Melon short internode (CmSi) encodes an ERECTA-like receptor kinase regulating stem elongation through auxin signaling

SummaryPlant height is one of the most important agronomic traits that directly determines plant architecture, and compact or dwarf plants can allow for increased planting density and land utilization as well as increased lodging resistance and economic yield. At least four dwarf/semidwarf genes have been identified in different melon varieties, but none of them have been cloned, and little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying internode elongation in melon. Here, we report map-based cloning and functional characterization of the first semidwarf gene short internode (Cmsi) in melon, which encodes an ERECTA-like receptor kinase regulating internode elongation. Spatial-temporal expression analyses revealed that CmSI exhibited high expression in the vascular bundle of the main stem during internode elongation. The expression level of CmSI was positively correlated with stem length in the different melon varieties examined. Ectopic expression of CmSI in Arabidopsis and cucumber suggested CmSI as a positive regulator of internode elongation in both species. Phytohormone quantitation and transcriptome analysis showed that the auxin content and the expression levels of a number of genes involved in the auxin signaling pathway were altered in the semidwarf mutant, including several well-known auxin transporters, such as members of the ABCB family and PIN-FORMED genes. A melon polar auxin transport protein CmPIN2 was identified by protein–protein interaction assay as physically interacting with CmSI to modulate auxin signaling. Thus, CmSI functions in an auxin-dependent regulatory pathway to control internode elongation in melon. Our findings revealed that the ERECTA family gene CmSI regulates stem elongation in melon through auxin signaling, which can directly affect polar auxin transport.

Molecular Mapping and Candidate Gene Analysis for GA3 Responsive Short Internode in Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

Plants with shorter internodes are suitable for high-density planting, lodging resistance and the preservation of land resources by improving yield per unit area. In this study, we identified a locus controlling the short internode trait in watermelon using Zhengzhouzigua (long internode) and Duan125 (short internode) as mapping parents. Genetic analysis indicated that F1 plants were consistent with long internode plants, which indicates that the long internode was dominant over the short internode. The observed F2 and BC1 individuals fitted the expected phenotypic segregation ratios of 3:1 and 1:1, respectively. The locus was mapped on chromosome 9 using a bulked segregant analysis approach. The region was narrowed down to 8.525 kb having only one putative gene, Cla015407, flanking by CAPS90 and CAPS91 markers, which encodes gibberellin 3β-hydroxylase (GA 3β-hydroxylase). The sequence alignment of the candidate gene between both parents revealed a 13 bp deletion in the short internode parent, which resulted in a truncated protein. Before GA3 application, significantly lower GA3 content and shorter cell length were obtained in the short internode plants. However, the highest GA3 content and significant increase in cell length were observed in the short internode plants after exogenous GA3 application. In the short internode plants, the expression level of the Cla015407 was threefold lower than the long internode plants in the stem tissue. In general, our results suggested that Cla015407 might be the candidate gene responsible for the short internode phenotype in watermelon and the phenotype is responsive to exogenous GA3 application.

Bulked-segregant Analysis Identified a Putative Region Related to Short Internode Length in Melon

Short internode length (SIL) is one of the most commercially and important traits in melon varieties (Cucumis melo L.). SIL can result in a compact vining type that promotes concentrated fruit in high-density crops, leading to greater use of light resources for photosynthesis and greater yield per unit area. In our study, two parental melon lines ‘M1-32’ (P1, standard vine) and ‘X090’ (P2, short internodes), and their F1, F2, BC1P1, and BC1P2 progenies were evaluated after being grown in plastic greenhouse conditions in 2017 and 2018. Main stem length (MSL) and internode length (IL) of six melon generations indicated that a single recessive gene (MD7) controlled dwarfism in the ‘X090’ melon line. Whole-genome analysis revealed a genomic region harboring the candidate dwarfism gene on chromosome 7. Six polymorphic cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers from chromosome 7 were used to construct a genetic linkage that spanned 30.28 cM. The melon dwarfing locus MD7 responsible for SIL was positioned between markers M7-4 and M7-5, with 3.16 cM of flanking distance. The CAPS markers M7-4 and M7-5 developed have the potential to accelerate the development of dwarf melon varieties, especially in situations when dwarf genotypes are an important breeding goal using marker-assisted selection.