without fruits (flowering trees) were used as a control. Second, we studied the expression of the same genes in the meristems of 6-month, and 1-, 3-, 5- and 7-year-old juvenile trees compared to 10-year-old flowering trees. KEY RESULTS The axillary meristems of juvenile trees are unable to transcribe flowering time and patterning genes during the period of induction, although they are able to transcribe the FLOWERING LOCUS T citrus orthologue (CiFT2) in leaves. By contrast, meristems of not-flowering adult trees are able to transcribe the flowering network genes but fail to achieve the transcription threshold required to flower, due to CiFT2 repression by the fruit. Juvenile meristems progressively achieve gene expression, with age-dependent differences from 6 months to 7 years, FD-like and CsLFY being the last genes to be expressed. CONCLUSIONS During the juvenile period the mechanism inhibiting flowering is determined in the immature bud, so that it progressively acquires flowering ability at the gene expression level of the flowering time programme, whereas in the adult tree it is determined in the leaf, where repression of CiFT2 gene expression occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Muñoz-Fambuena
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterraneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, CP, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - A Martínez-Fuentes
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterraneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, CP, Valencia, Spain
| | - C Reig
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterraneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, CP, Valencia, Spain
| | - D J Iglesias
- Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, crta Moncada-Náquera, km 4.5, Moncada, CP, Spain
| | - E Primo-Millo
- Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, crta Moncada-Náquera, km 4.5, Moncada, CP, Spain
| | - C Mesejo
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterraneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, CP, Valencia, Spain
| | - M Agustí
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterraneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, CP, Valencia, Spain
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25
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Endo T, Shimada T, Nakata Y, Fujii H, Matsumoto H, Nakajima N, Ikoma Y, Omura M. Abscisic acid affects expression of citrus FT homologs upon floral induction by low temperature in Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.). TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 38:755-771. [PMID: 29182786 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpx145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
After a long juvenile period, citrus trees undergo seasonal flowering cycles. Under natural conditions, citrus flowering is regulated mainly by low ambient temperatures around 15-20 °C and water deficit stress. Recent studies have revealed that fluctuations in the expression of citrus homologs of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT, encoding a flowering integrator) are correlated with their presumed role as flower-promoting signals. Previous ectopic expression analyses have demonstrated the flower-promoting function of citrus FT homologs. In this study, we examined whether abscisic acid (ABA) affects the expression of FT homologs and the flowering induced by low ambient temperatures. Application of exogenous ABA to potted Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) trees resulted in transient accumulation of citrus FT homolog transcripts. The promoter of one citrus FT homolog, CiFT3, was active in transgenic A. thaliana (Arabidopsis thaliana) and responded to exogenous and endogenous ABA. CiFT3 is preferentially expressed in shoots, and its expression was affected by flower-inductive treatments. Endogenous ABA accumulated in mandarin shoots during the floral induction period at 15 °C and under field conditions. The accumulation of ABA was correlated with the accumulation of FT homolog transcripts and flowering intensity. It was consistent with changes in the expression of genes related to ABA metabolism. The abundance of carotenoid precursors that serve as substrates for ABA biosynthesis decreased in leaves during the accumulation of ABA. Our data indicate that ABA and carotenoid precursors in leaves influence the flowering of mandarin trees induced by low temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoko Endo
- Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science (NIFTS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Shizuoka 424-0292, Japan
| | - Takehiko Shimada
- Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science (NIFTS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Shizuoka 424-0292, Japan
| | - Yumi Nakata
- Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science (NIFTS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Shizuoka 424-0292, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Fujii
- Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science (NIFTS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Shizuoka 424-0292, Japan
| | - Hikaru Matsumoto
- Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science (NIFTS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Shizuoka 424-0292, Japan
| | - Naoko Nakajima
- Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science (NIFTS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Shizuoka 424-0292, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Ikoma
- Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science (NIFTS), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Shizuoka 424-0292, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Omura
- Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka 422-8529, Japan
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26
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Haberman A, Bakhshian O, Cerezo-Medina S, Paltiel J, Adler C, Ben-Ari G, Mercado JA, Pliego-Alfaro F, Lavee S, Samach A. A possible role for flowering locus T-encoding genes in interpreting environmental and internal cues affecting olive (Olea europaea L.) flower induction. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2017; 40:1263-1280. [PMID: 28103403 DOI: 10.1111/pce.12922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Revised: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Olive (Olea europaea L.) inflorescences, formed in lateral buds, flower in spring. However, there is some debate regarding time of flower induction and inflorescence initiation. Olive juvenility and seasonality of flowering were altered by overexpressing genes encoding flowering locus T (FT). OeFT1 and OeFT2 caused early flowering under short days when expressed in Arabidopsis. Expression of OeFT1/2 in olive leaves and OeFT2 in buds increased in winter, while initiation of inflorescences occurred i n late winter. Trees exposed to an artificial warm winter expressed low levels of OeFT1/2 in leaves and did not flower. Olive flower induction thus seems to be mediated by an increase in FT levels in response to cold winters. Olive flowering is dependent on additional internal factors. It was severely reduced in trees that carried a heavy fruit load the previous season (harvested in November) and in trees without fruit to which cold temperatures were artificially applied in summer. Expression analysis suggested that these internal factors work either by reducing the increase in OeFT1/2 expression or through putative flowering repressors such as TFL1. With expected warmer winters, future consumption of olive oil, as part of a healthy Mediterranean diet, should benefit from better understanding these factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amnon Haberman
