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Pallotti C, Renau-Morata B, Cardone L, Nebauer SG, Albiñana Palacios M, Rivas-Sendra A, Seguí-Simarro JM, Molina RV. Understanding the Saffron Corm Development-Insights into Histological and Metabolic Aspects. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1125. [PMID: 38674534 PMCID: PMC11055066 DOI: 10.3390/plants13081125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The reproduction of Crocus sativus L., a sterile triploid plant, is carried out exclusively through corms, whose size determines the saffron yield. The development of daughter corms (DC) is supported by photoassimilates supplied by the leaves as well as by the mother corms (MC). While biomass partitioning during DC development is well studied, growth dynamics in terms of cell number and size, the involved meristems, as well as carbohydrate partition and allocation, are not yet fully understood. We conducted a comprehensive study into saffron corm growth dynamics at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Variations in carbohydrate content and enzymatic activities related to sucrose metabolism in sources and sinks were measured. Two key meristems were identified. One is involved in vascular connections between DC and MC. The other is a thickening meristem responsible for DC enlargement. This research explains how the previously described phases of corm growth correlate with variations in cell division, enlargement dynamics, and carbohydrate partitioning among organs. Results also elucidated that the end of DC growth relates to a significant drop in MC root biomass, limiting the water supply for the DC growth, and establishing the onset of leaf wilting. The lack of starch accumulation in aged leaf cells is noteworthy, as is the accumulation of lipids. We hypothesize a signaling role of sugars in DC growth initiation, stop, and leaf aging. Finally, we established a predominant role of sucrose synthase as a sucrolytic enzyme in the maintenance of the high flux of carbon for starch synthesis in DC. Together, the obtained results pave the way for the definition of strategies leading to better control of saffron corm development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Pallotti
- Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain; (C.P.); (B.R.-M.); (S.G.N.)
- Instituto Universitario de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain; (M.A.P.); (A.R.-S.); (J.M.S.-S.)
| | - Begoña Renau-Morata
- Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain; (C.P.); (B.R.-M.); (S.G.N.)
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Universitat de València, C/Doctor Moliner 50, Burjasot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Loriana Cardone
- Department of European and Mediterranean Cultures, Environment, and Cultural Heritage, University of Basilicata, Via Lanera, 20, 75100 Matera, Italy;
| | - Sergio G. Nebauer
- Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain; (C.P.); (B.R.-M.); (S.G.N.)
| | - Mireia Albiñana Palacios
- Instituto Universitario de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain; (M.A.P.); (A.R.-S.); (J.M.S.-S.)
| | - Alba Rivas-Sendra
- Instituto Universitario de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain; (M.A.P.); (A.R.-S.); (J.M.S.-S.)
| | - José M. Seguí-Simarro
- Instituto Universitario de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain; (M.A.P.); (A.R.-S.); (J.M.S.-S.)
| | - Rosa V. Molina
- Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s.n., 46022 Valencia, Spain; (C.P.); (B.R.-M.); (S.G.N.)
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Agustí M, Reig C, Martínez-Fuentes A, Mesejo C. Advances in Citrus Flowering: A Review. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:868831. [PMID: 35463419 PMCID: PMC9024417 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.868831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Citrus are polycarpic and evergreen species that flower once in spring or several times a year depending on the genotype and the climatic conditions. Floral induction is triggered by low temperature and water-deficit stress and occurs 2-3 months before bud sprouting, whereas differentiation takes place at the same time as sprouting. The induced buds develop single flowers or determinate inflorescences, so that vegetative growth is required at the axillary buds to renew the polycarpic habit. The presence of fruits inhibits sprouting and flower induction from nearby axillary buds in the current season. In some species and cultivars, this results in low flowering intensity the following spring, thus giving rise to alternate bearing. A number of key flowering genes act in the leaf (CiFT3, CcMADS19, etc.) or in the bud (CsLFY, CsTFL1, etc.) to promote or inhibit both flowering time and reproductive meristem identity in response to these climatic factors, the fruit dominance, or the age of the plant (juvenility). The expression of some of these genes can be modified by gibberellin treatments, which reduce bud sprouting and flowering in adult trees, and constitute the main horticultural technique to control flowering in citrus. This review presents a comprehensive view of all aspects of the flowering process in citrus, converging the research published during the past half century, which focused on plant growth regulators and the nutritional source-sink relationships and guided research toward the study of gene transcription and plant transformation, and the advances made with the development of the tools of molecular biology published during the current century.
