Characteristics of rhizome coloration and its inheritance in the world's first red rhizome lotus 'Tomohiro'

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H02978
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 39030:Horticultural science-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: OZAKI Yukio 九州大学, 農学研究院, 教授 (60253514)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山形 悦透 九州大学, 農学研究院, 准教授 (00600446) ; 宮島 郁夫 九州大学, 熱帯農学研究センター, 教授 (20182024) ; 水ノ江 雄輝 九州大学, 農学研究院, 助教 (50759206) ; 増田 順一郎 宮崎大学, 農学部, 准教授 (60452744)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: レンコン / 食用ハス / 赤色根茎 / アントシアニン / DNAマーカー / RAD-seq解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The coloration of red rhizome lotus 'Tomohiro' was investigated and six red pigments (anthocyanins) were identified. The expression levels of homologous genes related to anthocyanin biosynthesis were compared between white and red rhizome cultivars, and differences in the expression levels of several genes were observed in the unpigmented stage of the red rhizome cultivar. No effect of UV removal or irradiation on rhizome coloration was observed, but the effect of exogenous phytohormones on rhizome coloration was accelerated or retarded. The inheritance of rhizome coloration traits was elucidated, and DNA markers were successfully constructed.

Free Research Field

園芸学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

植物における色素発現では，エピジェネティックな発現の促進と抑制が主要な制御機構であると考えられるが，本来発現が抑制されている根茎等の部位において，本品種のように発現抑制が解除されるメカニズムを明らかにすることで，植物における部位特異的な遺伝子発現の仕組みについて明らかにできるだけでなく，これまでの想定を超えた新たな独自形質を持つ品種の育成を実現でき，園芸育種の新たな概念を構築できると考えられる．