Bud Dormancy Release Research Articles

Mapping of Candidate Genes Involved in Bud Dormancy and Flowering Time in Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium).

The timing of flowering in perennial plants is crucial for their survival in temperate climates and is regulated by the duration of bud dormancy. Bud dormancy release and bud break depend on the perception of cumulative chilling during endodormancy and heat during the bud development. The objectives of this work were to identify candidate genes involved in dormancy and flowering processes in sweet cherry, their mapping in two mapping progenies ‘Regina’ × ‘Garnet’ and ‘Regina’ × ‘Lapins’, and to select those candidate genes which co-localized with quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with temperature requirements for bud dormancy release and flowering. Based on available data on flowering processes in various species, a list of 79 candidate genes was established. The peach and sweet cherry orthologs were identified and primers were designed to amplify sweet cherry candidate gene fragments. Based on the amplified sequences of the three parents of the mapping progenies, SNPs segregations in the progenies were identified. Thirty five candidate genes were genetically mapped in at least one of the two progenies and all were in silico mapped. Co-localization between candidate genes and QTLs associated with temperature requirements and flowering date were identified for the first time in sweet cherry. The allelic composition of the candidate genes located in the major QTL for heat requirements and flowering date located on linkage group 4 have a significant effect on these two traits indicating their potential use for breeding programs in sweet cherry to select new varieties adapted to putative future climatic conditions.

Cold Treatment Breaks Dormancy but Jeopardizes Flower Quality in Camellia japonica L.

Camellia japonica L. is an evergreen shrub whose cultivars are of great ornamental value. In autumn, after flower bud differentiation, dormancy is initiated. As in many other spring flowering woody ornamentals, winter low temperatures promote dormancy release of both flower and vegetative buds. However, warm spells during late autumn and winter can lead to unfulfilled chilling requirements leading to erratic and delayed flowering. We hypothesized that storing plants at no light and low temperature could favor dormancy breaking and lead to early and synchronized flowering in response to forcing conditions in C. japonica ‘Nuccio’s Pearl’. Plants with fully developed floral primordia were stored at dark, 7°C, and RH > 90% for up to 8 weeks. To monitor endodormancy release during the storage, we evaluated the content of abscisic acid (ABA) in flower buds and the expression profiles of five putative genes related to dormancy and cold acclimation metabolism in leaves and flower buds. In addition, the expression of four anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway genes was profiled in flower buds to assess the effect of the treatment on flower pigment biosynthesis. At 0, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of cold treatment, 10 plants were transferred to the greenhouse and forced to flower. Forced plant flower qualities and growth were observed. The ABA content and the expression profiles of two dormancy-related genes (CjARP and CjDEH) suggested that dormancy breaking occurred after 6–8 weeks of cold treatment. Overall, plants treated for 6–8 weeks showed earlier vegetative sprouting, enhanced, and homogeneous flowering with reduced forcing time. Prolonged cold treatments also reduced flower size and longevity, anthocyanin content, and pigment biosynthesis-related gene transcripts. In conclusion, the cold treatment had a promotive effect on dormancy breaking but caused severe drawbacks on flower quality.

Metabolic changes upon flower bud break in Japanese apricot are enhanced by exogenous GA4.

Gibberellin (GA4) has a significant effect on promoting dormancy release in flower buds of Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc). The transcriptomic and proteomic changes that occur after GA4 treatment have been reported previously; however, the metabolic changes brought about by GA4 remain unknown. The present study was undertaken to assess changes in metabolites in response to GA4 treatment, as determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and principal component analysis. Fifty-five metabolites that exhibited more than two-fold differences in abundance (P < 0.05) between samples collected over time after a given treatment or between samples exposed to different treatments were studied further. These metabolites were categorized into six main groups: amino acids and their isoforms (10), amino acid derivatives (7), sugars and polyols (14), organic acids (12), fatty acids (4), and others (8). All of these groups are involved in various metabolic pathways, in particular galactose metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, and starch and sucrose metabolism. These results suggested that energy metabolism is important at the metabolic level in dormancy release following GA4 treatment. We also found that more than 10-fold differences in abundance were observed for many metabolites, including sucrose, proline, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid, which might play important roles during the dormancy process. The current research extends our understanding of the mechanisms involved in budburst and dormancy release in response to GA4 and provides a theoretical basis for applying GA4 to release dormancy.

