Search

【Objective】The process of flower bud differentiation and development of Cymbidium. ensufolium was elaborated, and plant growth regulators were utilized for the flower buds at different developmental stages to solve the problems of non-uniformity of flowering period and short ornamental period of C. ensufolium, with an aim to provide references for the realization of annual production of C. ensufolium.【Method】Taking C. ensufolium 'Xiao Tao Hong' as the material, the characteristics of flower bud differentiation and development were observed through dissection, and the effects of different concentrations of plant growth regulators such as 6-BA, GA3, NAA, CH4N2O, and 3% gibberellic acid EC on flowering traits including inflorescence ratio, number of flowers, and diameter of flower in each flowering stage of C. ensufolium were investigated. In addition, silver thiosulfate (STS) was sprayed during the period of boll to analyze its effect on the duration of flower opening of C. ensufolium.【Result】The whole process of flower differentiation and development takes 30 days from the beginning of differentiation to the opening of flowers, which can be divided into six periods: Pre-differentiation, early differentiation, rapid development of flower buds, elongation of flower pedicels, periods of boll and flowering. Flower buds in different developmental periods react to plant growth regulators differently, and the combination of plant growth regulators sprayed before flower bud differentiation can advance the flowering period of C. ensufolium by one month, of which 200 mg/L 6-BA + 75 mg/L NAA + 10 mg/L CH4N2O + 50 mg/L 3% gibberellic acid EC has the optimal effect, with the flowering period being advanced by 33.03 d. The plant growth regulators sprayed at the rapid development of flower buds can advance the flowering period of C. ensufolium by about one week, among which 150 mg/L 6-BA + 75 mg/L GA3+ 50 mg/L NAA + 10 mg/L CH4N2O showing the best effect, which can advance the flowering period of C. ensufolium by 8.30 d. The spraying of 100 μmol/L STS during the period of boll of C. ensufolium can prolong the flowering period of single flower of C. ensufolium by 3.83 d.【Conclusion】C. ensufolium at different growth and development periods have their special needs and responses to the formation of flowers, and appropriate concentration of plant growth regulators can effectively regulate the flowering period of C. ensufolium, facilitating C. ensufolium flower to advance or prolong the flowering period.

Purpose: In order to assay the impact of silicon (Si) and nano-Si on morphological and physiological traits of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) under salt stress conditions, an experiment was conducted under greenhouse and field conditions. Research Method: The experiment was based on a completely randomized design including two levels of saline water (1.1 (control) and 6.1 dS m-1) and three levels of foliar spray (0, 2.5 mM Si and nano-Si) with 4 replications. Findings: Salinity stress decreased the vegetative and flowering parameters of pot marigold in the both conditions. Supplemental Si and nano-Si increased the dry weight of flowers under salt stress in the greenhouse (47 and 71%) and field (86 and 94%) conditions, respectively. Foliar application of nano-Si enhanced the flower total phenols of salt-stressed plants by 76% (greenhouse) and 50% (field), respectively. Under saline conditions, the use of nano-Si increased the flower antioxidant activity in the field by 17% in comparison to the control. Supplemental Si and nano-Si could reduce the negative impacts of salinity through increasing enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, accumulating soluble sugars, improving water relations, and enhancing chlorophyll content. Research limitations: No limitations were found. Originality/value: Based on the results of present study, the use of Si and nano-Si improved the growth and physiological characteristics of pot marigold under saline conditions.

Flowering in woody bamboos remains an intriguing, infrequent and unpredictable event. Bambusa vulgaris ʽVittata’ is a woody bamboo species of Asian origin, which is widely cultivated in Argentina and the world due to its various applications. However, there are no records of the flowering of this entity in its place of origin or in cultivation. The goal of the present work is to report the flowering of a B. vulgaris ʽVittata’ specimen, cultivated in Buenos Aires, providing information and images of the event and an illustration of its reproductive structures. New reproductive characters have been found to differentiate the taxon, which are included in a dicotomic key.

The cool temperate rainforests of eastern Australia are at risk from anthropogenic climate change with predicted changes in temperature, rainfall, severe weather, basal cloud layer, and droughts. Phenology and litter production are fundamental reproductive and growth processes to document in any ecosystem, yet very few long-term studies exist in Australian rainforests. In this study, long-term datasets are used to describe different phenological and litter production behaviours of tree species in a Nothofagus cool temperate rainforest in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, analysing seasonal and inter-annual climate drivers. Leaf fall at the community level was mostly influenced by Nothofagus moorei, driven by temperature and wind speed, and Ceratopetalum apetalum, driven by temperature, rainfall, and solar radiation. Mean dates of leaf fall at the community level were found to be advancing, correlated with an advance in solar radiation. We also analysed in detail the flowering behaviour of the dominant canopy tree species, N. moorei, which masts with a mean inter-flowering period of 3–4 years in 65% of flowering events. Three of the studied species presented mast flowering, C. apetalum, N. moorei, and Orites excelsus; however, they did not mast in the same years. All species presented strong seasonality in their phenological activity, but seasonality peaked in different months, and were driven by varied climate variables. Supra-annual peaks of flowering and fruiting did not occur at the same time for all species, and climate drivers of inter-annual phenological behaviour were different for each species. Our results show that projected changes in climate will affect species from cool temperate rainforests differently, affecting not only biomass production, but also species reproductive output and forest dynamics.

Duckweed is an aquatic model plant with tremendous potential in industrial and agricultural applications. Duckweed rarely flowers which significantly hinders the resource collection and heterosis utilization. Salicylic acid (SA) can significantly induce duckweed to flower; however, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this work, transcriptome and proteome were conducted in parallel to examine the expression change of genes and proteins in Lemna gibba under SA treatment. A high-quality reference transcriptome was generated using Iso-Seq strategy, yielding 42,281 full-length transcripts. A total of 422, 423, and 417 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), as well as 213, 51, and 92 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), were identified at flower induction, flower initiation, and flowering stages by ssRNA-seq and iTRAQ methods. Most DEGs and DEPs were only regulated at either the transcriptomic or proteomic level. Additionally, DEPs exhibited low expression correlations with the corresponding mRNAs, suggesting that post-transcriptional regulation plays a pivotal role in SA-induced flowering in L. gibba. Specifically, the genes related to photosynthesis, stress, and hormone metabolism were mainly regulated at the mRNA level, those associated with mitochondrial electron transport / ATP synthesis, nucleotide synthesis, and secondary metabolism were regulated at the protein level, while those related to redox metabolism were regulated at the mRNA and/or protein levels. The post-transcriptional regulation of genes relevant to hormone synthesis, transcription factors, and flowering was also extensively analyzed and discussed. This is the first study of integrative transcriptomic and proteomic analyses in duckweed, providing novel insights of post-transcriptional regulation in SA-induced flowering of L. gibba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaf scorching trait at flowering is a crucial thermosensitive phenotype in maize under high temperature stress (HS), yet the genetic basis of this trait remains poorly understood. In this study, we genotyped a 254 RIL-F2:8 population, derived from the leaf scorch-free parental inbred line Abe2 and the leaf scorching maternal inbred line B73, using the specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) method. A total of 10,112 polymorphic SLAF markers were developed, and a high-density genetic map with a total length of 1,475.88 cM was constructed. The average sequencing depth of the parents was 55.23X, and that of the progeny was 12.53X. Then, we identified a total of 16 QTLs associated with thermotolerant traits at flowering, of which four QTLs of leaf scorching damage (LS) were distributed on chromosomes 1 (qLS1), 2 (qLS2.1, qLS2.2) and 3 (qLS3), which could explain 19.73% of phenotypic variation. Combining one qLS1 locus with QTL-seq results led to the identification of 6 candidate genes. Expression experiments and sequence variation indicated that Zm00001d033328, encoding N-acetyl-gammaglutamyl-phosphate reductase, was the most likely candidate gene controlling thermotolerant traits at flowering. In summary, the high-density genetic map and genetic basis of thermotolerant traits lay a critical foundation for mapping other complex traits and identifying the genes associated with thermotolerant traits in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Flowering is an indicator of plant transformation from vegetative to reproductive growth. miR160 has been shown to have a significant effect on the growth and development of fruits, leaves, and roots of plants or their stress response to environment, but the participation of miR160 in regulating flowering time in plants is unclear. In this study, we found that two FvemiR160s (FvemiR160a/FvemiR160b) mature sequences in strawberry (Fragaria vesca) were consistent. It was displayed that the miR160 mature sequence is highly conserved in various species, and the miR160 mature sequence formed by the 5′ arm of the MIR160 precursor was more conserved. Three FveARFs in woodland strawberry were negatively regulated by FvemiR160a, among which FveARF18A was the most significant. