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Nitrogen (N) and Sulfur (S) are nutrients that have a strong uptake interaction. Therefore, the addition of these nutrients in the right ratio has a positive influence in plant development. This work is aiming to assess the effects of the interaction between NH4+ and SO42- at different concentrations, on the growth, physiology, and macronutrient concentration in Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn.) cv. Dark Pink ABC 1-2. The trial treatments included three concentrations of NH4+ (0, 2.5 and 5 meq L-1) and two concentrations of SO42- (7 y 10 meq L-1). The different concentrations of SO42- y NH4+ were based on Steiner’s nutrient solution modifications. We used 10-liter black polyethylene containers and perlite substrate with particles size of 0.2-0.5mm in diameter. The results showed that the stem diameter and dry biomass production of roots, stems, flowers, and total biomass were higher with 5 meq L-1 of NH4+ and 7 meq L-1 of SO42-. On the other hand, total leaf dry weight and plant height were higher with 2.5 meq L-1 of NH4+ and 7 meq L-1 of SO42-. The plants showed the same behavior in terms of photosynthesis, transpiration, and stomatal conductance. We obtained the highest concentration of N and P by applying 2.5 meq L-1 of NH4+ with 10 meq L-1 of SO42. Furthermore, Mg, and S concentrations were higher when we supplied 2.5 meq L-1 of NH4+ with the two concentrations of SO42; while K and Ca were higher when we increased the concentration of NH4+ with 7 meq L-1 of SO42-. We obtained the best growth rate, biomass production and nutrient concentration (K and Ca) in Lisianthus plants with 5 meq L-1 of NH4+/ 7 meq L-1 of SO42-; while physiological activity improved with 2.5 meq L-1 of NH4+ / 7 meq L-1 of SO42- ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Occurrence of tipburn in 14 lisianthus cultivars were investigated. • Tipburn was caused mainly by low ability to distribute Ca to tips in upper leaves. • Growth analysis with Ca contents enabled to quantify Ca acquirement competence. Abstract Tipburn is a severe problem that can occur during the propagation of several lisianthus [ Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn.] cultivars. However, its incidence has not yet been established. Moreover, few studies have addressed the association between calcium (Ca) acquirement competence and the occurrence tipburn. The present study compared tipburn incidence and severity, plant growth rate, Ca acquirement competence (RGR Ca), and Ca distributivity in 14 lisianthus cultivars. The influence of these traits on the occurrence of tipburn has also been discussed. To quantify Ca acquirement competence for each cultivar, plant growth and Ca content were analyzed together. It was determined that there were significant differences among lisianthus cultivars in terms of tipburn severity and incidence. However, these differences were not significantly correlated with either plant growth rate or Ca acquirement competence. In contrast, the parameters related to Ca distributivity to the upper leaf tips were significantly correlated with tipburn severity and incidence. Therefore, it became clear that the occurrence of tipburn in lisianthus cultivars is caused mainly by the inability of the plant to translocate adequate amounts of Ca to the tips of the upper leaves. Ca acquirement competence (RGR Ca) were not significantly associated with tipburn severity and incidence in lisianthus cultivars. Nevertheless, growth analysis based on plant Ca content quantified Ca acquirement competence (RGR Ca) and established the relevance of physiological (SAR Ca) and morphological traits (RMR and l Ca −1) and RGR Ca. This analytical method is a new approach towards understanding the nutrient economy of a plant at risk of deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The adaptation of the Agrobacterium‐mediated floral‐dipping technique is limited, to date, to a small number of plants. In this paper, we present the efficient transformation of one of the leading plants in the cut flower industry, lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum). This method is approximately 18 months shorter than the known tissue culture‐based transformation. The Excalibur Pink cultivar and two additional breeding lines, X‐1042 and X‐2541, were transformed using three different marker genes (benzyl alcohol acetyltransferase (BEAT) originating from Clarkia breweri, the feedback‐insensitive bacterial gene AroG*, and the empty pART27 vector expressing a kanamycin‐resistance cassette (nptII)). Genomic transformation was successful in all tested cases with transformation efficiency ranked from 0.2 to 2.9%, which is well in the range of results from Arabidopsis studies. Unlike Arabidopsis, in which floral‐dipping