The possible role of chilling in floral and vegetative bud dormancy release in Pyrus pyrifolia

The role of chilling in bud dormancy release and biochemical changes in different organs were evaluated in stem cuttings of pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) cv. Cuiguan selected at the leaf fall. The cuttings were exposed to 5 °C for 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 chilling hours (named positive chill units; PCU). A 50 % bud break was observed in floral and vegetative bud cuttings at 300 and 600 PCU, respectively. A mean time to bud break was inversely proportional to the chilling treatment. The low-temperature stimulated starch hydrolysis accompanied with sucrose accumulation in all organs. Sucrose and sorbitol content increased substantially peaking at 100, 400, and 100 PCU in floral buds, vegetative buds, and bark, respectively, thereafter decreased when buds approached chilling satisfaction (300 and 600 PCU for the floral and vegetative buds, respectively), and then increased again up to 700 PCU. Hexoses (glucose and fructose) accumulated constantly in the buds from 0 to 700 PCU. In bark, glucose and fructose content increased up to 400 PCU, and then gradually decreased. Total amylolytic and α-amylase activities increased in all organs, especially in the floral and vegetative buds up to 100 PCU and then decreased in the floral and vegetative buds before increasing again after endo-dormancy release. Invertase activity remained high in the buds during chilling satisfaction possibly because of translocation of sucrose to the buds which functioned as a strong sink. The results suggest that a low availability of hexoses may be the cause of limited bud breaks due to lack of chilling. Chilling satisfaction of the buds may increase the content of soluble sugars and acid invertase activity, and decrease the starch content, which may correlate with improved bud breaks.

LEAF GROWTH IN 'ALGERIE' LOQUAT UNDER FULL AND SUMMER DEFICIT IRRIGATION

Loquat is a model crop for successful deficit irrigation (DI). Withholding irrigation during a period of 6-8 weeks in summer advances entrance and release of bud dormancy and consequently bloom and harvest dates. Strikingly, we have failed in different occasions in detecting significant effects of DI on the size of the leaf blade, the most sensitive character to DI according to many authors. In this work, we report the results of careful and frequent measurements (twice per week) of leaf growth, length and width in ‘Algerie’ trees under full irrigation versus summer DI. The results show that: (1) leaves took 3 weeks to reach their final size in both treatments, with about 90% of the length and 75% of the width reached within 2 weeks; (2) leaf growth in length and width followed the same trends in both irrigation treatments fitting a logistic curve; and (3) DI reduced by 13% the area of those leaves that were at the primordial stage when DI was imposed. In spite of the minor non-significant effects of summer DI on leaf growth and size, DI trees bloomed 18 days earlier than fully irrigated trees. The results are discussed in the context of shoot growth, bud dormancy, and blooming.

Genome-wide changes in histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation associated with bud dormancy release in peach

Bud dormancy is an evolutionary adaptation of perennial plants to the seasonal fluctuation of temperatures in temperate climates, affected by intrinsic and environmental signals. Recent investigations point to a relevant role of epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of bud dormancy. We have performed a chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) analysis of histone H3 lysine-27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), a chromatin mark associated with stable gene silencing, in dormant (D) and dormancy-released (ND) buds of peach (Prunus persica). H3K27me3 regions were more abundant in gene-rich euchromatic zones of chromosomes and associated with gene bodies. The dormancy regulators DORMANCY-ASSOCIATED MADS-box (DAM)1, DAM4, DAM5 and DAM6 were found significantly enriched in H3K27me3 in ND samples, in close agreement with their dormancy-specific expression. The DAM locus was modified at specific short regions, allowing the uneven regulation of distinct DAM genes. Additional regulatory factors related to meristem activity and flowering genes from Arabidopsis thaliana were differentially H3K27 trimethylated, which suggests that meristem reactivation and flower development could be also epigenetically regulated in reproductive buds of peach. A (GA)n motif and CACTA-type transposon-related sequences were found over-represented in H3K27me3 regions.

