Expression Profiling of FLOWERING LOCUS T-Like Gene in Alternate Bearing ‘Hass' Avocado Trees Suggests a Role for PaFT in Avocado Flower Induction

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110613
• Publication Date: 2014-10-20T21:54:38Z
• Authors: Dafna Ziv; Tali Zviran; Oshrat Zezak; Alon Samach; Vered Irihimovitch
• Keywords: Persea

In many perennials, heavy fruit load on a shoot decreases the ability of plant to undergo floral induction in following spring, resulting pattern crop production known as alternate bearing. Here, we studied effects determination 'Hass' avocado (Persea americana). De-fruiting experiments initially confirmed negative return flowering. Next, isolated FLOWERING LOCUS T-like gene, PaFT, hypothesized act phloem-mobile florigen signal and examined its expression profile tissues (fully loaded) off (fruit-lacking) trees. Expression analyses revealed strong peak PaFT transcript levels leaves trees from end October through November, followed by starting levels. Moreover concomitant with inflorescence development, only buds displayed up-regulation identity transcripts PaAP1 PaLFY, significant variation being detected respectively. Furthermore, parallel microscopic study apical presence secondary axis structures that appeared towards November. Finally, ectopic Arabidopsis resulted early flowering transition. Together, our data suggests link between increased observed during late autumn flower induction. results also imply that, case other trees, fruit-load might affect repressing leaves. Possible mechanism(s) which repress expression, are discussed.