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that FvemiR160 is closely related to apple (Malus domestica), grape (Vitis vinifera), and Arabidopsis thaliana, while FveARF18A is closely related to RcARF18. Subsequently, we demonstrated that FvemiR160a can target cutting FveARF18A to negatively regulate its expression by RLM‐5′ RACE, cleavage site mutation, and GFP fluorescence assay. Moreover, we observed that FveMIR160a overexpressed plants have advanced flowering, while mFveARF18A overexpressed plants have delayed flowering. We also verified that FveARF18A negatively regulates the expression of FveAP1 and FveFUL by binding their promoters by yeast one‐hybrid, LUC, and GUS assay, and FveAP1 and FveFUL transgenic Arabidopsis showed early flowering phenotype. In addition, the expression level of FvemiR160a was decreased obviously while that of FveARF18A was increased obviously by MeJA, GA and IAA. In conclusion, our study reveals the important role of the FvemiR160‐FveARF18A‐FveAP1/FveFUL module in the flowering process of woodland strawberry and provides a new pathway for studying flowering. Significance Statement: Flowering is an indicator of plant transformation from vegetative to reproductive growth, and miR160 has been shown to have a significant effect on the growth and development of plants or their stress response to environment, but the participation of miR160 in regulating flowering time in plants is unclear. This study reveals the mechanism by which the FvemiR160‐FveARF18A‐FveAP1/FveFUL module regulates woodland strawberry flowering time and lays a foundation for the molecular breeding of early flowering strawberries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenological studies have a crucial role in the global change context. The Mediterranean basin constitutes a key study site since strong climate change impacts are expected, particularly in mountain areas such as Sierra Nevada, where we focus. Specifically, we delve into phenological changes in endemic vascular plants over time by analysing data at three scales: entire massif, altitudinal ranges, and particular species, seeking to contribute to stopping biodiversity loss. For this, we analysed 5262 samples of 2129 herbarium sheets from Sierra Nevada, dated from 1837 to 2019, including reproductive structure, complete collection date, and precise location. We found a generalized advancement in phenology at all scales, and particularly in flowering onset and flowering peak. Thus, plants flower on average 11 days earlier now than before the 1970s. Although similar trends have been confirmed for many territories and species, we address plants that have been studied little in the past regarding biotypes and distribution, and which are relevant for conservation. Thus, we analysed phenological changes in endemic plants, mostly threatened, from a crucial hotspot within the Mediterranean hotspot, which is particularly vulnerable to global warming. Our results highlight the urgency of phenological studies by species and of including ecological interactions and effects on their life cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of different plant genotypes, particularly during various developmental stages, is challenging due to the high genetic diversity of agricultural products. In this study, the efficacy of visible and infrared leaf spectroscopy in identifying five wheat genotypes was assessed across three main growth stages: leaf opening, tillering, and flowering. Soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) and artificial neural networks (ANN) were employed to develop growth-stage dependent and independent classification models based on spectral reflection. To handle the large amount of spectral data generated, a deep learning technique was first used to extract advanced features from the spectral data using the stacked autoencoder (SAE) approach. The results revealed that the tillering stage yielded the highest accuracy in predicting wheat genotypes when using the linear SIMCA approach. Furthermore, employing deep learning features extracted by SAE networks in the ANN classifier resulted in superior performance compared to the SIMCA classifier. During the leaf opening and tillering stages, the ANN classifier achieved perfect classification, with a weighted F1-score of 100 %, while during the flowering stage, it achieved a weighted F1-score of 98.02 %. In the combined dataset, the ANN classifier demonstrated impressive performance, with a weighted F1-score of 95.98 %. These findings suggest that in-field leaf spectroscopy techniques using deep learning feature extraction methods can be a suitable approach for identifying wheat plant genotypes during different growth stages. • In-field Vis-NIR leaf spectroscopy was examined for genotyping of wheat plants. • Growth-stage dependent and independent classification models were extracted. • Tillering stage was the most accurate in predicting wheat genotypes. • Better classifications were attained by ANN classifier fed by deep learning features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prediction of floral bud progression in commercial peach cultivars promotes knowledge about the adaptability of cultivars to the climatic conditions in a specific location under a climatic variability context. Phenology is relevant to improving the scheduling of cultural practices in peach orchards. This research aimed to predict the floral bud progression of three peach cultivars: 'Harvester', 'Red Globe', and 'Rubyprince'. Floral bud progression was assessed using one-year-old shoots collected from an orchard located at the Chilton Research and Extension Center, Alabama. Samples were evaluated under laboratory and growth chamber conditions. We recorded the flower developmental stages daily to identify the transition among stages. Daily temperature records were used to estimate the heat requirement in terms of Growing Degree Days (GDD). After dormancy release, samples needed between 23 to 39 and 37 to 42 days to reach the petal fall stage for season 1 and season 2, respectively. In terms of heat requirements, cultivars needed between 425.5 to 721.5 and 684.5 to 777 GDD to end flowering. A logistic curve was adjusted to describe the growth of the different floral stages over time. The results are key to supporting peach growers in crop management practices such as orchard establishment, irrigation, fertilization, freeze and frost protection, and pollination under climate variability scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is one of the world's most important Allium species for various related purposes. The commodity is commonly propagated vegetatively by using garlic cloves. This propagation type has several disadvantages such as a low rate of multiplication, a high need for storage space, persistence of viruses and other infections, and stringent sanitary standards. The accumulation of viruses when using vegetative propagation year after year can reduce garlic yields by up to 50%. As it needs high numbers of cloves, the farmers should spend considerable expenditure on input production for preparing cloves as planting materials. To reduce viral disease problems by using garlic cloves as planting materials, attempts have been established to obtain virus-free garlic cloves through the cleaning of original planting materials by using the meristem cultures. However, this procedure is costly and requires several years to obtain clean planting materials. A potential means to prepare planting materials for garlic is aerial bulbils that can be collected from garlic inflorescence (umbel). The objective of this systemic review is to provide information on an alternative approach to garlic propagation through the use of aerial bulbs or bulbils as planting materials. This systematic literature review describes the garlic flower and aerial bulb morphology, aerial bulbs as plant materials, and environmental factors that possibly promote aerial bulb production. This review hopefully helps the reader to understand the aerial bulbs or bulbils, their characteristics, and their purpose as garlic seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoperiod is a major environmental factor in flowering control. Water spinach flowering under the inductive short-day condition decreases the yield of vegetative tissues and the eating quality. To obtain an insight into the molecular mechanism of the photoperiod-dependent regulation of the flowering time in water spinach, we performed transcriptome sequencing on water spinach under long- and short-day conditions with eight time points. Our results indicated that there were 6615 circadian-rhythm-related genes under the long-day condition and 8691 under the short-day condition. The three key circadian-rhythm genes, IaCCA1, IaLHY, and IaTOC1, still maintained single copies and similar IaCCA1, IaLHY, and IaTOC1 feedback expression patterns, indicating the conservation of reverse feedback. In the photoperiod