Bud Development and Bud Break Characteristics in Water Cuttings of ‘Campbell Early’ Grapevine during Dormancy

본 연구는 수삽을 이용한 'Campbell Early' 포도나무의 발아 특성 관찰을 통해 눈의 내재 휴면 타파를 위한 저온축적과의 관계를 구명하고, 저온에 노출되는 동안 눈의 발달 양상을 관찰하여 발아와 휴면에 대한 기초자료를 마련하고자 하였다. 만개 120일 후(낙엽기 : 10월 7일)부터 시료를 수집하여 수삽하였으며, 만개 후 125일부터 온도가 <TEX>$7.2^{\circ}C$</TEX>도 이하로 내려가 CU 축적이 시작되었다. 발아율은 만개 150일 이후부터 100% 발아하였으나 165일 이후 수집된 가지에 비해 최초 발아까지의 기간이 2배 이상 소요되어 발아속도가 현저히 떨어졌다. 즉, 만개 165일 이후에는 100% 발아할 뿐만 아니라 발아 소요일수가 짧아 내재 휴면이 완전히 타파된 것으로 판단되었다. 이 기간 동안 CH 모델과 Utah 모델에 의한 저온 적산 값 계산 시, 각각 321h와 442CU로 조사되었다. 또한 이 시기 이후부터 주아의 생존율이 급격히 감소하였고, 제 1 부아의 생존율은 시기적인 차이 없이 90% 수준으로 높게 유지되었다. 화아형성이 이루어진 눈을 대상으로 조사된 주아 대비 부아의 비율은 내재 휴면이 타파되기 이전인 만개 후 150일에는 1:0.23으로 주아의 비율이 월등히 높았으나, 내재 휴면이 타파된 이후 최종적으로 만개후 255일에 이르러서는 1:1.54로 주아에 비해 부아의 비율이 높게 나타났다. 액아의 생존율 및 화아형성율과의 각 조사항목 간 상관분석에서는 주아에서만 상관관계가 인정되어 주아의 생존율 자체는 시기와 가장 밀접한 관련을 나타내었고, 주아의 생존율과 화아형성률 사이에 높은 정의 상관관계가 나타났다. In this study, we investigated the cumulative effect of low temperature on bud dormancy release and bud break characteristics in 'Campbell Early' grapevine (Vitis labruscana B.) cuttings grown in water culture. Additionally, we observed the development of buds while exposed to low temperatures in an attempt to improve our understanding of dormancy and bud break. The shoots were collected 120 days after full bloom (DAFB; leaf abscission period), and the accumulated chill unit (CU) value was calculated by reducing the temperature to <TEX>$7.2^{\circ}C$</TEX> at 125 DAFB. The rate of bud break was 100% in shoots collected at 150 DAFB, The period until the first bud break was two times longer than in the shoots collected 165 DAFB, and bud break speed was significantly reduced. These results indicate that buds are released from endodormancy after 165 DAFB, because at this point the bud break was complete (bud break rate 100%) and it occurred in a very short time period. During this period, when the low-temperature accumulated value was 321h and 442CU according to the CH and Utah models, respectively. Furthermore, the survival rate of main buds decreased rapidly after 165 DAFB, and survival rate of accessory buds was maintained at more than 90% without seasonal differences. The rate of flower bud formation of main buds was much higher than in accessory buds (1:0.23) before the release from endodormancy at 150 DAFB. The final ratio of accessory buds to main buds was high, 1:1.54, at 255 DAFB. Correlation analysis of each investigated factor revealed that bud survival rate and bud formation rate were related only for the main buds, and there was a close relationship between the survival rate of main bud and time. In addition, the survival rate of main buds was positively correlated to the rate of flower bud formation.

Transcriptomic analysis of the underground renewal buds during dormancy transition and release in 'Hangbaishao' peony (Paeonia lactiflora).

