Open AccessMutagenesis of kiwifruit CENTRORADIALIS ‐like genes transforms a climbing woody perennial with long juvenility and axillary flowering into a compact plant with rapid terminal flowering
Author(s) -
VarkonyiGasic Erika,
Wang Tianchi,
Voogd Charlotte,
Jeon Subin,
Drummond Revel S. M.,
Gleave Andrew P.,
Allan Andrew C.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plant biotechnology journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.525
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1467-7652
pISSN - 1467-7644
DOI - 10.1111/pbi.13021
Subject(s) - biology , perennial plant , actinidia , vine , inflorescence , crop , axillary bud , gene , mads box , botany , domestication , genetics , arabidopsis , agronomy , mutant , explant culture , in vitro
Summary Annualization of woody perennials has the potential to revolutionize the breeding and production of fruit crops and rapidly improve horticultural species. Kiwifruit ( Actinidia chinensis ) is a recently domesticated fruit crop with a short history of breeding and tremendous potential for improvement. Previously, multiple kiwifruit CENTRORADIALIS ( CEN )‐like genes have been identified as potential repressors of flowering. In this study, CRISPR /Cas9‐ mediated manipulation enabled functional analysis of kiwifruit CEN ‐like genes Ac CEN 4 and Ac CEN . Mutation of these genes transformed a climbing woody perennial, which develops axillary inflorescences after many years of juvenility, into a compact plant with rapid terminal flower and fruit development. The number of affected genes and alleles and severity of detected mutations correlated with the precocity and change in plant stature, suggesting that a bi‐allelic mutation of either Ac CEN 4 or Ac CEN may be sufficient for early flowering, whereas mutations affecting both genes further contributed to precocity and enhanced the compact growth habit. CRISPR /Cas9‐mediated mutagenesis of Ac CEN 4 and Ac CEN may be a valuable means to engineer Actinidia amenable for accelerated breeding, indoor farming and cultivation as an annual crop.