Auxin and cytokinin coordinate the dormancy and outgrowth of axillary bud in strawberry runner

Background Axillary buds allow the production of either vegetative or reproductive shoots, which display a plastic developmental potential of the plant to suit the prevailing environmental changes. Strawberry represents one of many plant species which displays horizontal above-ground growth of shoot development for asexual reproduction. Two distinct runner growth patterns exist in different strawberry species: one is called sympodial type such as Fragaria vesca, and the other one is called monopodial type such as Fragaria pentaphylla. Despite the runner growth morphology of these strawberry species have been well known, the mechanisms that determine the distinct patterns have rarely been reported. Results In this study, we used Fragaria vesca Hawaii-4 and Fragaria pentaphylla as model species, and captured the initiated dormant bud and non-dormant bud as materials to compare their transcriptome profiles and phytohormone content. Comparisons revealed that relatively higher auxin activity is present in the dormant bud and relatively higher cytokinin activity is in the non-dormant bud. Decapitation and pharmacological experiments on dormant buds showed that the reduction of auxin accumulation triggers the regeneration of vegetative shoots in dormant buds, and exogenous cytokinin application triggers cell fate turnover and generation of reproductive shoots. Conclusion Here, we uncover a mechanism by which auxin and cytokinin coordinate the dormancy and outgrowth of axillary bud in strawberry runner. Our results suggest a contrasting behavior of auxin and cytokinin in control of axillary bud development, facilitating a preliminary understanding of shoot architecture formation in strawberry.

Weed Control in Strawberry Runner Plant Nurseries with Methyl Bromide Alternative Fumigants

Methyl bromide alternative fumigants were evaluated for weed control efficacy in low- and high-elevation strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa L.) runner plant nurseries. Preplant soil fumigation treatments of methyl bromide plus chloropicrin (MBPic), iodomethane plus chloropicrin (IMPic), 1,3-dichloropropene plus chloropicrin mixture followed by (fb) dazomet, chloropicrin fb dazomet, and a nonfumigated control were evaluated at three California strawberry runner plant nurseries through two production cycles. Fumigant efficacy was measured by weed seed viability bioassays, weed density counts, and time of handweeding. Generally, all alternative fumigant treatments controlled weeds at levels comparable to MBPic. All fumigant treatments, including MBPic, killed more than 95% of common knotweed, common purslane, common chickweed, and strawberry seed. Iodomethane, chloropicrin fb dazomet, and 1,3-dichloropropene plus chloropicrin mixture fb dazomet controlled carpetweed, common lambsquarters, hairy nightshade, palmer amaranth, and prostrate spurge. Handweeding inputs for all fumigants were similar to MBPic at three of four locations. The exception was at the low-elevation nursery in 2000 where handweeding times with MBPic were lower than for IMPic. Treatment and handweeding costs were calculated. The handweeding costs for all treatments were approximately the same. However, the higher iodomethane material cost resulted in a substantially higher treatment cost.