pathway, highly conserved GI genes were amplified into two copies (IaGI1 and IaGI2) in water spinach. The significant difference in the expression of the two genes indicates functional diversity. Although the photoperiod core gene FT was duplicated to three copies in water spinach, only IaFT1 was highly expressed and strongly responsive to the photoperiod and circadian rhythms, and the almost complete inhibition of IaFT1 in water spinach may be the reason why water spinach does not bloom, no matter how long it lasts under the long-day condition. Differing from other species (I. nil, I. triloba, I. trifida) of the Ipomoea genus that have three CO members, water spinach lacks one of them, and the other two CO genes (IaCO1 and IaCO2) encode only one CCT domain. In addition, through weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), some transcription factors closely related to the photoperiod pathway were obtained. This work provides valuable data for further in-depth analyses of the molecular regulation of the flowering time in water spinach and the Ipomoea genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant phenology reflects the reproductive responses of plants to seasonal cycles and climate change. Herbarium collections can be valuable tools for filling in gaps in phenological studies. We investigated the seasonality of the reproductive phenology of Xiquexique species using circular statistics, estimated their flowering and fruiting periods by interpolation via inverse distance weighting based on herbarium specimens (n = 290), and analyzed the relationships among phenophases, temperature, and precipitation using generalized linear models. Xiquexique species flowered and fruited throughout the year, with X. gounellei exhibiting peak flowering in February and peak fruiting in March, while X. tuberculatus exhibited those peaks in August–October and August, respectively, with decreased intensity during the austral winter. The maps produced through interpolation showed higher probabilities of flowering and fruiting between February and August at sites with mean annual rainfall rates between 500 and 800 mm. Temperature and precipitation were positively correlated with flowering. Xiquexique tuberculatus is important for providing continuous resources to pollinators and seed dispersers in the Caatinga. Herbarium collections and interpolation methods for filling in gaps concerning the reproductive ecology of Cactaceae can aid in better understanding altered phenological patterns resulting from environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted in three successive seasons (2019–2021) to evaluate the effects of four commercial organo-mineral fertilizers with biostimulating action (Hendophyt®, Ergostim®, and Radicon®) on the vegetative and productive performance of young almond trees (Prunus dulcis, cv. Tuono) grown in a semiarid climate in Southern Italy. Foliar treatments were applied three times during each season (at the swollen bud, beginning of flowering, and fruit set-beginning of fruit growth stages). Both 2020 and 2021 were adversely affected by late frosts, resulting in damage to the flowers and small fruits without any positive effect of the biostimulant applications. In contrast, the results obtained during the normal climate year (2019) indicated that the growth of trunk diameter and shoot length of trees tended to increase in biostimulant treatments compared to those of the control. The number of buds and flowers per unit length of the branch revealed no significant differences among years and all compared treatments. However, in 2019, the fruit set percentage, number, and weight of kernels per tree were significantly higher in the biostimulant treatments compared to those of the control. To this regard, the use of biofertilizers is suitable for maintaining soil fertility and improving crop productivity This information holds significance for almond tree growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA polymerase II--associated factor 1 complex (PAF1C) regulates the transition from the vegetative to the reproductive phase primarily by modulating the expression of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) and FLOWERING LOCUS M [FLM, also known as MADS AFFECTING FLOWERING1 (MAF1)] at standard growth temperatures. However, the role of PAF1C in the regulation of flowering time at chilling temperatures (i.e., cold temperatures that are above freezing) and whether PAF1C affects other FLC-clade genes (MAF2--MAF5) remains unknown. Here, we showed that Arabidopsis thaliana mutants of any of the six known genes that encode components of PAF1C [CELL DIVISION CYCLE73/PLANT HOMOLOGOUS TO PARAFIBROMIN, VERNALIZATION INDEPENDENCE2 (VIP2)/EARLY FLOWERING7 (ELF7), VIP3, VIP4, VIP5, and VIP6/ELF8] showed temperature-insensitive early flowering across a broad temperature range (10°C--27°C). Flowering of PAF1C-deficient mutants at 10°C was even earlier than that in flc, flm, and flc flm mutants, suggesting that PAF1C regulates additional factors. Indeed, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of PAF1C-deficient mutants revealed downregulation of MAF2--MAF5 in addition to FLC and FLM at both 10 and 23°C. Consistent with the reduced expression of FLC and the FLC-clade members FLM/MAF1 and MAF2--MAF5, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-quantitative PCR assays showed reduced levels of the permissive epigenetic modification H3K4me3/H3K36me3 and increased levels of the repressive modification H3K27me3 at their chromatin. Knocking down MAF2--MAF5 using artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) in the flc flm background (35S::amiR-MAF2--5 flc flm) resulted in significantly earlier flowering than flc flm mutants and even earlier than short vegetative phase (svp) mutants at 10°C. Wild-type seedlings showed higher accumulation of FLC and FLC-clade gene transcripts at 10°C compared to 23°C. Our yeast two-hybrid assays and in vivo co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) analyses revealed that MAF2--MAF5 directly interact with the prominent floral repressor SVP. Late flowering caused by SVP overexpression was almost completely suppressed by the elf7 and vip4 mutations, suggesting that SVP-mediated floral repression required a functional PAF1C. Taken together, our results showed that PAF1C regulates the transcription of FLC and FLC-clade genes to modulate temperature-responsive flowering at a broad range of temperatures and that the interaction between SVP and these FLC-clade proteins is important for floral repression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Plants are sessile organisms that maximize reproductive success by adapting to their environment. One of the key steps in the reproductive phase of angiosperms is flower development, requiring the perception of multiple endogenous and exogenous signals integrated via a complex regulatory network. Key floral regulators, including the main transcription factor of the photoperiodic pathway (CONSTANS, CO) and the central floral pathway integrator (FLOWERING LOCUS T, FT), are known in many species. Methods and results: We identified several CO-like (COL) proteins in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The NtCOL2a/b proteins in the day-neutral plant N. tabacum were most closely related to Arabidopsis CO. We characterized the diurnal expression profiles of corresponding genes in leaves under short-day (SD) and long-day (LD) conditions and confirmed their expression in phloem companion cells. Furthermore, we analyzed the orthologs of NtCOL2a/b in the maternal LD ancestor (N. sylvestris) and paternal, facultative SD ancestor (N. tomentosiformis) of N. tabacum and found that they were expressed in the same diurnal manner. NtCOL2a/b overexpression or knock-out using the CRISPR/Cas9 system did not support a substantial role for the CO homologs in the control of floral transition in N. tabacum. However, NsCOL2 overexpression induced flowering in N. sylvestris under typically non-inductive SD conditions, correlating with the upregulation of the endogenous NsFTd gene. Discussion: Our results suggest that NsFTd is transcriptionally regulated by NsCOL2 and that this COL2-dependent photoperiodic floral induction seems to be lost in N. tabacum, providing insight into the diverse genetics of photoperiod-dependent flowering in different Nicotiana species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WD40 repeat proteins (WDRs) are present in all eukaryotes and include members that are implicated in numerous cellular activities. They act as scaffold proteins and thus as molecular "hubs" for protein–protein interactions, which mediate the assembly of multifunctional complexes that regulate key developmental processes in Arabidopsis thaliana, such as flowering time, hormonal signaling, and stress responses. Despite their importance, many aspects of their putative functions have not been elucidated yet. Here, we show that the late-flowering phenotype of the anthesis promoting factor 1 (aprf1) mutants is temperature-dependent and can be suppressed when plants are grown under mild heat stress conditions. To gain further insight into the mechanism of APRF1 function, we employed a co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) approach to identify its interaction partners. We provide the first interactome of APRF1, which includes proteins that are localized in several subcellular compartments and are implicated in diverse cellular functions. The dual nucleocytoplasmic localization of ARRF1, which was validated through the interaction of APRF1 with HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN 1 (HSP90.1) in the nucleus and with HSP90.2 in the cytoplasm, indicates a dynamic and versatile involvement of APRF1 in multiple biological processes. The specific interaction of APRF1 with the chaperon HSP90.1 in the nucleus expands our knowledge regarding the epigenetic regulation of flowering time in A. thaliana and further suggests the existence of a delicate thermoregulated mechanism during anthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The warming trend of the Mediterranean Sea is a long-term process. It has resulted in a northwards and westwards range expansion and abundance increase of thermophilic species, both native and non-indigenous, and in a shrinking of the range of cold-affinity species. Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are relatively short-term extreme episodes that are responsible for spectacular mortality events in some species and have been extensively reported in the literature. In contrast, the species that benefit from MHWs (the 'winners') have been much less studied. A record-breaking MHW occurred in 2022 in the north-western Mediterranean Sea. We focus on three 'winner' species, the thermophilic green macroalgae Penicillus capitatus and Microdictyon umbilicatum and the endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Penicillus capitatus, which is mainly present in the area as an inconspicuous turf of entangled filaments (espera stage), produced the erect paintbrush-like stage where sexual reproduction takes place. Microdictyon umbilicatum, usually uncommon, bloomed to the point of clogging fishing nets. Finally, a mass flowering of P. oceanica occurred in late August–September, followed the following year (April–May 2023) by the extensive production and dissemination of fruits and seeds. Both processes, the long-term warming trend and one-off heatwaves, both 'losers' and 'winners', shape the change in structure and functioning of Mediterranean ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing shallot (Allium ascalonicum L.) production can be done by application of botanical or true shallot seeds (TSS). Meanwhile, it is well understood that botanical seeds are difficult to produce due to shallots' low flowering capacity. This study aimed to evaluate the generative traits of three local shallot varieties affected by various doses of zinc (Zn). This study was structured using a split-plot design, where the main plots were varieties (Lokana, Rubaru, and Ambassador 3 Agrihorti). In addition, the sub-plot treatment, the dose of zinc (0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 kg ha-1), was repeated three times. There is an effect of the main factor (variety) where Rubaru and Ambassador 3 Agrihorti show the fastest umbel emergence. In addition, our data show the interaction effects on the age of sheat breaking, flower blooming (DAP), morphology traits of generative organs, and leaf traits. In detail, Lokana with a Zn dose of 1.5 ha-1 shows the best results on the length and diameter of the umbel stalk; Rubaru with Zn 1 kg ha-1 on the age of broken sheath and chlorophyll index; and the Ambassador 3 Agrihorti with Zn 0.5 kg ha-1 on the number of flowers. On the one hand, it can be concluded that each variety responded differently to the dose of Zn. Concerning seed production, on the other hand, the Ambassador 3 Agrihorti with Zn 0.5 kg ha-1 has better potential to be developed for TSS, as seen from the number of flowers per umbel, a higher percentage of flowering plants and a relatively fast flowering time than other varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato virus X (PVX) vectors expressing the Arabidopsis thaliana FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) or tomato FT ortholog SINGLE-FLOWER TRUSS (SFT) shortened the generation time in tomato due to accelerated tomato flowering and ripening by 14–21 d, and caused a 2–3-fold increase in the number of flowers and fruits, compared with non-infected or empty vector-infected plants. The Arabidopsis FT was more effective than the tomato orthologue SFT and there was no alteration of the flower or fruit morphology. The virus was not transmitted to the next generation; therefore viral vectors with expression of a heterologous FT will be a useful approach to speed breeding in tomato and other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect pollinators are in population decline due to environmental and chemical stressors. Including native forbs in pastures could benefit grazers and pollinators; however, their forage and flowering characteristics are not fully documented. The objectives of our research were to evaluate 12 native forbs for persistence, forage mass, nutrient composition, and flowering patterns under repeated defoliation. Twelve species were planted in a small-plot experiment in 2018. Response variables were measured from 2020 to 2022. Annual (partridge pea, PPEA, Chamaecrista fasciculata) and biennial (black-eyed Susan, BESU, Rudbeckia hirta) species established high (p < 0.05) plant populations during the first season; however, the PPEA declined (p < 0.05) in forage mass during 2021. Tall species (Maximilian sunflower, MSUN, Helianthus maximiliani; cup plant, CUPP, Silphium perfoliatum) increased in forage mass, produced high-quality forage, and flowered during early fall. Lanceleaf coreopsis (LCOR, Coreopsis lanceolata) produced consistent (p > 0.05) forage mass and flowered in spring. The purple coneflower (PURC, Echinacea purpurea), Illinois bundleflower (ILBF, Desmanthus illinoensis), and oxeye sunflower (OSUN, Helopsis helianthoides) produced high-quality, consistent (p > 0.05) forage mass and flowered mid-season. Interseeding the BESU, ILBF, PPEA, LCOR, PURC, OSUN, and MSUN or CUPP would produce high-quality forage and floral resources throughout summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicide substances aminopyralid and pyroxsulam are used to control broadleaf weeds in cereals. Disadvantage of this herbicides is fact, that their residues remain not only in the soil, but are also translocated to the plant tissues of the treated crops. Herbicide residues released from straw used like mulch by the way of decomposition and leaching can damage strawberry. In this study the response of strawberry plants to aminopyralid at doses of 3.75, 7.5 and 15 g/ha and pyroxsulam at dose 3, 15 and 30 g/ha was evaluated. With the increased concentration of both herbicides, plants injury also increased. A reduction in fruit yield was noted with both herbicides and cultivar 'Elsanta' was more sensitive than cultivar 'Karmen'. Mustang Forte herbicide at the highest rate reduced the yield of the 'Elsanta' cultivar by 52% and the 'Karmen' cultivar by 47% in the first year. However, in the second year, the decrease in yields of both varieties leveled off at 30% compared to the control. Similarly, in the case of pyroxsulam, the yield of cultivar 'Elsanta' decreased by 70% in the first year, while yield of cultivar 'Karmen' only decreased by 55%, but here the difference between cultivars remained until the second year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wax apple (Syzygium samarangense) is a highly valuable fruit species in Southeast Asia. To regulate the fruiting season, shading is commonly used to induce flowering in wax apple. However, the effects of shading on the growth of wax apple is not well understood. To address this, we conducted a study analyzing the photosynthetic characteristics of wax apple leaves under 40% and 90% shading rates. Our findings revealed that shading had a significant impact on the photosynthesis and branching tip development of wax apple. During shading treatments, the chlorophyll contents of the leaves increased to enhance light absorption efficiency. In the 40% shading treatment, the primary factor causing the decrease in net photosynthetic rate was stomatal limitation, while in the 90% shading treatment, both stomatal and non-stomatal limitations contributed to the decrease in net photosynthetic rate. These results are indications that sheading plays a key role in chlorophyll and photosynthesis in wax apple. These results will have led to a new research direction for genetic crop improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a plant-specific transcription factor, the SPL gene family plays a critical role in plant growth and development. Although the SPL gene family has been identified in diverse plant species, there have been no genome-wide identification or systematic study reports on the SPL gene family in Catalpa bungei. In this study, we identified 19 putative SPL gene family members in the C. bungei genome. According to the phylogenetic relationship, they can be divided into eight groups, and the genes in the same group have a similar gene structure and conserved motifs. Synteny analysis showed that fragment duplication played an important role in the expansion of the CbuSPL gene family. At the same time, CbuSPL genes have cis-acting elements and functions related to light response, hormone response, growth and development, and stress response. Tissue-specific expression and developmental period-specific expression analysis showed that CbuSPL may be involved in flowering initiation and development, flowering transition, and leaf development. In addition, the ectopic expression of CbuSPL4 in Arabidopsis confirmed that it can promote early flowering and induce the expression of related flowering genes. These systematic research results will lay a foundation for further study on the functional analysis of SPL genes in C. bungei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we present a synopsis of the current finds in our phenology study on eastern North America redbud, Cercis canadensis. With the assistance of over 200 citizen scientists that have been using Nature's Notebook online platform since 2020, we can now begin to glean broad phenological patterns of C. canadensis in the USA and Canada. Within this region, leaf and flower buds begin to open between early April and