Abstract
Most perennial and winter annual temperate grasses have a vernalization requirement (VR) for flowering, that is, they require a cold period before they can flower in response to long days. From a F1 mapping population of the outbreeding perennial forage grass Festuca pratensis Huds. (meadow fescue) previously used to map several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for VR, we produced two F2 populations divergently selected for high or low VR. The two populations were characterised for flowering behaviour and gene expression of VRN1 as well as other MADS-box genes with a putative function in the induction of flowering. Expression of FpVRN1 and the VRN1-like genes FpMADS2 and FpMADS3 was associated with flowering but the response of gene expression to vernalization differed between genes and populations. The expression of the SVP-like genes FpMADS10 and FpMADS16 was not affected by vernalization and did not differ between the two F2 populations.
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Abbreviations
- DTH:
-
days to heading
- FUL:
-
FRUITFULL
- GAPDH:
-
GLYCERALDEHYDE 3-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE
- PCR:
-
polymerase chain reaction
- PHS:
-
proportion of heading shoots
- QTL:
-
quantitative trait loci
- RT:
-
reverse transcription
- SNP:
-
single nucleotide polymorphism
- SVP:
-
SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE
- VR:
-
vernalization requirement
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Acknowledgements: The study was financed by the Research Council of Norway (grant No. 140986/110). Øyvind Jørgensen maintained the plant material and provided skilful assistance with the greenhouse experiments.
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Ergon, Å., Hamland, H. & Rognli, O.A. Differential expression of VRN1 and other MADS-box genes in Festuca pratensis selections with different vernalization requirements. Biol Plant 57, 245–254 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-012-0283-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-012-0283-z