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Ortal Bakhshian
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Sergio Cerezo-Medina
- Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', IHSM-UMA-CSIC, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, 29071, Spain
| | - Judith Paltiel
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Chen Adler
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Giora Ben-Ari
- Institute of Plant Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, 50250, Israel
| | - Jose Angel Mercado
- Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', IHSM-UMA-CSIC, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, 29071, Spain
| | - Fernando Pliego-Alfaro
- Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', IHSM-UMA-CSIC, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, 29071, Spain
| | - Shimon Lavee
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
- Institute of Plant Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, 50250, Israel
| | - Alon Samach
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
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Normand F, Capelli M, Lauri PÉ. The costs of reproduction in plants: a novel approach to study irregular bearing of fruit crops. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.17660/actahortic.2016.1130.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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28
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Velázquez K, Agüero J, Vives MC, Aleza P, Pina JA, Moreno P, Navarro L, Guerri J. Precocious flowering of juvenile citrus induced by a viral vector based on Citrus leaf blotch virus: a new tool for genetics and breeding. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2016; 14:1976-85. [PMID: 26920394 PMCID: PMC5043495 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The long juvenile period of citrus trees (often more than 6 years) has hindered genetic improvement by traditional breeding methods and genetic studies. In this work, we have developed a biotechnology tool to promote transition from the vegetative to the reproductive phase in juvenile citrus plants by expression of the Arabidopsis thaliana or citrus FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) genes using a Citrus leaf blotch virus-based vector (clbvINpr-AtFT and clbvINpr-CiFT, respectively). Citrus plants of different genotypes graft inoculated with either of these vectors started flowering within 4-6 months, with no alteration of the plant architecture, leaf, flower or fruit morphology in comparison with noninoculated adult plants. The vector did not integrate in or recombine with the plant genome nor was it pollen or vector transmissible, albeit seed transmission at low rate was detected. The clbvINpr-AtFT is very stable, and flowering was observed over a period of at least 5 years. Precocious flowering of juvenile citrus plants after vector infection provides a helpful and safe tool to dramatically speed up genetic studies and breeding programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karelia Velázquez
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jesús Agüero
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - María C Vives
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pablo Aleza
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - José A Pina
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pedro Moreno
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Luis Navarro
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - José Guerri
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, Valencia, Spain.
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29
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Kudoh H. Molecular phenology in plants: in natura systems biology for the comprehensive understanding of seasonal responses under natural environments. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2016; 210:399-412. [PMID: 26523957 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 09/27/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Phenology refers to the study of seasonal schedules of organisms. Molecular phenology is defined here as the study of the seasonal patterns of organisms captured by molecular biology techniques. The history of molecular phenology is reviewed briefly in relation to advances in the quantification technology of gene expression. High-resolution molecular phenology (HMP) data have enabled us to study phenology with an approach of in natura systems biology. I review recent analyses of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), a temperature-responsive repressor of flowering, along the six steps in the typical flow of in natura systems biology. The extensive studies of the regulation of FLC have made this example a successful case in which a comprehensive understanding of gene functions has been progressing. The FLC-mediated long-term memory of past temperatures creates time lags with other seasonal signals, such as photoperiod and short-term temperature. Major signals that control flowering time have a phase lag between them under natural conditions, and hypothetical phase lag calendars are proposed as mechanisms of season detection in plants. Transcriptomic HMP brings a novel strategy to the study of molecular phenology, because it provides a comprehensive representation of plant functions. I discuss future perspectives of molecular phenology from the standpoints of molecular biology, evolutionary biology and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Kudoh
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Hirano 2-509-3, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2113, Japan
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30