mid-May. Fruits are ripe from mid-July to mid-May of the following year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guava (Psidium guajava L) is a tropical fruit that belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which contains about 150 species. It is grown in the terai, inner terai, and hilly regions of Nepal, with the highest-producing districts being Kailali, Jhapa, Dhading, Taplejung, and Khotang. Guavas grow in the leaf axils during the present season and yield solitary white flowers or in cymes of two to three flowers. Guavas are primarily self-pollinated, with the major pollinator being honey bees. Guavas often flower twice or three times a year, with the rainy and winter seasons seeing the most blooming. Crop regulation is the manipulation of the natural flowering and fruiting of guava in the desired season of the year so as to increase fruit yield, quality, and profitability. Crop regulation can be carried out in guavas through various techniques, including withholding irrigation, pruning, root pruning and root exposure, bending of shoots, hand thinning, nutrient application, de-blossoming by hand, and using different plant growth regulators and chemicals. Stoppage of irrigation after harvest of winter crops (December–June) and applying fertilizer and irrigation in June creates profuse flowering and production in the winter season. Another method of crop regulation in guava is terminal pruning, which involves cutting the plant 20 to 30 cm in April to prevent rainy season crops and promote winter season flowering. Exposing the roots to the sun by removing 7–10 cm of soil around the tree, creating water stress by withholding irrigation for a month or two before flowering, and covering the roots one month before desired flowering with soil. In order to avoid rainy season crops and have a good winter harvest of guava, FYM and prompt irrigation are helpful. In guava, bending shoots between August and September promotes increased flowering and fruit set, as well as an increase in the CN ratio. In leaves, barks, and fruits, bending has also been shown to raise the amounts of pectin, tryptophan, proline, polyphenol oxidase, catalase, and peroxidase. Hand or chemical thinning in March and April reduces crop yields during the rainy season and increases winter fruit set and good flowering. Furthermore, fertilizer time and dose can be changed to promote greater vegetative development and boost winter season yields. De-blossoming is done manually, with PGRs, or with chemicals to enhance the amount of winter-season crops in guava and prevent any rainyseason crops. In conclusion, guava crop regulation can be accomplished successfully by a variety of chemical and cultural techniques that control summer flowering and winter fruit production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Most of the garlic clones are non-bolting and sterile and propagate asexually; however, some of the clones are bolting, and there are some fertile clones among the bolting ones. A correct understanding of the MADS-BOX genes family expression pattern and structure, including AGL6, is a valuable project and will improve garlic breeding programs. So far there are no reports relating AGL6 identification as a flowering and fertility integrator gene in garlic. So the aim of this study is to investigate the relative expression of AGL6 in Iranian bolting, semi- and non)bolting garlic clones and to identify its structure and nucleotide sequence. Materials and methods At first, the relative expression of the AGL6 was investigated in the different organs of non)bolting, semi-bolting and bolting Iranian garlic clones using quantitative Real time- PCR. Then the isolation and cloning of the AGL6 partial sequences from the garlic floret was carried out using RT-PCR. The sequence of the recombinant plasmid was evaluated using BLAST, Vector NTI, ORF finder and MEGA6 software. Results According to the obtained results, AGL6 was expressed in the meristem, inflorescence, tepal and carpel of green and purple flowers of the bolting garlic. But there was no sign of its expression in the stamen. AGL6 expression level in the meristem of bolting garlic was higher than the meristem of the semi-bolting and non-bolting garlic in all sampling stages, especially in the flowering induction stage. AGL6 was also expressed in the inflorescence of the semi-bolting and bolting garlic, but its expression in the inflorescence of the semi- bolting garlic was 4 times less than the inflorescence of the bolting garlic. Sequence analysis of the colonized fragment showed the coding region with a 728 bp length, which was registered in the NCBI database with the accession number of OK086759.1. This nucleotide sequence encodes a protein with 243 amino acids and has MADS-box and K-box domains. Results showed the high similarity of the sequence obtained in this research with other AGL6 gene homologues in other plant species, especially petaloid monocots such as onion, lily, narcissus and saffron in NCBI. Hence, the resulting sequence was named AsAGL6. Conclusions In this research, for the first time, the expression pattern of a key gene of the flowering and fertility pathway (AsAGL6) and its nucleotide structure were determined in garlic. The results of this research can be effectively used in the design of classical and molecular garlic breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cut tulip flower production, typically cultivated using hydroponic systems, often faces the challenge of stem toppling due to calcium (Ca) deficiency in the nutrient solution. Growers generally grow various tulip cultivars to meet market demands. In hydroponic production, plants require precise nutrient concentrations to promote growth and development, as the food reserves in the mother bulb are insufficient and vary depending on the plant cultivar. This study aimed to assess the impact of different tulip cultivars and Ca deficiency on tulip growth, flowering, and physiological changes. Two cultivars of tulip, namely, 'Strong Gold' and 'Orange Juice', were subjected to three distinct nutrient solution treatments, namely (1) deionized water (DI) only (without any plant nutrition added), (2) complete solution (Hoagland's complete nutrient solution), and (3) Ca deficiency solution. The results indicate that the 'Orange Juice' tulip was particularly susceptible to Ca deficiency, exhibiting stem toppling and flower abortion similar to those grown in DI. Ca deficiency led to a reduction in root length and leaf area but did not affect the plant height. Additionally, it had a negative impact on bulb qualities, resulting in a decreased bulb fresh weight and bulb circumference in both tulip cultivars. Furthermore, Ca deficiency and DI reduced the photosynthetic rates, and Ca deficiency increased the transpiration rate in the tulip. The leaf concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and Ca were decreased under Ca deficiency and DI, while magnesium (Mg) levels increased under Ca deficiency treatment compared to the complete nutrient solution treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: As the growing season changes, the development of climate resilient crop varieties has emerged as a crucial adaptation in agricultural systems. Breeding new varieties for a changing climate requires enhanced capacity to predict the complex interactions between genotype and environment that determine flowering time. Hundreds of experiments with observations of flowering, the environment and plant genetics were used to build a model that can predict when a variety of common bean is going to flower. This model will help breeders to explore the phenological characteristics of their germplasm, speeding up selection for climate adaptation. Summary: There is an urgent need to accelerate crop breeding for adaptation to a changing climate. As the growing season changes, crop improvement programmes must ensure that the phenological characteristics of the varieties they develop remain well suited to their target population of environments.Meeting this challenge will require a clear understanding of how existing germplasm behave across Genotype ∗ Environment (G ∗ E) to enhance the efficiency of selection. Recent work calls for the development of simple models that can accurately simulate genotypic variation in key traits across target population of environments.Accordingly, we develop a simple machine learning framework for modelling time to flowering across G ∗ E and apply this to common bean in an equatorial target population of environments. Within this framework, we test three machine learning models and find that the best performing models display high levels of accuracy across G ∗ E.We advance understanding of the environmental drivers of flowering time in equatorial conditions by showing that thermal time and accumulated evaporation are powerful predictors of flowering time across all three models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hyacinth is one of the most important spring-flowering bulbous plants, extremely appreciated for its beautiful and fragrant flowers in attractive colours, which is used in flowerbeds, borders, small groups, mass plantings of single variety or colour for a greater visual impact in parks and gardens, patio containers, and as cut flowers in bouquets and floral arrangements. It is also grown in pots and forced to bloom indoors in late winter. The aim of the study was to evaluate the growth and flowering characteristics of nine hyacinth cultivars grown in open field conditions. The results revealed that the maximum plant height (31.25 cm), length of the leaves (29.38 cm) and inflorescence length (14.33 cm) were recorded in 'Woodstock'. Among the studied cultivars, 'Blue Jacket' produced the highest number of flowers in inflorescence (44.36), 'Purple Pride' recorded the minimum number of days from planting to flowering (146.16 days) and 'Fondant' had the longest flowering duration (15.12 days). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agronomía Colombiana is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The cytokinin signaling pathway is important for plant growth and development. To understand the regulatory process, a type A response regulator, SmRR5, in Salix matsudana Koidz., was characterized and functionally analyzed. Gene expression tests showed that SmRR5 was distinctly higher in the leaves and roots of the fast-growing S. matsudana variety 9901 than in those of the slow-growing variety Yanjing (YJ). The transcript abundance was highest in the meristem zone (MEZ), followed by the elongation zone (EZ) and maturation zone (MAZ) in 9901 roots, but it was identically low in YJ roots. Overexpression of SmRR5 in tobacco plants significantly improved plant height, maximum root length (MRL), lateral root number (LRN), fresh weight (FW), dry weight (DW), and flowering time compared with wild-type plants. Transcript profiling revealed that multiple genes associated with flowering (SWEET1, FPF1, and COL12), plant growth (YUCCA8, PIN5, and ARF9a), and adventitious root (AR) formation (Hox3, MYC2, and AGL46) were highly expressed in the overexpression of leaves and roots. Thus, SmRR5 effectively facilitated plant growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim was to study the features of flowering and fruiting of the mulberry under conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. The research was conducted in the forest steppe zone at the experimental base of the Institute of Horticulture of the NAAS in 2021-2023. The subject was plant material of different cultivars of mulberry (Morus alba), propagated from seed progeny of the 'Krupnoplidna' variety; self-fertile mulberry plants were used as a control. The morphological description of the structural elements of the reproductive organs and the study of pollen viability were carried out according to published methods. The fruiting of the breeding forms was evaluated on a five-point scale. Results. All plants tested were found to have the ability to germinate pollen. The most viable pollen (75.1%) was found in male breeding form No. 5 after 12 hours exposure and a sucrose concentration of 50%. Exposure for 24 hours caused a decrease in germination energy of up to 63.1%. The latter was lowest in the pollen grains of plants of the triploid sample at both sucrose concentrations used. The comparison of morphological characteristics and seed productivity (per fruit) of the breeding forms of M. alba showed the genetic diversity of plants of cultivars of the species, which is manifested in the difference of phenotypic characteristics due to the variability of the range of their expression. Conclusions. The highest rates of white mulberry pollen germination were obtained for breeding form No. 5 - 79.1 ± 0.36% (male specimen) with 25% concentration of sucrose in the nutrient medium. The number of fruits formed on two-year-old shoots was 21-91. The evaluation of the fruiting of the cultivars was 4-5 points, and their infructescences were 2.26-3.97 cm long (large). In general, the study of the morphology of the reproductive organs of the breeding forms of M. alba, each of which forms filled seeds with high germination energy (91-98%), showed the intactness of the reproductive functions of mulberry, which indicates the successful passage of the plants through all stages of organogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trehalose, trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS),and trehalose-6-phosphatase (TPP) have been reported to play important roles in plant abiotic stress and growth development. However, their functions in the flowering process of Rosa hybrida have not been characterized. In this study we found that, under a short photoperiod or weak light intensity, the content of trehalose in the shoot apical meristem of Rosa hybrida cv 'Carola' significantly decreased, leading to delayed flowering time. A total of nine RhTPSs and seven RhTPPs genes were identified in the genome. Cis-element analysis suggested that RhTPS and RhTPP genes were involved in plant hormones and environmental stress responses. Transcriptome data analysis reveals significant differences in the expression levels of RhTPSs and RhTPPs family genes in different tissues and indicates that RhTPPF and RhTPPJ are potential key genes involved in rose flower bud development under different light environments. The results of quantitative real-time reverse transcription (qRT-PCR) further indicate that under short photoperiod and weak light intensity all RhTPP members were significantly down-regulated. Additionally, RhTPS1a, RhTPS10, and RhTPS11 were up-regulated under a short photoperiod and showed a negative correlation with flowering time and trehalose content decrease. Under weak light intensity, RhTPS11 was up-regulated and negatively regulated flowering, while RhTPS5, RhTPS6, RhTPS7b, RhTPS9, and RhTPS10 were down-regulated and positively regulated flowering. This work lays the foundation for revealing the functions of RhTPS and RhTPP gene families in the regulation of rose trehalose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: We investigated the basis for better performance of transgenic Nicotiana tabacum plants with G6PDH‐isoenzyme replacement in the cytosol (Xanthi::cP2::cytRNAi, Scharte et al., 2009). After six generations of selfing, infiltration of Phytophthora nicotianae zoospores into source leaves confirmed that defence responses (ROS, callose) are accelerated, showing as fast cell death of the infected tissue. Yet, stress‐related hormone profiles resembled susceptible Xanthi and not resistant cultivar SNN, hinting at mainly metabolic adjustments in the transgenic lines. Leaves of non‐stressed plants contained twofold elevated fructose‐2,6‐bisphosphate (F2,6P2) levels, leading to partial sugar retention (soluble sugars, starch) and elevated hexose‐to‐sucrose ratios, but also more lipids. Above‐ground biomass lay in between susceptible Xanthi and resistant SNN, with photo‐assimilates preferentially allocated to inflorescences. Seeds were heavier with higher lipid‐to‐carbohydrate ratios, resulting in increased harvest yields ‐ also under water limitation. Abiotic stress tolerance (salt, drought) was improved during germination, and in floated leaf disks of non‐stressed plants. In leaves of salt‐watered plants, proline accumulated to higher levels during illumination, concomitant with efficient NADP(H) use and recycling. Non‐stressed plants showed enhanced PSII‐induction kinetics (upon dark–light transition) with little differences at the stationary phase. Leaf exudates contained 10% less sucrose, similar amino acids, but more fatty acids – especially in the light. Export of specific fatty acids via the phloem may contribute to both, earlier flowering and higher seed yields of the Xanthi‐cP2 lines. Apparently, metabolic priming by F2,6P2—combined with sustained NADP(H) turnover—bypasses the genetically fixed growth–defence trade‐off, rendering tobacco plants more stress‐resilient and productive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SECRETORY13 (SEC13) is an essential member of the coat protein complex II (COPII), which was reported to mediate vesicular-specific transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi apparatus and plays a crucial role in early secretory pathways. In Arabidopsis, there are two homologous proteins of SEC13: SEC13A and SEC13B. SUPPRESSOR OF FRIGIDA 4 (SUF4) encodes a C2H2-type zinc finger protein that inhibits flowering by transcriptionally activating the FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) through the FRIGIDA (FRI) pathway in Arabidopsis. However, it remains unclear whether SEC13 proteins are involved in Arabidopsis flowering. In this study, we first identified that the sec13b mutant exhibited early flowering under both long-day and short-day conditions. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT–PCR) analysis showed that both SEC13A and SEC13B were expressed in all the checked tissues, and transient expression assays indicated that SEC13A and SEC13B were localized not only in the ER but also in the nucleus. Then, we identified that SEC13A and SEC13B could interact with SUF4 in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, both sec13b and suf4 single mutants flowered earlier than the wild type (Col-0), whereas the sec13b suf4 double mutant flowered even earlier than all the others. In addition, the expression of flowering inhibitor FLC was down-regulated, and the expressions of flowering activator FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), CONSTANS (CO), and SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO 1 (SOC1) were up-regulated in sec13b, suf4, and sec13b suf4 mutants, compared with Col-0. Taken together, our results indicated that SEC13B interacted with SUF4, and they may co-regulate the same genes in flowering-regulation pathways. These results also suggested that the COPII component could function in flowering in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering time, plays a crucial role in tobacco ecological adaptation besides its substantial influence on tobacco production and leaf quality. Meanwhile, it is sensitive to biotic or abiotic challenges. The plant hormones Gibberellins (GAs), controlling a number of metabolic processes, govern plants growth and development. In this study, we created a late flowering mutant HG14 through knocking out NtGA3ox1 by CRISPR/Cas9. It took around 13.0 and 12.1 days longer to budding and flowering compared to wild type Honghuadajinyuan. Nearly all of the evaluated agronomic characters deteriorated in HG14, showing slower growth and noticeably shorter and narrower leaves. We found that NtGA3ox was more prevalent in flowers through quantitative reverse transcription PCR analysis. Transcriptome profiling detected 4449, 2147, and 4567 differently expressed genes at the budding, flowering, and mature stages, respectively. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified the plant-pathogen interaction, plant hormone signal transduction pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway are the major clusters controlled by NtGA3ox1 throughout the budding and flowering stages. Together with the abovementioned signaling pathway, biosynthesis of monobactam, metabolism of carbon, pentose, starch, and sucrose were enriched at the mature stage. Interestingly, 108 up- and 73 down- regulated DEGs, impairing sugar metabolism, diterpenoid biosynthesis, linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid metabolism pathway, were continuously detected accompanied with the development of HG14. This was further evidenced by the decreasing content of GA metabolites such as GA4 and GA7, routine chemicals, alkaloids, amino acids, and organic acids Therefore, we discovered a novel tobacco flowering time gene NtGA3ox1 and resolved its regulatory network, which will be beneficial to the improvement of tobacco varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many years, research has been carried out with the aim of understanding the mechanism of auxin action, its biosynthesis, catabolism, perception, and transport. One central interest is the auxin-dependent gene expression regulation mechanism involving AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF) transcription factors and their repressors, the AUXIN/INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID (Aux/IAA) proteins. Numerous studies have been focused on MONOPTEROS (MP)/ARF5, an activator of auxin-dependent gene expression with a crucial impact on plant development. This review summarizes over 30 years of research on MP/ARF5. We indicate the available analytical tools to study MP/ARF5 and point out the known mechanism of MP/ARF5-dependent regulation of gene expression during various developmental processes, namely embryogenesis, leaf formation, vascularization, and shoot and root meristem formation. However, many questions remain about the auxin dose-dependent regulation of gene transcription by MP/ARF5 and its isoforms in plant cells, the composition of the MP/ARF5 protein complex, and, finally, all the genes under its direct control. In addition, information on post-translational modifications of MP/ARF5 protein is marginal, and knowledge about their consequences on MP/ARF5 function is limited. Moreover, the epigenetic factors and other regulators that act upstream of MP/ARF5 are poorly understood. Their identification will be a challenge in the coming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants experience a variety of adverse environments during their vegetative growth and reproductive development, and to ensure that they complete their life cycle successfully, they have evolved specific defense mechanisms to cope with unfavorable environments. Flowering is a vital developmental stage and an important determinant of productivity in the lifetime of plants, which can be vulnerable to multiple abiotic stresses. Exposure to stress during this period can have dramatic effects on flower physiological and morphological development, which may ultimately lead to a substantial loss of yield in seed-producing plants. However, there has been increasing research evidence that diverse abiotic stresses, ranging from drought, low temperature, and heat stress can promote or delay plant flowering. This review focuses on how plants alter developmental direction to balance between survival and productivity under drought and extreme temperature conditions. Starting from the perspective of the functional analysis of key flowering-regulated genes, it is of great help for researchers to quickly gain a deeper understanding of the regulatory effects of abiotic stress on the flowering process, to elucidate the molecular mechanisms, and to improve the regulatory network of abiotic-stress-induced flowering. Additionally, the important agronomic significance of the interaction between abiotic stress and the flowering regulation of perennial plants under climate change conditions is also discussed after summarizing studies on the mechanisms of stress-induced flowering in annual plants. This review aims to clarify the effects of abiotic stresses (mainly drought and temperature) on plant flowering, which are significant for future productivity increase under unfavorable environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are mapy varieties of vegetables in Crucifefae. which have a wide distribution and occupy an important position in the global vegetable industty. The bolting period is à Crucial Stage in the growth cycle of cruciferous plants. which directly affects the yield and quality of vegetable crops. This paper summarized the research progress on the physiological and biochemical characteristics. molecular genetic mechanisms and molecular markers of the flowering and bolting traits in cruciferous vegetables. in order to provide new ideas for revealing the regulatory mechanisms of flowering and bolting in cruciferous vegetables and to provide reference for the breeding of new varieties of cruciferous vegetables that are resistant to flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigeon pea is an important protein-rich pulse crop. Identification of flowering master regulators in pigeon pea is highly imperative as indeterminacy and late flowering are impediments towards yield improvement. A genome-wide analysis was performed to explore flowering orthologous groups in pigeon pea. Among the 412 floral orthologs identified in pigeon pea, 148 genes belong to the meristem identity, photoperiod-responsive, and circadian clock–associated ortholog groups. Our comparative genomics study revealed purifying selection pressures (ka/ks) on floral orthologs, and duplication patterns and evolution through synteny with other model species. Phylogenetic analysis of floral genes substantiated a connection between pigeon pea plant architecture and flowering time as all the PEBP domain–containing genes belong to meristem identity floral networks of pigeon pea. Expression profiling of eleven major orthologs in contrasting determinate and indeterminate genotypes indicated that these orthologs might be involved in flowering regulation. Expression of floral inducer, FT, and floral repressor, TFL1, was non-comparable in indeterminate genotypes across all the developmental stages of pigeon pea. However, dynamic FT/TFL1 expression ratio detected in all tissues of both the genotypes suggested their role in floral transition. One TFL1 ortholog having high sequence conserveness across pigeon pea genotypes showed differential expression indicating genotype-dependent regulation of this ortholog. Presence of conserved 6mA-methylation patterns in light-responsive elements and in other cis-regulatory elements of FT and TFL1 across different plant genotypes indicated possible involvement of epigenetic regulation in flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garlic, originating in the mountains of Central Asia, has undergone domestication and subsequent widespread introduction to diverse regions. Human selection for adaptation to various climates has resulted in the development of numerous garlic varieties, each characterized by specific morphological and physiological traits. However, this process has led to a loss of fertility and seed production in garlic crops. In this study, we conducted morpho-physiological and transcriptome analyses, along with whole-genome resequencing of 41 garlic accessions from different regions, in order to assess the variations in reproductive traits among garlic populations. Our findings indicate that the evolution of garlic crops was associated with mutations in genes related to vernalization and the circadian clock. The decline in sexual reproduction is not solely attributed to a few mutations in specific genes, but is correlated with extensive alterations in the genetic regulation of the annual cycle, stress adaptations, and environmental requirements. The regulation of flowering ability, stress response, and metabolism occurs at both the genetic and transcriptional levels. We conclude that the migration and evolution of garlic crops involve substantial and diverse changes across the entire genome landscape. The construction of a garlic pan-genome, encompassing genetic diversity from various garlic populations, will provide further insights for research into and the improvement of garlic crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation on soybean (Glycine max L.) commenced at the experimental field of the Institute of Genetics and Plant Experimental Biology, Academy of Sciences, Republic of Uzbekistan. The purposive study aimed to determine the effects of Fusarium solani phytopathogenic micromycetes on the physiological and biochemical composition of five soybean cultivars, viz., Sochilmas, Genetic-1, Nafis, Tomaris, and Baraka. The results revealed in the budding and flowering stages, the soybean cultivar leaves infected with F. solani showed decreased amounts of chlorophyll a and b compared with the healthy plants (control). In the control comparison against the soybean variants with phytopathogenic micromycetes, some soybean cultivars showed enhanced contents of carotenoids in the leaves, and others revealed a decline in carotenoids to varying degrees. The peroxidase enzyme activity was higher in soybean cultivars Tomaris and Nafis artificially infected with F. solani than the other cultivars. It was evident that the peroxidase enzyme activity under the