Paeonia lactiflora is one of the most famous species of herbaceous peonies with gorgeous flowers. Bud dormancy is a crucial developmental process that allows P. lactiflora to survive unfavorable environmental conditions. However, little information is available on the molecular mechanism of the bud dormancy in P. lactiflora. We performed de novo transcriptome sequencing using the Illumina RNA sequencing platform for the underground renewal buds of P. lactiflora ‘Hangbaishao’ to study the molecular mechanism underlying its bud dormancy transition (the period from endodormancy to ecodormancy) and release (the period from ecodormancy to bud elongation and sprouting). Approximately 300 million high-quality clean reads were generated and assembled into 207,827 (mean length = 828 bp) and 51,481 (mean length = 1250 bp) unigenes using two assembly methods named “Trinity” and “Trinity+PRICE”, respectively. Based on the data obtained by the latter method, 32,316 unigenes were annotated by BLAST against various databases. Approximately 1,251 putative transcription factors were obtained, of which the largest number of unique transcripts belonged to the basic helix-loop-helix protein (bHLH) transcription factor family, and five of the top ten highly expressed transcripts were annotated as dehydrin (DHN). A total of 17,705 simple sequence repeat (SSR) motifs distributed in 13,797 sequences were obtained. The budbreak morphology, levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA), and activities of guaiacol peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) were observed. The expression of 20 interested unigenes, which annotated as DHN, heat shock protein (HSP), histone, late elongated hypocotyl (LHY), and phytochrome (PHY), and so on, were also analyzed. These studies were based on morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels and provide comprehensive insight into the mechanism of dormancy transition and release in P. lactiflora. Transcriptome dataset can be highly valuable for future investigation on gene expression networks in P. lactiflora as well as research on dormancy in other non-model perennial horticultural crops of commercial significance.

Introducing a sensor to measure budburst and its environmental drivers.

Budburst is a key adaptive trait that can help us understand how plants respond to a changing climate from the molecular to landscape scale. Despite this, acquisition of budburst data is constrained by a lack of information at the plant scale on the environmental stimuli associated with the release of bud dormancy. Additionally, to date, little effort has been devoted to phenotyping plants in natural populations due to the challenge of accounting for the effect of environmental variation. Nonetheless, natural selection operates on natural populations, and investigation of adaptive phenotypes in situ is warranted and can validate results from controlled laboratory experiments. To identify genomic effects on individual plant phenotypes in nature, environmental drivers must be concurrently measured, and characterized. Here, we designed and evaluated a sensor to meet these requirements for temperate woody plants. It was designed for use on a tree branch to measure the timing of budburst together with its key environmental drivers; temperature, and photoperiod. Specifically, we evaluated the sensor through independent corroboration with time-lapse photography and a suite of environmental sampling instruments. We also tested whether the presence of the device on a branch influenced the timing of budburst. Our results indicated the following: the temperatures measured by the budburst sensor’s digital thermometer closely approximated the temperatures measured using a thermocouple touching plant tissue; the photoperiod detector measured ambient light with the same accuracy as did time lapse photography; the budburst sensor accurately detected the timing of budburst; and the sensor itself did not influence the budburst timing of Populus clones. Among other potential applications, future use of the sensor may provide plant phenotyping at the landscape level for integration with landscape genomics.

Transcription profiling of the chilling requirement for bud break in apples: a putative role for FLC-like genes.

Apple production depends on the fulfilment of a chilling requirement for bud dormancy release. Insufficient winter chilling results in irregular and suboptimal bud break in the spring, with negative impacts on apple yield. Trees from apple cultivars with contrasting chilling requirements for bud break were used to investigate the expression of the entire set of apple genes in response to chilling accumulation in the field and controlled conditions. Total RNA was analysed on the AryANE v.1.0 oligonucleotide microarray chip representing 57,000 apple genes. The data were tested for functional enrichment, and differential expression was confirmed by real-time PCR. The largest number of differentially expressed genes was found in samples treated with cold temperatures. Cold exposure mostly repressed expression of transcripts related to photosynthesis, and long-term cold exposure repressed flavonoid biosynthesis genes. Among the differentially expressed selected candidates, we identified genes whose annotations were related to the circadian clock, hormonal signalling, regulation of growth, and flower development. Two genes, annotated as FLOWERING LOCUS C-like and MADS AFFECTING FLOWERING, showed strong differential expression in several comparisons. One of these two genes was upregulated in most comparisons involving dormancy release, and this gene's chromosomal position co-localized with the confidence interval of a major quantitative trait locus for the timing of bud break. These results indicate that photosynthesis and auxin transport are major regulatory nodes of apple dormancy and unveil strong candidates for the control of bud dormancy.