transformation was efficient only at a pre‐anthesis stage before ovary sealing, lisianthus flowers were transformed when dipping occurred 4 days pre‐anthesis or 3−5 days post‐anthesis with 1.5 and 3.7% efficiencies, respectively. Post‐anthesis transformation occurred when the flower ovaries were sealed. Flower dipping of Excalibur Pink flowers with fluorescent Agrobacterium containing a GFP marker gene demonstrated Agrobacterium entrance into the sealed flower ovary through the open stigma and style tube. In this study, we demonstrated floral‐dipping transformation of a commercial plant, lisianthus Excalibur Pink, occurring after sealing of the ovaries, probably via the stigma and wide open style tunnel. Significance Statement: Here we present successful Agrobacterium‐mediated genetic transformation of lisianthus via flower‐dipping. A unique finding of this study, is that successful transformation was achieved post‐anthesis, when lisianthus flower ovules are completely sealed, in contrast to the findings in Arabidopsis, suggesting possible entrance of the Agrobacterium through the flower style tube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinners is a popular cut flower due to its beautiful morphological characteristics and extended vase life. Here, the complete plastome sequence of E. grandiflorum was reported based on the Illumina HiSeq Platform. The plastome sequence is 154,230 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, containing a pair of inverted repeated (IR) regions (25,755 bp) that are separated by a large single copy (LSC) region of 84,297 bp, and a small single copy (SSC) region of 18,423 bp. A total of 130 functional genes were annotated, including 84 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The complete plastome sequence of E. grandiflorum will provide a valuable resource for its garden utilization and the phylogenetic studies of Gentianaceae.

Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) is an important ornamental plant ranking in the top 10 cut flowers worldwide. During 2016-2017, root and stem rot was a major problem that limited the production of lisianthus in Fujian Province, China. Disease symptoms include yellowing of the leaves and root and stem rot leading to wilting. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify the causal pathogen. Based on symptoms on host plants, morphological characteristics, sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer rRNA region (ITS) and the gene encoding translation elongation factor-1α (TEF), and pathogenicity tests, the pathogen was identified as Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. Isolates recovered from inoculated, diseased lisianthus plants had a similar morphology to the fungal isolates used to inoculate the plants, which completed Koch’s postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. solani causing root and stem rot on lisianthus in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Romania assists at the present time to an increase of production crops for ornamental plants and as a consequence an increased demand of planting material. Thus, improvements of the current multiplication methods are sought after. Lisianthus russelianus Hook. (Eustoma grandiflorum Grise.) is a relatively new floral crop to the international market, known for beautiful flowers of various colors and for having a long vase life. This study focused on the development of an efficient protocol for rapid regeneration of this species following known basic and applied aspects of lisianthus biotechnology but exploring new potentials. In the course of experiments conducted, for in vitro multiplication there were used nodal segments (1.5 cm) with axillary buds from three F1 hybrids 'Echo Lavender', 'Flamenco White', 'Mirage Pastel Pink' that were inoculated on MS basal medium supplemented with 0.50 mg 1-1 TDZ, 1.0 mg 1-1 BAP and 0.50 mg 1-1 AIA. The results show that the medium with BAP was most effective for obtaining the highest shoots number compared to medium containing TDZ. For rooting induction, two different concentrations of auxin IBA 0.5 mg 1-1 and 1.5 mg 1-1 were used simultaneously on MS basal medium. The highest roots number occurred when using 1.5 mg 1-1 IBA. Both the number of shoots and rooting regeneration were dependent on the cultivar. The highest shoots number was achieved for 'Mirage Pastel Pink' hybrid (6.91) on the medium containing 1.0 mg 1-1 BAP and 0.50 mg 1-1 IAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The production of Eustoma to flower in 130 days without exhibiting high temperature induced (HTI) rosette is reported. • HTI rosette is defined as "abnormal growth exhibiting a compressed internodes after forming 3 – 4 pairs of leaves and fail to flower". • HTI rosette growth occurs when seedlings are exposed to 29/27 °C during 34 – 74 days (D) after sowing. • Different forms of HTI rosette growth (A-D) and normal flowering (E) are illustrated. • Optimum growing conditions to flower in 130 days after sowing without showing HTI rosette are sowing seeds at 21/16 °C/0 – 30D and growing seedlings at 25/23 °C/31 – 50D, 21/19 °C/51 – 70D/LD, 23/21 °C/71 – 90D/LD, and finally at 23/21 °C/91 – 130D. The objective of this research is to produce dwarf Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn. 