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Martínez-Alcántara B, Iglesias DJ, Reig C, Mesejo C, Agustí M, Primo-Millo E. Carbon utilization by fruit limits shoot growth in alternate-bearing citrus trees. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 176:108-17. [PMID: 25588695 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2014.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Revised: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Fruit load in alternate-bearing citrus trees is reported to alter shoot number and growth during spring, summer, and autumn flushes, and the source-sink balance, which affects the storage and mobilization of reserve nutrients. The aim of this work was to assess the extent of shoot growth inhibition resulting from the presence of fruits in 'Moncada' mandarin trees loaded with fruit (ON) or with very light fruit load (OFF), and to identify the role of carbohydrates and nitrogenous compounds in the competition between fruits and shoots. Growth of reproductive and vegetative organs was measured on a monthly basis. (13)C- and (15)N-labeled compounds were supplied to trace the allocation of reserve nutrients and subsequent translocation from source to sink. At the end of the year, OFF trees produced more abundant flushes (2.4- and 4.9-fold higher in number and biomass, respectively) than ON trees. Fruits from ON trees accumulated higher C amounts at the expense of developing flushes, whereas OFF trees exhibited the opposite pattern. An inverse relationship was identified between the amount of C utilized by fruits and vegetative flush growth. (13)C-labeling revealed an important role for mature leaves of fruit-bearing branches in supporting shoot/fruit growth, and the elevated sink strength of growing fruits on shoots. N availability for vegetative shoots was not affected by the presence or absence of fruits, which accumulated important amounts of (15)N. In conclusion, our results show that shoot growth is resource-limited as a consequence of fruit development, and vegetative-growth inhibition is caused by photoassimilate limitation. The competence for N is not a decisive factor in limiting vegetative growth under the experimental conditions of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Martínez-Alcántara
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Domingo J Iglesias
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Carmina Reig
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Mesejo
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Agustí
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Eduardo Primo-Millo
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain
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31
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Ziv D, Zviran T, Zezak O, Samach A, Irihimovitch V. Expression profiling of FLOWERING LOCUS T-like gene in alternate bearing 'Hass' avocado trees suggests a role for PaFT in avocado flower induction. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110613. [PMID: 25330324 PMCID: PMC4201567 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 09/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In many perennials, heavy fruit load on a shoot decreases the ability of the plant to undergo floral induction in the following spring, resulting in a pattern of crop production known as alternate bearing. Here, we studied the effects of fruit load on floral determination in ‘Hass' avocado (Persea americana). De-fruiting experiments initially confirmed the negative effects of fruit load on return to flowering. Next, we isolated a FLOWERING LOCUS T-like gene, PaFT, hypothesized to act as a phloem-mobile florigen signal and examined its expression profile in shoot tissues of on (fully loaded) and off (fruit-lacking) trees. Expression analyses revealed a strong peak in PaFT transcript levels in leaves of off trees from the end of October through November, followed by a return to starting levels. Moreover and concomitant with inflorescence development, only off buds displayed up-regulation of the floral identity transcripts PaAP1 and PaLFY, with significant variation being detected from October and November, respectively. Furthermore, a parallel microscopic study of off apical buds revealed the presence of secondary inflorescence axis structures that only appeared towards the end of November. Finally, ectopic expression of PaFT in Arabidopsis resulted in early flowering transition. Together, our data suggests a link between increased PaFT expression observed during late autumn and avocado flower induction. Furthermore, our results also imply that, as in the case of other crop trees, fruit-load might affect flowering by repressing the expression of PaFT in the leaves. Possible mechanism(s) by which fruit crop might repress PaFT expression, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafna Ziv
- Institute of Plant Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, Israel
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tali Zviran
- Institute of Plant Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, Israel
| | - Oshrat Zezak
- Institute of Plant Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, Israel
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Alon Samach
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Vered Irihimovitch
- Institute of Plant Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, Israel
- * E-mail:
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Shalom L, Samuels S, Zur N, Shlizerman L, Doron-Faigenboim A, Blumwald E, Sadka A. Fruit load induces changes in global gene expression and in abscisic acid (ABA) and indole acetic acid (IAA) homeostasis in citrus buds. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2014; 65:3029-44. [PMID: 24706719 PMCID: PMC4071824 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eru148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Many fruit trees undergo cycles of heavy fruit load (ON-Crop) in one year, followed by low fruit load (OFF-Crop) the following year, a phenomenon known as alternate bearing (AB). The mechanism by which fruit load affects flowering induction during the following year (return bloom) is still unclear. Although not proven, it is commonly accepted that the fruit or an organ which senses fruit presence generates an inhibitory signal that moves into the bud and inhibits apical meristem transition. Indeed, fruit removal from ON-Crop trees (de-fruiting) induces return bloom. Identification of regulatory or metabolic processes modified in the bud in association with altered fruit load might shed light on the nature of the AB signalling process. The bud transcriptome of de-fruited citrus trees was compared with those of ON- and OFF-Crop trees. Fruit removal resulted in relatively rapid changes in global gene expression, including induction of photosynthetic genes and proteins. Altered regulatory mechanisms included abscisic acid (ABA) metabolism and auxin polar transport. Genes of ABA biosynthesis were induced; however, hormone analyses showed that the ABA level was reduced in OFF-Crop buds and in buds shortly following fruit removal. Additionally, genes associated with Ca(2+)-dependent auxin polar transport were remarkably induced in buds of OFF-Crop and de-fruited trees. Hormone analyses showed that auxin levels were reduced in these buds as compared with ON-Crop buds. In view of the auxin transport autoinhibition theory, the possibility that auxin distribution plays a role in determining bud fate is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liron Shalom
- Department of Fruit Trees Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sivan Samuels
