Approaches to genetically engineering flowering control in trees.

Abstract Background: A previous screening of Arabidopsis thaliana for mutants exhibiting dysfunctional chloroplast protein transport identified the chloroplast import apparatus ( cia ) gene. The cia2 mutant has a pale green phenotype and reduced rate of protein import into chloroplasts, but leaf shape and size are similar to wild-type plants of the same developmental stage. Microarray analysis showed that nuclear CIA2 protein enhances expression of the Toc75 , Toc33 , CPN10 and cpRPs genes, thereby up-regulating protein import and synthesis efficiency in chloroplasts. CIA2-like (CIL) shares 65% sequence identity to CIA2, suggesting that CIL and CIA2 are homologous proteins in Arabidopsis. Here, we further assess the protein interactions and sequence features of CIA2 and CIL. Results: Subcellular localizations of truncated CIA2 protein fragments in our onion transient assay demonstrate that CIA2 contains two nuclear localization signals (NLS) located at amino acids (aa) 62-65 and 291-308, whereas CIL has only one NLS at aa 47-50. We screened a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) Arabidopsis cDNA library to search for putative CIA2-interacting proteins and identified 12 nuclear proteins, including itself, CIL, and flowering-control proteins (such as CO, NF-YB1, NF-YC1, NF-YC9 and ABI3). Additional Y2H experiments demonstrate that CIA2 and CIL mainly interact with flowering-control proteins via their N-termini, but preferentially form homo- or hetero-dimers through their C-termini. Moreover, sequence alignment showed that the N-terminal sequences of CIA2, CIL and NF-YA are highly conserved. Therefore, NF-YA in the NF-Y complex could be substituted by CIA2 or CIL. Conclusions: We show that Arabidopsis CIA2 and CIL can interact with CO and NF-Y complex, so not only may they contribute to regulate chloroplast function but also to modulate flower development.

Download Full-text

Studies on flowering control of dahlia. III.

Engei Gakkai zasshi ◽

10.2503/jjshs.35.73 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 73-79

Author(s):

K. KONISHI ◽

K. INABA

Keyword(s):

Flowering Control

Download Full-text

201 Growth and Flowering of Zephyra elegans D. Don Grown in Greenhouse or Growth Chamber

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.34.3.476f ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 476F-476

Author(s):

Hyeon-Hye Kim ◽

Kiyoshi Ohkawa

Keyword(s):

Ambient Temperature ◽

Growing Season ◽

New Product ◽

High Ambient Temperature ◽

Fresh Weight ◽

Night Temperature ◽

Growth Cycles ◽

Temperature Regimes ◽

Flowering Control ◽

Shoot Emergence

As a new product in the floricultural market, Zephyra elegans D. Don, shows great potential. It is a new product, so there is little known about its physiology. In this study, the growth cycles and the effects of day/night temperatures on flowering control of this new product were investigated. Stems elongated gradually during the growing season but more slowly after flowering. Original corm fresh weight decreased with increasing daughter corm fresh weight. Druing the growing season, the original corm dies after producing usually one daughter corm. The high ambient temperature of summer adversely effected shoot emergence. The optimum day/night temperature regimes for shoot emergence was 15/10 °C and for growth and flowering it was 20/15 °C. Under these conditions, it is possible to produce Zephyra elegans D. Don year-round.

Download Full-text

Studies on flowering control of dahlia. V.

Engei Gakkai zasshi ◽

10.2503/jjshs.35.317 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 317-324

Author(s):

K. KONISHI ◽

K. INABA

Keyword(s):

Flowering Control

Download Full-text

Impact of Flower Removal and Light and Temperature Stresses on Acidification of Nutrient Solution by Geranium

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.41.4.970c ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 970C-970

Author(s):

Matthew D. Taylor ◽

Paul V. Nelson ◽

Jonathan M. Frantz

Keyword(s):