'Little Belle Blue' potted plants to flower in 130 days after sowing without exhibiting high temperature induced (HTI) rosette. High temperature induced rosette is defined as "the abnormal growth and development of plants exhibiting a compressed stem near the ground after forming 3 – 4 pairs of true leaves resulting from exposure of seedlings to high temperatures, and fail to form elongated internodes and to flower". The effect of temperature and photoperiod treatments during various growth and development stages was tested on the accelerated flowering without exhibiting the HTI rosette (Expt. 1, 2, 3), and to induce flowering in 130 days preventing the HTI rosette (Expt. 4, 5, 6). The treatments at 32/27 °C (day/night) during 0 – 30 days after sowing (0 – 30D) (32/27 °C/0 – 30D and 27/22 °C/31 – 60D should be avoided because 39% of plants exhibited HTI rosette (Expt. 1). Lower temperatures and shorter periods (24/22 °C/61 – 90D, 24/22 °C/31 – 60D) prevented rosette growth (Expt. 2). The treatment 23/21 °C/34 – 74D is considered acceptable when coupled with 21/19 °C/74 – 115D to promote flowering and to prevent the HTI rosette (Expt. 3). The earliest flowering (157 days) plants without the HTI rosette suggested that temperatures during various 20-day stages are 25/23 °C/0 – 20D, 21/19 °C/21 – 40D, 12/10 °C/61 – 80D, and 25/23 °C/81 – 100D. Early flowering occurred at 12/10 °C/61 – 80D and 25/23 °C/81 – 100D. During these periods, it was considered that flower bud initiation and development might occur, and this effect was especially pronounced in the treatment 25/23 °C/61 – 80D (Expt. 4). Flowering was the earliest (148 days) when 45-day old seedlings after sowing seeds in January were exposed for 30 days (46 – 75D) to a long-day (LD) photoperiod at 21/18 °C (Expt. 5). The total cropping time was reduced to 133 days without inducing HTI rosette and reducing the number of flowers by the following treatments: Sowing seeds as late as February and growing at 23/21 and 25/23 °C/30 – 50D, either under a short-day (SD) or LD/51 – 70D, and growing at 21/19 and 23/21 °C under LD/71 – 90D (Expt. 6). A clear distinction should be made between seedlings exhibiting physiologically normal growth during the vegetative juvenile stages that last about 60 days forming up to 3 to 4 pairs of small leaves and HTI rosette that occurs predominantly when seedlings are exposed to 29/27 °C/34 – 74D. Eustoma grandiflorum is an annual that does not exhibit seed dormancy since germination occurs in 12 – 14 days at 23/21 °C, and 'Little Belle Blue' does not require vernalization to induce flowering in 130 days after sowing seeds without exhibiting HTI rosette. Seeds are sown at 21/16 °C/0 – 30D in February and growing at 25/23 °C/31 – 50D, 21/19 °C/51 – 70D/LD, 23/21 °C/71 – 90D/LD, and finally at 23/21 °C/91 – 130D is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2007, lisianthus ( Eustoma grandiflorum) plants with necrotic ringspots on the leaves were found in Kochi Prefecture, Japan. Tospovirus-like spherical enveloped particles with ca. 160 nm in diameter were observed with electron microscopy. The complete nucleotide sequence of the S RNA segment of the virus was determined, and phylogenetic analysis using deduced amino acid sequences of the nucleocapsid protein and the nonstructural S protein indicated that the virus is phylogenetically distinct from any known tospovirus species. The results suggest that the virus is a new member of the genus Tospovirus, in the family Bunyaviridae. The virus is the fifth distinct tospovirus occurring naturally in lisianthus in Japan. The necrotic symptoms were reproduced on lisianthus seedlings after mechanical inoculation. The host range of the virus isolate on several test plants was also examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eustoma grandiflorum, commonly known as prairie gentian or Texas bluebells, is among the most popular agriculturally propagated species of cut flowers. Due to its widespread appeal, there is increasing interest in understanding the molecular genetic factors underlying floral development and resistance to abiotic stresses. We analyzed 18 potential reference genes in different organs, at different floral developmental stages and under drought- and salt-stress treatments, for use in RT-qPCR analysis. A total of four