- Department of Fruit Trees Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Naftali Zur
- Department of Fruit Trees Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
| | - Lyudmila Shlizerman
- Department of Fruit Trees Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
| | - Adi Doron-Faigenboim
- Department of Fruit Trees Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
| | - Eduardo Blumwald
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Avi Sadka
- Department of Fruit Trees Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
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Nebauer SG, Renau-Morata B, Lluch Y, Baroja-Fernández E, Pozueta-Romero J, Molina RV. Influence of crop load on the expression patterns of starch metabolism genes in alternate-bearing citrus trees. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2014; 80:105-113. [PMID: 24747724 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2014.03.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 03/30/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The fruit is the main sink organ in Citrus and captures almost all available photoassimilates during its development. Consequently, carbohydrate partitioning and starch content depend on the crop load of Citrus trees. Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanisms controlling the starch metabolism at the tree level in relation to presence of fruit. The aim of this study was to find the relation between the seasonal variation of expression and activity of the genes involved in carbon metabolism and the partition and allocation of carbohydrates in 'Salustiana' sweet orange trees with different crop loads. Metabolisable carbohydrates, and the expression and activity of the enzymes involved in sucrose and starch metabolism, including sucrose transport, were determined during the year in the roots and leaves of 40-year-old trees bearing heavy crop loads ('on' trees) and trees with almost no fruits ('off' trees). Fruit altered photoassimilate partitioning in trees. Sucrose content tended to be constant in roots and leaves, and surplus fixed carbon is channeled to starch production. Differences between 'on' and 'off' trees in starch content can be explained by differences in ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPP) expression/activity and α-amylase activity which varies depending on crop load. The observed relation of AGPP and UGPP (UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase) is noteworthy and indicates a direct link between sucrose and starch synthesis. Furthermore, different roles for sucrose transporter SUT1 and SUT2 have been proposed. Variation in soluble sugars content cannot explain the differences in gene expression between the 'on' and 'off' trees. A still unknown signal from fruit should be responsible for this control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio G Nebauer
- Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universitat Politécnica de València, Edificio 3K-2 planta, Camino de vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Begoña Renau-Morata
- Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universitat Politécnica de València, Edificio 3K-2 planta, Camino de vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Yolanda Lluch
- Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universitat Politécnica de València, Edificio 3K-2 planta, Camino de vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Edurne Baroja-Fernández
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, Universidad Pública/CSIC/Gobierno de Navarra, C. Mutilva Baja s.n., 31192 Mutilva Baja, Spain
| | - Javier Pozueta-Romero
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, Universidad Pública/CSIC/Gobierno de Navarra, C. Mutilva Baja s.n., 31192 Mutilva Baja, Spain
| | - Rosa-Victoria Molina
- Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universitat Politécnica de València, Edificio 3K-2 planta, Camino de vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain
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Kromdijk J, Bertin N, Heuvelink E, Molenaar J, de Visser PHB, Marcelis LFM, Struik PC. Crop management impacts the efficiency of quantitative trait loci (QTL) detection and use: case study of fruit load×QTL interactions. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2014; 65:11-22. [PMID: 24227339 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ert365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Mapping studies using populations with introgressed marker-defined genomic regions are continuously increasing knowledge about quantitative trait loci (QTL) that correlate with variation in important crop traits. This knowledge is useful for plant breeding, although combining desired traits in one genotype might be complicated by the mode of inheritance and co-localization of QTL with antagonistic effects, and by physiological trade-offs, and feed-back or feed-forward mechanisms. Therefore, integrating advances at the genetic level with insight into influences of environment and crop management on crop performance remains difficult. Whereas mapping studies can pinpoint correlations between QTL and phenotypic traits for specific conditions, ignoring or overlooking the importance of environment or crop management can jeopardize the relevance of such assessments. Here, we focus on fruit load (a measure determining competition among fruits on one plant) and its strong modulation of QTL effects on fruit size and composition. Following an integral approach, we show which fruit traits are affected by fruit load, to which underlying processes these traits can be linked, and which processes at lower and higher integration levels are affected by fruit load (and subsequently influence fruit traits). This opinion paper (i) argues that a mechanistic framework to interpret interactions between fruit load and QTL effects is needed, (ii) pleads for consideration of the context of agronomic management when detecting QTL, (iii) makes a case for incorporating interacting factors in the experimental set-up of QTL mapping studies, and (iv) provides recommendations to improve efficiency in QTL detection and use, with particular focus on model-based marker-assisted breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Kromdijk
- Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Muñoz-Fambuena N, Mesejo C, Reig C, Agustí M, Tárraga S, Lisón P, Iglesias DJ, Primo-Millo E, González-Mas MC. Proteomic study of 'Moncada' mandarin buds from on- versus off-crop trees. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2013; 73:41-55. [PMID: 24056126 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2013.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 08/21/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
