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Photoperiod and temperature interactions regulate low-temperature-induced gene expression in barley
D B Fowler1, G Breton, A E Limin
1Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. brian.fowler@usask.ca
Plant Physiology
|December 18, 2001
Summary
Photoperiod (PP) and vernalization regulate low-temperature (LT) tolerance in cereals. Short-day conditions delay plant development, enhancing and prolonging LT tolerance by maintaining LT-induced gene expression.
Area of Science:
- Plant physiology
- Molecular biology
- Cereal crops
Background:
- Vernalization and photoperiod (PP) are key plant developmental mechanisms synchronizing growth with seasonal changes.
- Vernalization influences the duration of low-temperature (LT)-induced gene expression in cereals.
- The interaction between PP response and LT-induced gene expression requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if photoperiod (PP) response developmentally regulates the expression of LT-induced Wcs and Wcor gene families in barley.
- To understand the interplay between photoperiod, vernalization, and low-temperature tolerance in cereals.
Main Methods:
- Barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L. cv Dicktoo) were exposed to short-day (SD; 8-h) and long-day (LD; 20-h) photoperiods under cold-acclimating temperatures for 70 days.
- Expression levels of LT-induced WCS and WCOR protein homologs were analyzed under different photoperiod treatments.
- Plant developmental transition from vegetative to reproductive stages was monitored.
Main Results:
- A delay in the transition to the reproductive stage under SD conditions led to increased LT tolerance and longer retention of this tolerance.
- While similar WCS and WCOR protein homologs were expressed under both SD and LD, expression levels were significantly higher under SD.
- Plants acclimated under LD exhibited poor LT tolerance, attributed to an inability to maintain LT-induced gene upregulation.
Conclusions:
- Photoperiod and vernalization pathways independently influence LT-induced gene expression in cereals, converging to regulate plant development.
- Delayed transition from vegetative to reproductive stages, induced by developmental genes, enhances and sustains LT tolerance.
- Developmental genes determine the duration of LT-induced gene expression, impacting overall cold hardiness in cereals.
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