The oak gene expression atlas: insights into Fagaceae genome evolution and the discovery of genes regulated during bud dormancy release.

BackgroundMany northern-hemisphere forests are dominated by oaks. These species extend over diverse environmental conditions and are thus interesting models for studies of plant adaptation and speciation. The genomic toolbox is an important asset for exploring the functional variation associated with natural selection.ResultsThe assembly of previously available and newly developed long and short sequence reads for two sympatric oak species, Quercus robur and Quercus petraea, generated a comprehensive catalog of transcripts for oak. The functional annotation of 91 k contigs demonstrated the presence of a large proportion of plant genes in this unigene set. Comparisons with SwissProt accessions and five plant gene models revealed orthologous relationships, making it possible to decipher the evolution of the oak genome. In particular, it was possible to align 9.5 thousand oak coding sequences with the equivalent sequences on peach chromosomes. Finally, RNA-seq data shed new light on the gene networks underlying vegetative bud dormancy release, a key stage in development allowing plants to adapt their phenology to the environment.ConclusionIn addition to providing a vast array of expressed genes, this study generated essential information about oak genome evolution and the regulation of genes associated with vegetative bud phenology, an important adaptive traits in trees. This resource contributes to the annotation of the oak genome sequence and will provide support for forward genetics approaches aiming to link genotypes with adaptive phenotypes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1331-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Chilling requirements of contrasting black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) cultivars and the induction of secondary bud dormancy

Chilling requirements for bud dormancy release and subsequent flower development in contrasting black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) cultivars were assayed at temperatures ranging from +10 to −10°C using single node cuttings, entire detached shoots, and intact plants. While single node cuttings underestimated the chilling requirements of intact plants, severed shoots and intact plants produced similar results. Chilling at −5°C for 14 weeks or more were optimal for breaking of bud dormancy and promotion of flower development in most cultivars, flower development usually having greater chilling needs than bud break itself. Within certain limits, extension of the chilling period compensated for non-optimal chilling temperature. However, while exposure to −10°C for 8 weeks caused bud dormancy release, continued chilling for another 8 weeks inhibited bud break completely. We propose that excessive chilling induces secondary bud dormancy, a principle that is well established in seeds, but has to our knowledge, not been recognized for bud dormancy before. Marked genotypic differences were found and discussed. The observed severe chilling requirements of black currants concur with the reported vulnerability of this crop to declining winter chill in the wake of the ongoing global warming. Furthermore, elevated autumn temperature was found to induce a particularly deep dormancy state that further increases the chilling need.

Differential expression proteins associated with bud dormancy release during chilling treatment of tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa).

Endo-dormant flower buds of tree peony must have sufficient chilling duration to reinitiate growth, which is a major obstacle to the forcing culture of tree peony in winter. We used a combination of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time of flight/time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) to identify the differentially expressed proteins of tree peony after three different chilling treatments: endo-dormancy, endo-dormancy release and eco-dormancy stages. More than 200 highly reproducible protein spots were detected, and 31 differentially expressed spots (P<0.05) were selected for further analysis. Finally, 20 protein spots were confidently identified from databases, which were annotated and classified into seven functional categories: response to abiotic or biotic stimulus (four), metabolic processes (four), other binding (three), transcription or transcription regulation (two), biological processes (one), cell biogenesis (one) and unclassified (five). The results of qPCR of five genes were mainly consistent with that of the protein accumulation analysis as determined by 2-DE. This indicated that most of these genes were mainly regulated at transcriptional level. The activity of nitrate reductase and pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 was consistent with the 2-DE results. The proteomic profiles indicated activation of citrate cycle, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, energy production, calcium signalling and cell growth processes by chilling fulfilment to facilitate dormancy release in tree peony. Analysis of functions of identified proteins will increase our knowledge of endo-dormancy release in tree peony.

Epigenetic regulation of bud dormancy events in perennial plants.