A proteomic analysis of buds from mandarin trees with contrasting fruit load (on- and off-crop trees) was carried out during the onset of low-temperature induction. The aim of the study was to find out more about the molecular mechanism relating to alternate bearing in Citrus and its relationship with flowering. The 'Moncada' variety (Clementine 'Oroval'x'Kara' mandarin), displaying remarkable behaviour in alternate production, was used in this study. From 2D DIGE gel, 192 spots were isolated: 97 showed increased expression in the off-crop buds as compared to the on-crop buds, while 95 exhibited enhanced expression in the on-crop buds versus the off-crop buds. These spots were identified by MALDI-MS or LC-MS-MS. The largest groups of proteins up-expressed in the off-crop buds were the proteins involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, and the proteins expressed in response to stimuli such as reactive oxygen species. The largest groups of proteins up-expressed in the on-crop buds were related to primary metabolism, oxidative stress and defence responses. Depending on their function, some of these proteins can stimulate the flowering, such as fructose-bisphosphate aldolase or leucine-rich repeat transmembrane protein kinase, while others can inhibit it, such as cytochrome c oxidase subunit II. Twenty-two other proteins with unknown functions were up-expressed in the on- or off-crop buds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Muñoz-Fambuena
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, C/Ingeniero Fausto Elio, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
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Castillo MC, Forment J, Gadea J, Carrasco JL, Juarez J, Navarro L, Ancillo G. Identification of transcription factors potentially involved in the juvenile to adult phase transition in Citrus. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2013; 112:1371-81. [PMID: 24052558 PMCID: PMC3806540 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mct211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2013] [Accepted: 08/05/2013] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The juvenile to adult transition (JAT) in higher plants is required for them to reach reproductive competence. However, it is a poorly understood process in woody plants, where only a few genes have been definitely identified as being involved in this transition. This work aims at increasing our understanding of the mechanisms regulating the JAT in citrus. METHODS Juvenile and adult plants from Pineapple sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) and Rough lemon (C. jambhiri) were used to screen for differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs) using a 1·15K microarray developed on the basis of the CitrusTF database. Murcott tangor (C. reticulata × C. sinensis) and Duncan grapefruit (C. paradisi) were incorporated into the quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR validation in order to select those genes whose phase-specific regulation was common to the four species. KEY RESULTS A browsable web database has been created with information about the structural and functional annotation related to 1152 unigenes of putative citrus TFs (CTFs). This database constitutes a valuable resource for research on transcriptional regulation and comparative genomics. Moreover, a microarray has been developed and used that contains these putative CTFs, in order to identify eight genes that showed differential expression in juvenile and adult meristems of four different species of citrus. Those genes have been characterized, and their expression pattern in vegetative and reproductive tissues has been analysed. Four of them are MADS-box genes, a family of TFs involved in developmental processes, whereas another one resembles MADS-box genes but lacks the MADS box itself. The other three showed high partial sequence similarity restricted to specific Arabidopsis protein domains but negligible outside those domains. CONCLUSIONS The work presented here indicates that the JAT in citrus could be controlled by mechanisms that are in part common to those of Arabidopsis, but also somehow different, since specific factors without Arabidopsis orthologues have also been characterized. The potential involvement of the genes in the JAT is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari-Cruz Castillo
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Carretera Moncada-Náquera, Km. 4·5, 46113 Moncada (Valencia), Spain
| | - Javier Forment
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (CSIC-UPV), C/ Ingeniero Fausto Elio, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - José Gadea
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (CSIC-UPV), C/ Ingeniero Fausto Elio, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Jose Luis Carrasco
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (CSIC-UPV), C/ Ingeniero Fausto Elio, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - José Juarez
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Carretera Moncada-Náquera, Km. 4·5, 46113 Moncada (Valencia), Spain
| | - Luís Navarro
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Carretera Moncada-Náquera, Km. 4·5, 46113 Moncada (Valencia), Spain
| | - Gema Ancillo
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Carretera Moncada-Náquera, Km. 4·5, 46113 Moncada (Valencia), Spain
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Krasniqi AL, Damerow L, Kunz A, Blanke MM. Quantifying key parameters as elicitors for alternate fruit bearing in cv. 'Elstar' apple trees. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2013; 212:10-14. [PMID: 24094049 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2013.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Revised: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The commonly known alternate bearing, i.e. year-to-year change of large and small yields of fruit tree crops worldwide, is often induced by abiotic stress such as late frost, which will eliminate flowers or fruitlets. This study presents an alternative form, biotic biennial bearing, i.e. change of large and small yields of the same trees within the same tree row in the same year. Three methods were developed or modified for the analysis of the number of flower clusters and yield of 2086 apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cv. 'Elstar' trees. The first method, i.e., based on intersect between yield in year x and year x+1 and flower clusters in year x, yielded 91-106 flower clusters, whereas the second method, i.e., mean yield in year x and year x+1, resulted in a range of 72-133 flower clusters, or 9.6kg/tree necessary for sustainable cultivation of apple cv. 'Elstar'. The third 'biennial bearing index' (BBI), was calculated in three ways as the ratio of differences in tree yields to cumulative tree yield, for individual trees (rather than orchard average) to demonstrate the tree-to-tree alternation. A scheme for the possible underlying regulatory mechanisms was developed, which includes potential elicitors such as light deprivation and subsequent lack of flower initiation, are discussed as a possible result of polar basipetal GA7 transport, cytokinin level in the xylem and phloem and down-regulation of the gene expression of the flowering gene. Suggested countermeasures included early chemical or mechanical thinning.
