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Association of FLOWERING LOCUS T/ TERMINAL FLOWER 1‐ like gene FTL 2 expression with growth rhythm in Scots pine ( P inus sylvestris )
Author(s) -
Avia Komlan,
Kärkkäinen Katri,
Lagercrantz Ulf,
Savolainen Outi
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.12901
Subject(s) - scots pine , biology , phenology , photoperiodism , bud , botany , trait , locus (genetics) , cline (biology) , growing season , population , horticulture , picea abies , gene , genetics , pinus <genus> , demography , sociology , computer science , programming language
Summary Understanding the genetic basis of the timing of bud set, an important trait in conifers, is relevant for adaptation and forestry practice. In common garden experiments, both Scots pine ( P inus sylvestris ) and Norway spruce ( P icea abies ) show a latitudinal cline in the trait. We compared the regulation of their bud set biology by examining the expression of Ps FTL 2 , a P inus sylvestris homolog to Pa FTL 2 , a FLOWERING LOCUS T/ TERMINAL FLOWER 1 ( FT / TFL 1 )‐like gene, the expression levels of which have been found previously to be associated with the timing of bud set in Norway spruce. In a common garden study, we analyzed the relationship of bud phenology under natural and artificial photoperiods and the expression of Ps FTL 2 in a set of Scots pine populations from different latitudes. The expression of Ps FTL 2 increased in the needles preceding bud set and decreased during bud burst. In the northernmost population, even short night periods were efficient to trigger this expression, which also increased earlier under all photoperiodic regimes compared with the southern populations. Despite the different biology, with few limitations, the two conifers that diverged 140 million yr ago probably share an association of FTL 2 with bud set, pointing to a common mechanism for the timing of growth cessation in conifers.