Release of bud dormancy in perennial plants resembles vernalization in Arabidopsis thaliana and cereals. In both cases, a certain period of chilling is required for accomplishing the reproductive phase, and several transcription factors with the MADS-box domain perform a central regulatory role in these processes. The expression of DORMANCY-ASSOCIATED MADS-box (DAM)-related genes has been found to be up-regulated in dormant buds of numerous plant species, such as poplar, raspberry, leafy spurge, blackcurrant, Japanese apricot, and peach. Moreover, functional evidence suggests the involvement of DAM genes in the regulation of seasonal dormancy in peach. Recent findings highlight the presence of genome-wide epigenetic modifications related to dormancy events, and more specifically the epigenetic regulation of DAM-related genes in a similar way to FLOWERING LOCUS C, a key integrator of vernalization effectors on flowering initiation in Arabidopsis. We revise the most relevant molecular and genomic contributions in the field of bud dormancy, and discuss the increasing evidence for chromatin modification involvement in the epigenetic regulation of seasonal dormancy cycles in perennial plants.

Garlic extract as a novel strategy to hasten dormancy release in buds of ‘Anna’ apple trees

A 2-season orchard trial was carried out to verify the effects of garlic extract (GE), as a novel dormancy-breaking substance, at different concentrations; 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200mll−1 on bud break dormancy and the metabolic alterations in buds of ‘Anna’ apple trees. Water content, total carbohydrates, reducing and total sugars, anthocyanins, total free amino acids, free proline, total indoles and free phenols were analyzed after the application of GE. The obtained results showed that, GE treatments hastened date of floral bud break and increased percentage of bud break, fruit set, total number of fruits and fruit yield per tree. Except for free phenols, GE also increased the abovementioned chemical components in buds. The best results were obtained from the treatment of 150mll−1 GE. Therefore, it is concluded that the use of GE at 150mll−1 could be recommended for improving the bud break, growth and yield of apple trees cv. “Anna”.

Quantitative trait loci affecting reproductive phenology in peach

BackgroundThe reproductive phenology of perennial plants in temperate climates is largely conditioned by the duration of bud dormancy, and fruit developmental processes. Bud dormancy release and bud break depends on the perception of cumulative chilling and heat during the bud development. The objective of this work was to identify new quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated to temperature requirements for bud dormancy release and flowering and to fruit harvest date, in a segregating population of peach.ResultsWe have identified QTLs for nine traits related to bud dormancy, flowering and fruit harvest in an intraspecific hybrid population of peach in two locations differing in chilling time accumulation. QTLs were located in a genetic linkage map of peach based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for eight linkage groups (LGs) of the peach genome sequence. QTLs for chilling requirements for dormancy release and blooming clustered in seven different genomic regions that partially coincided with loci identified in previous works. The most significant QTL for chilling requirements mapped to LG1, close to the evergrowing locus. QTLs for heat requirement related traits were distributed in nine genomic regions, four of them co-localizing with QTLs for chilling requirement trait. Two major loci in LG4 and LG6 determined fruit harvest time.ConclusionsWe identified QTLs associated to nine traits related to the reproductive phenology in peach. A search of candidate genes for these QTLs rendered different genes related to flowering regulation, chromatin modification and hormone signalling. A better understanding of the genetic factors affecting crop phenology might help scientists and breeders to predict changes in genotype performance in a context of global climate change.

Understanding dormancy release in apricot flower buds (Prunus armeniaca L.) using several process-based phenological models

The present study was an initial attempt to calibrate a phenological process-based model of dormancy release with experimental data for apricot flower buds. A large experimental database (88 data points) on dormancy release, concerning several cultivars grown at different geographical sites, was used for the model parameterization. We compared five phenological models. None of them provided accurate prediction of the date of dormancy release at the species level. This inaccuracy appeared to be due to the high variance in dormancy release dates among cultivars. Models fitted for different dormancy release precocity groups provided much more accurate predictions. Parameter estimate analysis of the best model for each cultivar group showed very marked differences in apricot flower bud response to temperature within the species. While in early cultivars dormancy release seemed to be driven by the daily minimum temperature, the daily mean temperature appeared to be the controlling factor in intermediate and late cultivars. Our results show that the apricot dormancy release date cannot be predicted accurately at the species level and that different models should be used for different precocity groups.

