Transcriptome analysis reveals dual action of salicylic acid application in the induction of flowering in Malus domestica

Abstract

In the apple tree, insufficient flower bud production is an intractable challenge, and very little information is available in this field due to the fact that research done in this sector is very rare owing to its extended life cycles and low rate of genetic transformation. Here we display novel changes and events in spur buds of Malus × domestica trees after they were exposed to salicylic acid (SA) treatment during the flower induction period. We found a significant increase in morphological indexes, followed by a wider and well-defined shoot apical meristem in SA-treated spur buds. Additionally, we observed increased oxidative stress markers and enzymatic antioxidants in control-treated buds during the flower induction period, while non-enzymatic antioxidants were recorded higher in SA-treated buds. Maximum flowering was observed in SA-treated trees in the next year. Furthermore, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (u-HPLC) analysis displays that SA treatment enhances SA and indole acetic acid (IAA), while having an antagonistic effect on gibberellin (GA). At different time points, transcriptome analysis was conducted to analyze the transcriptional response of CK and SA treated buds. Pathway enrichment was detected in differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Agamous (AGL) and SQUAMOSA-promoter binding protein-like (SPL) family related flowering genes display a positive signal for the increased flowering in SA-treated trees, which confirms our findings. As far as we know, there is no report available on the response of spur buds to SA treatment during the flower induction period. This data provides a new theoretical reference for the management of apple tree flowering and also provides an essential basis for future analysis of the regulation and control of flowering in M. domestica.