Interaction between auxin and the florigen gene family in the control of architecture and yield in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

• Grant number: 13/11541-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2013
• End date: May 27, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Lázaro Eustaquio Pereira Peres
• Grantee: Agustin Zsögön
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Plant architecture, or the tridimensional organization of the plant's body, influences the way in which plants grow and respond to their environment. Understanding its molecular basis is of paramount importance to provide novel tools for and continue to do progress in crop breeding. Plant architecture can influence yield by altering the relative growth and position of vegetative and reproductive organs, fruit location on the plant and ease of harvest. In tomato, a recessive mutant allele of the SELF-PRUNING (SP) gene confers accelerated termination of the sympodial units that form the plant, through the formation of an inflorescence, resulting in a limited growth of the shoot, a bushy, compact constitution and nearly homogeneous fruit setting. The sp mutation was the single most important genetic trait in the development of modern agrotechniques for this crop, because the 'determinate' growth habit facilitates mechanical harvest. The SP gene is part of a family (CETS) with six members, one of which, SINGLE FLOWER TRUSS (SFT), generates a graft-transmissible signal peptide that induces flowering, and which is thus considered the "florigen" hormone. Based on existing evidence that auxin controls the determinate/indeterminate growth of leaves, this projects aims to explore whether auxin would perform a similar function in the shoot via the CETS family genes, thus controlling the whole plant's growth habit. To tackle this question we will take advantage of a series of mutations and natural genetic variation from wild relatives of the tomato introduced into the genetic background of the Micro-Tom cultivar. Lines with different alleles for CETS family genes will be generated and crossed to auxin-related genotypes, including loss-of-function, increased sensitivity and visual markers of auxin response genes. Growth habit, yield, response to auxin and gene expression will be studied in the double mutants to establish a possible a link between auxin function, CETS family genes and plant architecture.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ZSOEGOEN, AGUSTIN; ALVES NEGRINI, ANA CLARISSA; PEREIRA PERES, LAZARO EUSTAQUIO; NGUYEN, HOA THI; BALL, MARILYN C.. A mutation that eliminates bundle sheath extensions reduces leaf hydraulic conductance, stomatal conductance and assimilation rates in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). NEW PHYTOLOGIST, v. 205, n. 2, p. 618-626, JAN 2015. (13/11541-2)

VICENTE, MATEUS HENRIQUE; ZSOEGOEN, AGUSTIN; LOPO DE SA, ARIADNE FELICIO; RIBEIRO, RAFAEL V.; PERES, LAZAR E. P.. Semi-determinate growth habit adjusts the vegetative-to-reproductive balance and increases productivity and water-use efficiency in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Journal of Plant Physiology, v. 177, p. 11-19, APR 1 2015. (11/16554-0, 13/11541-2)

SILVA, WILLIAN B.; VICENTE, MATEUS H.; ROBLEDO, JESSENIA M.; REARTES, DIEGO S.; FERRARI, RENATA C.; BIANCHETTI, RICARDO; ARAUJO, WAGNER L.; FRESCHI, LUCIANO; PERES, LAZARO E. P.; ZSOGON, AGUSTIN. SELF-PRUNING Acts Synergistically with DIAGEOTROPICA to Guide Auxin Responses and Proper Growth Form. Plant Physiology, v. 176, n. 4, p. 2904-2916, APR 2018. (13/11541-2, 13/18056-2, 15/50220-2, 16/05566-0)