Exogenous dormancy-breaking substances positively change endogenous phytohormones and amino acids during dormancy release in ‘Anna’ apple trees

A 2-season trial was conducted to verify the effects of foliar applications of some dormancy-breaking substances (DBS) on dormancy release in buds of ‘Anna’ apple (Malus sylvestris, Mill) trees, as well as on metabolic changes in the contents of phytohormones, proline and arginine in buds during their release from dormancy. The efficiency of early bud break induced by Dormex™, potassium nitrate, mineral oil, calcium nitrate and thiourea was noticed in varying degrees. Although Dormex™ was distinguished, all DBS hastened bud break, shortened flowering duration, improved bud break% and fruit-set%, increased the contents of gibberellic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, proline and arginine, but reduced abscisic acid content in buds as compared to the control. These results were positively reflected in the final tree yield. Accordingly, it is concluded that the use of Dormex™, at a rate of 4 %, could be recommended for reaching bud break as early as possible and improving ‘Anna’ apple tree yield under the short winters in Egypt and similar regions by regulating the contents of proline, arginine and phytohormones in buds.

Dissection of chilling requirement and bloom date QTLs in peach using a whole genome sequencing of sibling trees from an F2 mapping population

Chilling requirement (CR) for floral bud dormancy release is one of the major limiting factors for geographical adaptation of fruiting trees. Using a whole genome sequencing approach (Illumina platform), we explored polymorphism underlying phenotypic differences among individuals in a peach F2 cross segregating for chilling requirement and bloom date. Allelic configuration of individuals, which represented phenotypic extremes in the cross (300 vs. 1,100 chill hours) allowed reconstruction of low- and high-chill haplotypes within three most significant quantitative trait locus (QTL) intervals on the Prunus G1, G4, and G7. We detected single nucleotide polymorphic sites (SNPs), small deletions and insertions (DIPs), and large structural variants (SVs) associated with low-chill haplotypes and created a prioritized list of candidate genes based on functionally characterized homologs from Arabidopsis thaliana. Two dormancy associated genes PpeDAM5 and PpeDAM6 are the strongest candidate genes for the major QTL signal at the lower end of G1. Also, key functional genes involved in the Polycomb repressive mechanism, cell cycle progression, and hormone regulation were evident as strong candidate genes underlying QTL intervals in this peach cross.

RATIONALIZATION OF CAMELLIA JAPONICA L. POT CULTIVATION: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH

Camellia japonica L. is an evergreen flowering perennial with more than 3,000 named cultivars of great ornamental value. These are nowadays traded worldwide as containerized small sized plants. Cultivation of ornamental plants is strongly oriented to sustainable production on the one hand and on a consumer-oriented high quality product on the other hand. In this context, the present work concerned a series of critical points of the cultivation cycle of potted C. japonica: the reduction of fertilization; the choice of a peat alternative substrate; the regulation of plant growth for size and flowering control; the control of the dormancy release of flower buds. Experiment 1 concerned the application of commercial biofertilizer inocula which included a specific arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) isolate or a consortium of microorganisms (AMF, saprophytic fungi and helper bacteria) as alternatives to inorganic fertilization of pot cultivated C. japonica. To deepen AMF role, Experiment 2 evaluated potential specific isolates associated with camellia roots (active population) or surrounding soil (potential and soil exploring population) of centennial specimens found in natural or semi-natural ecosystems. Experiment 3 assessed the efficacy of flurprimidol and three peat alternatives (nutshells, rice husk, coconut fiber) on camellia growth control. Finally, Experiment 4 used a multidisciplinary approach to describe and characterize the effects of cold treatments on the dormancy release of flower buds. Overall, the results highlighted that C. japonica is susceptible to AMF inoculation and that a series of benefits can be achieved by inoculating pots with specific symbiotic fungi. Moreover, two newly tested materials (nutshells and rice husk) were suitable as partial peat alternatives (30% v/v), and the efficacy of very low concentrations of flurprimidol to control growth and enhance flowering was underlined. Lastly, the use of cold treatment allowed the achievement of an earlier, uniform and enhanced flowering.