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Samach A, Smith HM. Constraints to obtaining consistent annual yields in perennials. II: Environment and fruit load affect induction of flowering. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2013; 207:168-176. [PMID: 23602112 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2013.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Revised: 01/29/2013] [Accepted: 02/01/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
In many commercial fruit crop species, high fruit load inhibits vegetative growth and floral induction. As a result, trees that had a high fruit load will bear few flowers and fruit the following year, along with abundant vegetative growth. We previously discussed how high fruit load interferes with concurrent shoot growth. Here we focus on how high fruit load impacts the process of flowering. Ascertaining the precise time at which specific buds begin the floral transition in each species is challenging. The use of indirect approaches to determine time of floral induction or evocation may lead to questionable conclusions. Annual and perennial plants appear to use conserved proteins for flowering induction and initiation. The accumulation or reduction of transcripts encoding proteins similar to Arabidopsis (annual) FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1), respectively, correlates well with flower induction in several diverse species. The recent use of such markers provides a means to formulate an accurate timeframe for floral induction in different species and holds promise in providing new insight into this important developmental event. A role for hormones in modulating the inhibitory effect of fruit load on floral induction is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alon Samach
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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Dündar E, Suakar O, Unver T, Dagdelen A. Isolation and expression analysis of cDNAs that are associated with alternate bearing in Olea europaea L. cv. Ayvalık. BMC Genomics 2013; 14:219. [PMID: 23552171 PMCID: PMC3637518 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2012] [Accepted: 03/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Olive cDNA libraries to isolate candidate genes that can help enlightening the molecular mechanism of periodicity and / or fruit production were constructed and analyzed. For this purpose, cDNA libraries from the leaves of trees in “on year” and in “off year” in July (when fruits start to appear) and in November (harvest time) were constructed. Randomly selected 100 positive clones from each library were analyzed with respect to sequence and size. A fruit-flesh cDNA library was also constructed and characterized to confirm the reliability of each library’s temporal and spatial properties. Results Quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses of the cDNA libraries confirmed cDNA molecules that are associated with different developmental stages (e. g. “on year” leaves in July, “off year” leaves in July, leaves in November) and fruits. Hence, a number of candidate cDNAs associated with “on year” and “off year” were isolated. Comparison of the detected cDNAs to the current EST database of GenBank along with other non - redundant databases of NCBI revealed homologs of previously described genes along with several unknown cDNAs. Of around 500 screened cDNAs, 48 cDNA elements were obtained after eliminating ribosomal RNA sequences. These independent transcripts were analyzed using BLAST searches (cutoff E-value of 1.0E-5) against the KEGG and GenBank nucleotide databases and 37 putative transcripts corresponding to known gene functions were annotated with gene names and Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Transcripts in the biological process were found to be related with metabolic process (27%), cellular process (23%), response to stimulus (17%), localization process (8.5%), multicellular organismal process (6.25%), developmental process (6.25%) and reproduction (4.2%). Conclusions A putative P450 monooxigenase expressed fivefold more in the “on year” than that of “off year” leaves in July. Two putative dehydrins expressed significantly more in “on year” leaves than that of “off year” leaves in November. Homologs of UDP – glucose epimerase, acyl - CoA binding protein, triose phosphate isomerase and a putative nuclear core anchor protein were significant in fruits only, while a homolog of an embryo binding protein / small GTPase regulator was detected in “on year” leaves only. One of the two unknown cDNAs was specific to leaves in July while the other was detected in all of the libraries except fruits. KEGG pathway analyses for the obtained sequences correlated with essential metabolisms such as galactose metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolisms and photosynthesis. Detailed analysis of the results presents candidate cDNAs that can be used to dissect further the genetic basis of fruit production and / or alternate bearing which causes significant economical loss for olive growers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekrem Dündar
- Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Biyoloji Bölümü, Balıkesir Üniversitesi, Balıkesir, Turkey.
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Turktas M, Inal B, Okay S, Erkilic EG, Dundar E, Hernandez P, Dorado G, Unver T. Nutrition metabolism plays an important role in the alternate bearing of the olive tree (Olea europaea L.). PLoS One 2013; 8:e59876. [PMID: 23555820 PMCID: PMC3610735 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 02/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is widely known for its strong tendency for alternate bearing, which severely affects the fruit yield from year to year. Microarray based gene expression analysis using RNA from olive samples (on-off years leaves and ripe-unripe fruits) are particularly useful to understand the molecular mechanisms influencing the periodicity in the olive tree. Thus, we carried out genome wide transcriptome analyses involving different organs and temporal stages of the olive tree using the NimbleGen Array containing 136,628 oligonucleotide probe sets. Cluster analyses of the genes showed that cDNAs originated from different organs could be sorted into separate groups. The nutritional control had a particularly remarkable impact on the alternate bearing of olive, as shown by the differential expression of transcripts under different temporal phases and organs. Additionally, hormonal control and flowering processes also played important roles in this phenomenon. Our analyses provide further insights into the transcript changes between "on year" and "off year" leaves along with the changes from unrpipe to ripe fruits, which shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the olive tree alternate bearing. These findings have important implications for the breeding and agriculture of the olive tree and other crops showing periodicity. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the development and use of an olive array to document the gene expression profiling associated with the alternate bearing in olive tree.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mine Turktas
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Cankiri Karatekin University, Cankiri, Turkey
| | - Behcet Inal
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Cankiri Karatekin University, Cankiri, Turkey
| | - Sezer Okay
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Cankiri Karatekin University, Cankiri, Turkey
| | - Emine Gulden Erkilic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Cankiri Karatekin University, Cankiri, Turkey
| | - Ekrem Dundar
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Art and Science, Balikesir University, Balikesir, Turkey