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Renau-Morata B, Carrillo L, Cebolla-Cornejo J, Molina RV, Martí R, Domínguez-Figueroa J, Vicente-Carbajosa J, Medina J, Nebauer SG. The targeted overexpression of SlCDF4 in the fruit enhances tomato size and yield involving gibberellin signalling. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10645. [PMID: 32606421 PMCID: PMC7326986 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67537-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tomato is one of the most widely cultivated vegetable crops and a model for studying fruit biology. Although several genes involved in the traits of fruit quality, development and size have been identified, little is known about the regulatory genes controlling its growth. In this study, we characterized the role of the tomato SlCDF4 gene in fruit development, a cycling DOF-type transcription factor highly expressed in fruits. The targeted overexpression of SlCDF4 gene in the fruit induced an increased yield based on a higher amount of both water and dry matter accumulated in the fruits. Accordingly, transcript levels of genes involved in water transport and cell division and expansion during the fruit enlargement phase also increased. Furthermore, the larger amount of biomass partitioned to the fruit relied on the greater sink strength of the fruits induced by the increased activity of sucrose-metabolising enzymes. Additionally, our results suggest a positive role of SlCDF4 in the gibberellin-signalling pathway through the modulation of GA4 biosynthesis. Finally, the overexpression of SlCDF4 also promoted changes in the profile of carbon and nitrogen compounds related to fruit quality. Overall, our results unveil SlCDF4 as a new key factor controlling tomato size and composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña Renau-Morata
- Plant Physiology Area, Department of Plant Production, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Laura Carrillo
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, INIA-Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaime Cebolla-Cornejo
- Unidad Mixta de Investigación Mejora de la Calidad Agroalimentaria UJI-UPV, COMAV, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rosa V Molina
- Plant Physiology Area, Department of Plant Production, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Raúl Martí
- Unidad Mixta de Investigación Mejora de la Calidad Agroalimentaria UJI-UPV, COMAV, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - José Domínguez-Figueroa
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, INIA-Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Vicente-Carbajosa
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, INIA-Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquín Medina
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, INIA-Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Sergio G Nebauer
- Plant Physiology Area, Department of Plant Production, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
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Nardozza S, Boldingh HL, Wohlers MW, Gleave AP, Luo Z, Costa G, MacRae EA, Clearwater MJ, Richardson AC. Exogenous cytokinin application to Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa 'Hayward' fruit promotes fruit expansion through water uptake. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2017; 4:17043. [PMID: 28944065 PMCID: PMC5605667 DOI: 10.1038/hortres.2017.43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Exogenous application of a cytokinin-like compound forchlorfenuron (CPPU) can promote fruit growth, although often at the expense of dry matter (DM), an important indicator of fruit quality. Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa 'Hayward' fruit are very responsive to CPPU treatments, but the mechanism underlying the significant fruit weight increase and associated decrease in DM is unclear. In this study, we hypothesised that CPPU-enhanced growth increases fruit carbohydrate demand, but limited carbohydrate supply resulted in decreased fruit DM. During fruit development, CPPU effects on physical parameters, metabolites, osmotic pressure and transcriptional changes were assessed under conditions of both standard and a high carbohydrate supply. We showed that CPPU increased fruit fresh weight but the dramatic DM decrease was not carbohydrate limited. Enhanced glucose and fructose concentrations contributed to an increase in soluble carbohydrate osmotic pressure, which was correlated with increased water accumulation in CPPU-treated fruit and up-regulation of water channel aquaporin gene PIP2.4 at 49 days after anthesis. Transcipt analysis suggested that the molecular mechanism contributing to increased glucose and fructose concentrations was altered by carbohydrate supply. At standard carbohydrate supply, the early glucose increase in CPPU fruit was associated with reduced starch synthesis and increased starch degradation. When carbohydrate supply was high, the early glucose increase in CPPU fruit was associated with a general decrease in starch synthesis but up-regulation of vacuolar invertase and fructokinase genes. We conclude that CPPU affected fruit expansion by increasing the osmotically-driven water uptake and its effect was not carbohydrate supply-limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Nardozza
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert Research Centre, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Helen L Boldingh
- PFR, Ruakura Research Centre, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Mark W Wohlers
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert Research Centre, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew P Gleave
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert Research Centre, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Zhiwei Luo
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert Research Centre, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Guglielmo Costa
- Dipartimento di Scienzie Agrarie, Università di Bologna, Via Fanin 46, Bologna 40127, Italy
| | - Elspeth A MacRae
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited (PFR), Mt Albert Research Centre, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand
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Martínez-Alcántara B, Iglesias DJ, Reig C, Mesejo C, Agustí M, Primo-Millo E. Carbon utilization by fruit limits shoot growth in alternate-bearing citrus trees. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 176:108-17. [PMID: 25588695 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2014.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Revised: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Fruit load in alternate-bearing citrus trees is reported to alter shoot number and growth during spring, summer, and autumn flushes, and the source-sink balance, which affects the storage and mobilization of reserve nutrients. The aim of this work was to assess the extent of shoot growth inhibition resulting from the presence of fruits in 'Moncada' mandarin trees loaded with fruit (ON) or with very light fruit load (OFF), and to identify the role of carbohydrates and nitrogenous compounds in the competition between fruits and shoots. Growth of reproductive and vegetative organs was measured on a monthly basis. (13)C- and (15)N-labeled compounds were supplied to trace the allocation of reserve nutrients and subsequent translocation from source to sink. At the end of the year, OFF trees produced more abundant flushes (2.4- and 4.9-fold higher in number and biomass, respectively) than ON trees. Fruits from ON trees accumulated higher C amounts at the expense of developing flushes, whereas OFF trees exhibited the opposite pattern. An inverse relationship was identified between the amount of C utilized by fruits and vegetative flush growth. (13)C-labeling revealed an important role for mature leaves of fruit-bearing branches in supporting shoot/fruit growth, and the elevated sink strength of growing fruits on shoots. N availability for vegetative shoots was not affected by the presence or absence of fruits, which accumulated important amounts of (15)N. In conclusion, our results show that shoot growth is resource-limited as a consequence of fruit development, and vegetative-growth inhibition is caused by photoassimilate limitation. The competence for N is not a decisive factor in limiting vegetative growth under the experimental conditions of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Martínez-Alcántara
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Domingo J Iglesias
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Carmina Reig
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos Mesejo
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Agustí
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Eduardo Primo-Millo
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, E-46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain
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