influence of F. solani in the leaves of studied soybean cultivars increased by 20.76%, 43.6%, and 35.4%, respectively, in Baraka, Tomaris and Nafis cultivars. Results further indicated that under the influence and stressful conditions of F. solani, the activity of the polyphenol oxidase enzyme enhanced by 84.1% and 117.1%, respectively, in soybean cultivars Tomaris and Nafis. The phenylalanine-ammonia-lyase enzyme activity was also higher in the said cultivars with F. solani infection compared with the control. The earlier situation confirmed that the soybean plant leaves' physiological and biochemical parameters are closely associated with the phytopathogenic micromycetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C4 grasses coevolved with fires, employing specialized adaptive traits to recover from recurrent fires of varying regimes, thereby maintaining plant diversity and plant population stability. However, the knowledge of how C4 bunchgrasses recover from varying fire return intervals (FRIs) is limited. Biomass, tillering, flowering, and growth-related traits of Digitaria eriantha, Themeda triandra, Sporobolus fimbriatus, and Cymbopogon plurinodis were assessed in 0- (unburned), 1-, 2-, and 4-year FRIs, each applied in two 0.5 ± 0.01 ha plots from 1980–2022 at the University of Fort Hare research farm, South Africa. FRIs and grass species interacted significantly on biomass production, crown size, tiller production, and reproductive tillers, with responses varying interspecifically depending on the FRI. Cymbopogon plurinodis attained higher total biomass in 1-year FRI, whereas T. triandra produced relatively low biomass in all FRIs compared to 0-year FRI. Nonetheless, T. triandra attained nearly two to three-fold more tillers per plant and three to five-fold more reproductive tillers in 2- and 4-year FRIs compared to other FRIs. Similarly, S. fimbriatus had two-fold more reproductive tillers in 2-year FRIs compared to 0- and 1-year FRIs. We deduce that C4 bunchgrasses respond differentially under recurrent fires depending on the fire return interval, with 2- and 4-year FRIs promoting vegetative and sexual regeneration by enhancing tillering and flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Plants respond in a plastic manner to seasonal changes, often resulting in adaptation to environmental variation. Although much is known about how seasonality regulates developmental transitions within generations, transgenerational effects of non-stressful environmental changes are only beginning to be unveiled. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ambient temperature changes on the expression of transgenerational plasticity in key developmental traits of Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Methods We grew Columbia-0 plants in two contrasting temperature environments (18 and 24 °C) during their whole life cycles, or the combination of those temperatures before and after bolting (18–24 and 24–18 °C) across two generations. We recorded seed germination, flowering time and reproductive biomass production for the second generation, and seed size of the third generation. Key Results The environment during the whole life cycle of the first generation of plants, even that experienced before flowering, influenced the germination response and flowering time of the second generation. These effects showed opposing directions in a pattern dependent on the life stage experiencing the cue in the first generation. In contrast, the production of reproductive biomass depended on the immediate environment of the progeny generation. Finally, the seed area of the third generation was influenced positively by correlated environments across generations. Conclusions Our results suggest that non-stressful environmental changes affect the expression of key developmental traits across generations, although those changes can have contrasting effects depending on the parental and grandparental life stage that perceives the cue. Thus, transgenerational effects in response to non-stressful cues might influence the expression of life-history traits and potential adaptation of future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-heading Chinese cabbage (cabbage) is an essential green leafy vegetable, and bolting and flowering are necessary for reproduction. However, further research is needed to study the effect of photoperiod on the bolting and flowering of cabbage, particularly on the development of the stem. In this study, we performed phenotypic analysis and measured endogenous gibberellin levels in the cabbage. We carried out these experiments under four different photoperiodic treatments, 12 h (light)/12 h (dark), 14 h (light)/10 h (dark), 16 h (light)/8 h (dark), and 18 h (light)/6 h (dark). The results showed that the time of bolting and flowering gradually decreased with increasing light duration. The development of stems was optimal under the 16 h (light)/8 h (dark) photoperiod treatment, and the same result was obtained via cytological observation. In addition, the changes in the endogenous gibberellin3 (GA3) content under different photoperiodic treatments were consistent with the development of stems and peaked at 16 h (light)/8 h (dark). At the same time, qRT-PCR analysis showed that the relative expression of the key gibberellin synthase genes, BcGA3ox2 and BcGA20ox2, exhibited upregulation. When treated with exogenous GA3 and its synthesis inhibitor, paclobutrazol (PAC), exogenous gibberellins significantly promoted bolting; conversely, gibberellin inhibitors suppressed the bolting, flowering, and stem elongation of cabbage. Therefore, the photoperiod may regulate cabbage bolting by regulating endogenous GA3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arabidopsis flowering is dependent on interactions between a component of the florigens FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor FD. These proteins form a complex that activates the genes required for flowering competence and integrates environmental cues, such as photoperiod and temperature. However, it remains largely unknown how FT and FD are regulated at the protein level. To address this, we created FT transgenic plants that express the N‐terminal FLAG‐tagged FT fusion protein under the control of its own promoter in ft mutant backgrounds. FT transgenic plants complemented the delayed flowering of the ft mutant and exhibited similar FT expression patterns to wild‐type Col‐0 plants in response to changes in photoperiod and temperature. Similarly, we generated FD transgenic plants in fd mutant backgrounds that express the N‐terminal MYC‐tagged FD fusion protein under the FD promoter, rescuing the late flowering phenotypes in the fd mutant. Using these transgenic plants, we investigated how temperature regulates the expression of FT and FD proteins. Temperature‐dependent changes in FT and FD protein levels are primarily regulated at the transcript level, but protein‐level temperature effects have also been observed to some extent. In addition, our examination of the expression patterns of FT and FD in different tissues revealed that similar to the spatial expression pattern of FT, FD mRNA was expressed in both the leaf and shoot apex, but FD protein was only detected in the apex, suggesting a regulatory mechanism that restricts FD protein expression in the leaf during the vegetative growth phase. These transgenic plants provided a valuable platform for investigating the role of the FT–FD module in flowering time regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out at the College of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Station, University of Basra, on Lalla Abbas plants. The seeds were sown in an anvil with a diameter of 10 cm in soil consisting of peat moss and loam soil at a ratio of 2:1 in a canopy covered with saran wrap. The anvils were covered with a layer of nylon until the germination process was completed. After a month of planting, the plants were taken care of by watering and fertilizing with NPK at the rate of 1 g per anvil per month. After the growth of the plants and their height of 10 cm, the plants were treated by spraying with iron (0, 0.5, 1.5) g l-1, as well as NPK fertilizer high in phosphorous (0, 1.5, 3 g l-1) and the addition process was repeated one month after the first treatment. The results of the study showed the effect of iron and high-phosphorous compound fertilizer on the vegetative characteristics of the plant of Lalla Abbas, as the treatment with iron 1.5 g l-1 was far and away the best of the treatments and resulted in the greatest growth in plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, bulb weight, and number of inflorescences as it reached (55.49 cm, 2.09 mm, 125 leaves, 113.21 g, and 22.67 flowers), respectively, while control treatment gave a lowest rates for the same traits. The compound fertilizer of the 3 gl-1 treatment also affected among all other treatments, and statistically significant above-average was recorded for plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, bulb weight and number of inflorescences, which reached 53.47 cm, 2.16 mm, 127.33 leaves, 116.56 g and 23.33 inflorescences. Sequentially, the comparison treatment recorded the lowest rates for the same studied traits. As for the interaction between iron and compound fertilizer, the interaction between iron 1.5 g l-1 and compound fertilizer 3 g l-1 recorded the highest rates for all studied traits. The results of protein pattern in leaves also showed that the treatments affected the gene expression process of Lalla Abbas plants and caused the emergence of a new protein package, indicating that the study treatments stimulated the cells to manufacture new proteins that support indicators of growth and development in the treated plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]