| | - Pilar Hernandez
- Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible (IAS-CSIC), Alameda del Obispo s/n, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Gabriel Dorado
- Dep. Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Campus Rabanales C6-1-E17, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (ceiA3), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Turgay Unver
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Cankiri Karatekin University, Cankiri, Turkey
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Samach A. Congratulations, you have been carefully chosen to represent an important developmental regulator! ANNALS OF BOTANY 2013; 111:329-33. [PMID: 22811510 PMCID: PMC3579433 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcs161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studying a process in a new species often relies on focusing our attention to a candidate gene, encoding a protein similar to one with a known function. Not all the choices seem to be prudent. SCOPE This Viewpoint includes an overview of issues that are encountered during research of candidate genes. Defining a match for a gene of interest, deciding whether variation in ESTs or RNAseq data for a certain transcript, represent more than one gene. The problem of incorrect annotation of genes due to incorrect in-silico splicing, is also mentioned. The author's humble opinion on how to deal with these issues is provided. CONCLUSIONS The vast amount of new sequence data provides us with great possibilities for giant leaps in our understanding. Still, we cannot afford to skip over the tedious steps required to confirm that we are indeed studying the correct gene, and try to be sure that the complex expression pattern we observe is not a composite of several genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alon Samach
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
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Muñoz-Fambuena N, Mesejo C, González-Mas MC, Primo-Millo E, Agustí M, Iglesias DJ. Use or abuse of bioinformatic tools: a response to Samach. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2013; 111:335-336. [PMID: 23388880 PMCID: PMC3579452 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mct020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2012] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In a recent paper, we described for the first time the effects of fruit on the expression of putative homologues of genes involved in flowering pathways. It was our aim to provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying alternate bearing in citrus. However, a bioinformatics-based critique of our and other related papers has been given by Samach in the preceding Viewpoint article in this issue of Annals of Botany. The use of certain bioinformatic tools in a context of structural rather than functional genomics can cast doubts about the veracity of a large amount of data published in recent years. In this response, the contentions raised by Samach are analysed, and rebuttals of his criticisms are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Muñoz-Fambuena
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Mesejo
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - María C. González-Mas
- Departamento de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Eduardo Primo-Millo
- Departamento de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Agustí
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Domingo J. Iglesias
- Departamento de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain
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Yanik H, Turktas M, Dundar E, Hernandez P, Dorado G, Unver T. Genome-wide identification of alternate bearing-associated microRNAs (miRNAs) in olive (Olea europaea L.). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2013; 13:10. [PMID: 23320600 PMCID: PMC3564680 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2229-13-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2012] [Accepted: 01/03/2013] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alternate bearing is a widespread phenomenon among crop plants, defined as the tendency of certain fruit trees to produce a high-yield crop one year ("on-year"), followed by a low-yield or even no crop the following year ("off-year"). Several factors may affect the balance between such developmental phase-transition processes. Among them are the microRNA (miRNA), being gene-expression regulators that have been found to be involved as key determinants in several physiological processes. RESULTS Six olive (Olea europaea L. cv. Ayvalik variety) small RNA libraries were constructed from fruits (ripe and unripe) and leaves ("on year" and "off year" leaves in July and in November, respectively) and sequenced by high-throughput Illumina sequencing. The RNA was retrotranscribed and sequenced using the high-throughput Illumina platform. Bioinformatics analyses of 93,526,915 reads identified 135 conserved miRNA, belonging to 22 miRNA families in the olive. In addition, 38 putative novel miRNAs were discovered in the datasets. Expression of olive tree miRNAs varied greatly among the six libraries, indicating the contribution of diverse miRNA in balancing between reproductive and vegetative phases. Predicted targets of miRNA were categorized into 108 process ontology groups with significance abundance. Among those, potential alternate bearing-associated processes were found, such as development, hormone-mediated signaling and organ morphogenesis. The KEGG analyses revealed that the miRNA-targeted genes are involved in seven main pathways, belonging to carbohydrate metabolism and hormone signal-transduction pathways. CONCLUSION A comprehensive study on olive miRNA related to alternate bearing was performed. Regulation of miRNA under different developmental phases and tissues indicated that control of nutrition and hormone, together with flowering processes had a noteworthy impact on the olive tree alternate bearing. Our results also provide significant data on the miRNA-fruit development interaction and advance perspectives in the miRNA profile of the olive tree.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huriye Yanik
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Cankiri Karatekin University, 18100, Cankiri, Turkey
| | - Mine Turktas
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Cankiri Karatekin University, 18100, Cankiri, Turkey
| | - Ekrem Dundar
- Department of Biology, Balikesir University, Faculty of Art and Science, 10145, Balikesir, Turkey
| | - Pilar Hernandez
- Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible (IAS-CSIC), Alameda del Obispo s/n, 14080, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Gabriel Dorado
- Dep. Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Campus Rabanales C6-1-E17, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (ceiA3), Universidad de Córdoba, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Turgay Unver
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Cankiri Karatekin University, 18100, Cankiri, Turkey
