Flowering-time, sex, and floral longevity in a dioecious plant Silene latifolia

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06016
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 39030:Horticultural science-related
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Fujita Naoko 岡山大学, 環境生命科学学域, 特任助教 (50646966)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 赤木 剛士 岡山大学, 環境生命科学研究科, 准教授 (50611919)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 開花性 / 花寿命 / 雌雄異株 / ヒロハノマンテマ / 黒穂菌 / 性的二型 / 性操作 / 植物微生物相互作用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sexual differences in flowering time and floral longevity examined in a dioecious plant with male heterogamete (i.e., XY-system) showed a significant correlation between sex and flowering time/ floral longevity. Effects of changes in sex-expression on the flowering time/ floral longevity were assessed by using a fungus causing sex-conversion, resulting in a shift in the flowering time along with sex-expression change. Floral longevity was extended by the fungal infection, regardless of sex-expressions. Analyses of their molecular mechanisms identified two key regulators, AGL24 acting as a hub gene in both flowering time and sex-expression and EIN3 which is targeted by the fungus to suppress ethylene signaling eventually extend floral longevity. Our findings offer an approach for manipulation of ‘flowering time’ ‘sex’ and ‘floral longevity’ which are important traits in horticultural and breeding technologies.

Free Research Field

園芸学、植物病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では環境的な性変化という未開拓分野において、微生物との相互ネットワークおよび鍵となる分子制御機作を追究した。同時に、外来因子（菌）による、性と連動した花の品質に大きく関わる開花性・寿命（保存性）の影響についても調査を行い、この機構解明によって、植物自身の内的な遺伝的・環境的因子に依存しない、外的影響による新しい品質保持機構に対しての知見が得られる可能性を見出した。