High Light ◽

Temperature Stresses ◽

Ph Values ◽

Light Levels ◽

Acceptable Range ◽

Light Effects ◽

Flowering Control ◽

Temperature Levels ◽

Substrate Ph ◽

Low Temperature Treatments

The cause of sudden substrate pH decline by geranium (Pelargonium ×hortorum Bailey) is unknown. Published reports indicate that this response can be influenced in other plants by temperature and light extremes. The first of five experiments compared plants with all flowers removed to plants that were allowed to flower. Experiment 2 compared plants grown at four light levels (105, 210, 450 and 1020 μmol·m–2·s–1). Experiment 3 compared plants grown at four temperatures (14/10, 18/14, 22/18 and 26/22 °C day/night). Experiment 4 was a repeat of Experiment 1 and Experiment 5 was a factorial combining the three highest light levels and the three highest temperature levels. Plants allowed to form flowers had a final substrate pH of 5.7 compared to 6.3 for plants where flowers were removed. With increasing increments of temperature, substrate pH declined from 6.8 to 4.6 and with increasing light intensity from 6.1 to 4.8. There was no effect of flower removal in Experiment 4. Light and temperature had no consistent effects in Experiment 5 throughout 46 days after planting, with most pH values remaining in the acceptable range of 5.6–6.1. By 60 days, temperature treatments began to segregate, with pH being highest in the low-temperature treatments and lowest, down to 5.5, in the highest-temperature treatments. High temperature stimulated geranium acidification in both experiments, with the effect more severe in the first experiment. The flowering and high light effects were not duplicated in the second trial. This indicates that an additional factor is involved in expression of the light, temperature, and flowering control of acidification.

Download Full-text

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Requirements for Optimizing Growth and Flowering of the Nobile Dendrobium as a Potted Orchid

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.43.2.328 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 43 (2) ◽

pp. 328-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Rebecca G. Bichsel ◽

Terri W. Starman ◽

Yin-Tung Wang

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Development ◽

Flower Number ◽

N Application ◽

Node Number ◽

Number Of Leaves ◽

Flowering Control ◽

Phosphorus And Potassium ◽

Fourth Experiment ◽

Termination Time ◽

Nitrogen Phosphorus

Experiments were conducted to determine how nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) rate and fertilizer termination time affect the growth and flowering of a Dendrobium nobile Lindl. hybrid, Dendrobium cv Red Emperor ‘Prince’. Nitrogen, P, and K were tested in separate experiments as a factorial combination of five rates and three termination dates (1 Sept., 1 Oct., and 1 Nov. 2005). Nitrogen and K rates were 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg·L−1. Phosphorus rates were 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg·L−1. Levels of the nutrients not being tested were held constant. For all nutrients, ending fertilization on 1 Sept. resulted in greater or similar pseudobulb thickness compared with ending fertilization on 1 Oct. or 1 Nov. Pseudobulbs grew taller as the N rate increased, peaking at 100 and 200 mg·L−1. There were interactions between the N rate and fertilizer termination time on all reproductive characteristics. For all fertilizer termination times, flower number increased once N was applied. When ended on 1 Nov., 200 and 400 mg·L−1 N caused a delay to reach anthesis. All P rates resulted in taller plants with equally more nodes when compared with 0 mg·L−1. As the K rate increased from 0 to 100 mg·L−1, plant height increased, with no further increase at higher rates. The number of leaves remaining increased as N and K rates increased up to 200 mg·L−1. Total flower number and flowering node number increased as the K rate increased to 100 mg·L−1 (terminated on 1 Sept.) or 50 mg·L−1 (terminated on 1 Oct. or 1 Nov.). In the fourth experiment, only N was ended at four termination times, whereas all other nutrients continued to be supplied until flowering. Control plants received all fertilizer elements until flowering. The duration of N application did not affect vegetative or flowering characteristics. No aerial shoots were observed as a result of prolonged application of N at all rates. In summary, 100 mg·L−1 N, 25 mg·L−1 P, and 100 mg·L−1 K are recommended for optimal vegetative growth and reproductive development of Dendrobium cv Red Emperor ‘Prince’.

Download Full-text