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Goldberg-Moeller R, Shalom L, Shlizerman L, Samuels S, Zur N, Ophir R, Blumwald E, Sadka A. Effects of gibberellin treatment during flowering induction period on global gene expression and the transcription of flowering-control genes in Citrus buds. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2013. [PMID: 23199686 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2012.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Gibberellins (GAs) affect flowering in a species-dependent manner: in long-day and biennial plants they promote flowering, whereas in other plants, including fruit trees, they inhibit it. The mechanism by which GAs promote flowering in Arabidopsis is not fully understood, although there is increasing evidence that they may act through more than one pathway. In citrus, GA treatment during the flowering induction period reduces the number of flowers; the mechanism of flowering inhibition is not clear; the hormone may act directly in the bud to determine its fate toward vegetative growth, generate a mobile signal, or both. However, bud metabolic and regulatory pathways are expected to be altered upon GA treatment. We investigated the effect of GA treatments on global gene expression in the bud during the induction period, and on the expression of key flowering genes. Overall, about 2000 unigenes showed altered expression, with about 300 showing at least a two-fold change. Changes in flavonoids and trehalose metabolic pathways were validated, and among other altered pathways, such as cell-wall components, were discussed in light of GA's inhibition of flowering. Among flowering-control genes, GA treatment resulted in reduced mRNA levels of FT, AP1 and a few flower-organ-identity genes. mRNA levels of FLC-like and SOC1 were not altered by the treatment, whereas LEAFY mRNA was induced in GA-treated buds. Surprisingly, FT expression was higher in buds than leaves. Overall, our results shed light on changes taking place in the bud during flowering induction in response to GA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravit Goldberg-Moeller
- Department of Fruit Trees Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
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Muñoz-Fambuena N, Mesejo C, González-Mas MC, Primo-Millo E, Agustí M, Iglesias DJ. Fruit load modulates flowering-related gene expression in buds of alternate-bearing 'Moncada' mandarin. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2012; 110:1109-18. [PMID: 22915579 PMCID: PMC3478051 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcs190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2012] [Accepted: 07/10/2012] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Gene determination of flowering is the result of complex interactions involving both promoters and inhibitors. In this study, the expression of flowering-related genes at the meristem level in alternate-bearing citrus trees is analysed, together with the interplay between buds and leaves in the determination of flowering. METHODS First defruiting experiments were performed to manipulate blossoming intensity in 'Moncada' mandarin, Citrus clementina. Further defoliation was performed to elucidate the role leaves play in the flowering process. In both cases, the activity of flowering-related genes was investigated at the flower induction (November) and differentiation (February) stages. KEY RESULTS Study of the expression pattern of flowering-genes in buds from on (fully loaded) and off (without fruits) trees revealed that homologues of FLOWERING LOCUS T (CiFT), TWIN SISTER OF FT (TSF), APETALA1 (CsAP1) and LEAFY (CsLFY) were negatively affected by fruit load. CiFT and TSF activities showed a marked increase in buds from off trees through the study period (ten-fold in November). By contrast, expression of the homologues of the flowering inhibitors of TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (CsTFL), TERMINAL FLOWER 2 (TFL2) and FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) was generally lower in off trees. Regarding floral identity genes, the increase in CsAP1 expression in off trees was much greater in buds than in leaves, and significant variations in CsLFY expression (approx. 20 %) were found only in February. Defoliation experiments further revealed that the absence of leaves completely abolished blossoming and severely affected the expression of most of the flowering-related genes, particularly decreasing the activity of floral promoters and of CsAP1 at the induction stage. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the presence of fruit affects flowering by greatly altering gene-expression not only at the leaf but also at the meristem level. Although leaves are required for flowering to occur, their absence strongly affects the activity of floral promoters and identity genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Muñoz-Fambuena
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Mesejo
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - M. Carmen González-Mas
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Eduardo Primo-Millo
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Agustí
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Domingo J. Iglesias
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain
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Shalom L, Samuels S, Zur N, Shlizerman L, Zemach H, Weissberg M, Ophir R, Blumwald E, Sadka A. Alternate bearing in citrus: changes in the expression of flowering control genes and in global gene expression in ON- versus OFF-crop trees. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46930. [PMID: 23071667 PMCID: PMC3469648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2012] [Accepted: 09/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternate bearing (AB) is the process in fruit trees by which cycles of heavy yield (ON crop) one year are followed by a light yield (OFF crop) the next. Heavy yield usually reduces flowering intensity the following year. Despite its agricultural importance, how the developing crop influences the following year's return bloom and yield is not fully understood. It might be assumed that an ‘AB signal’ is generated in the fruit, or in another organ that senses fruit presence, and moves into the bud to determine its fate—flowering or vegetative growth. The bud then responds to fruit presence by altering regulatory and metabolic pathways. Determining these pathways, and when they are altered, might indicate the nature of this putative AB signal. We studied bud morphology, the expression of flowering control genes, and global gene expression in ON- and OFF-crop buds. In May, shortly after flowering and fruit set, OFF-crop buds were already significantly longer than ON-crop buds. The number of differentially expressed genes was higher in May than at the other tested time points. Processes differentially expressed between ON- and OFF-crop trees included key metabolic and regulatory pathways, such as photosynthesis and secondary metabolism. The expression of genes of trehalose metabolism and flavonoid metabolism was validated by nCounter technology, and the latter was confirmed by metabolomic analysis. Among genes induced in OFF-crop trees was one homologous to SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING-LIKE (SPL), which controls juvenile-to-adult and annual phase transitions, regulated by miR156. The expression pattern of SPL-like, miR156 and other flowering control genes suggested that fruit load affects bud fate, and therefore development and metabolism, a relatively long time before the flowering induction period. Results shed light on some of the metabolic and regulatory processes that are altered in ON and OFF buds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liron Shalom
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Sivan Samuels
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Naftali Zur
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Lyudmila Shlizerman
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Hanita Zemach
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Mira Weissberg
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Ron Ophir
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Eduardo Blumwald
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Avi Sadka
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
- * E-mail:
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