analytical tool packages, including geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder were employed to determine the most appropriate reference genes under each treatment condition. The results demonstrate that different reference genes should be used for normalization under different experimental treatments. EgPP and EgPP2A2 were the most stable internal control genes across different organ types, EgPP and Eg18S were the most stable under salt-stress, EgPP and EgACT1 were the most stable across different floral development stages, and EgEF1A and EgTUA were the most stable reference genes under drought-stress. Additional gene expression analyses of EgMIXTA1, EgTOE1, and EgP5CS1 further confirmed the applicability of these reference genes. The results represent a significant contribution to future studies of reference gene selection for the normalization of gene expression in Eustoma grandiflorum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinners is a popular cut flower due to its beautiful morphological characteristics and extended vase life. Here, the complete plastome sequence of E. grandiflorum was reported based on the Illumina HiSeq Platform. The plastome sequence is 154,230 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, containing a pair of inverted repeated (IR) regions (25,755 bp) that are separated by a large single copy (LSC) region of 84,297 bp, and a small single copy (SSC) region of 18,423 bp. A total of 130 functional genes were annotated, including 84 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The complete plastome sequence of E. grandiflorum will provide a valuable resource for its garden utilization and the phylogenetic studies of Gentianaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seasonal change in petal color and pigmentation of 29 commercial Eustoma cultivars was studied. The flowers are basically divided into four groups according to the major anthocyanidin phenotype in association with petal coloration, i.e., delphinidin (Dp)-based (purple flower), cyanidin (Cy)-based (reddish purple flower), pelargonidin (Pg)-based (pink flower), and none (white flower) groups. The constitution of petal anthocyanidins was not changed by forcing treatment in most of the flowers. Lightness (L*) and chroma (C*, color saturation) showed a change along with the increase/decrease of hue angle difference (ΔH*), thus simultaneously the chromatic tonalities tended to move to redder and bluer, respectively. Floral pigment clustering described two flower groups in a dendrogram, based on anthocyanidin constitutions as phenetic markers, which are apparently the Dp- and Pg-based phenotypes of anthocyanidin syntheses. The Cy-based flowers made a subcluster with the Pg-based flowers, indicating a close relationship in the biosynthesis of the two anthocyanidins, and suggesting the Dp- and Pg-syntheses complement one another. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Floral transition was studied in lisianthus [Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn.] plants grown in a greenhouse at two planting times (winter and summer) under two photoperiod regimes: long day (LD) and short day (SD), 16 h/8 h and 8 h/16 h (light/dark), respectively. Morphological analyses of the flower meristem of the lisianthus cultivar ‘Heidi Deep Blue’ revealed three distinct stages of development: (1) sepal primordia, (2) petal and stamen primordia (almost simultaneously), and (3) carpel primordia. The appearance of sepal primordia was taken to mark the floral transition stage. Floral transition was hastened in summer-grown plants and under LD treatment, as expressed by a reduction in both the number of nodes and the time from planting. Stem length from base of plant to floral meristem, as measured at floral transition, was similar in all treatments, regardless of the number of nodes produced. At both planting dates, SD induced a higher number of flowers per inflorescence than LD. This report thus describes the direct effect of environmental factors on floral transition in lisianthus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A study was made of the inheritance of stem elongation rate during early (SER1) and late (SER2) vegetative growth period, of mean leaf width (MLW) and of days to flowering (DTF) in lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum Shinn.). The analysis was based on the data of an F1 diallel cross between different breeding lines. Marked directional heterosis was found for SER1, SER2 and MLW, but not for DTF, in which the dominance effects were incomplete and nondirectional. SER1 and SER2 were positively correlated with MLW, but negatively correlated with DTF. The implications and the potential of heterotic growth rate of F1 hybrid lisianthus are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]