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Auxin- and cytokinin-induced berries set in grapevine partly rely on enhanced gibberellin biosynthesis

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Abstract

Gibberellins (GAs) have been widely used for many years to induce seedless grapevine and increase fruit set in production. However, the role of GAs and how they crosstalk with auxin and cytokinin during fruit set in grapevine remains unclarified. To investigate their role, GA3, 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA), 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA), and different hormone combinations were applied to unpollinated ovaries of the ‘Fenghou’ grape (Vitis vinifera × Vitis labrusca) at anthesis. The results showed that the application of 4-CPA, 6-BA, GA3, 4-CPA+GA3, 6-BA+GA3, and 4-CPA+6-BA induced parthenocarpy. Among them, 4-CPA-, 6-BA-, and 4-CPA+6-BA-induced fruits were smaller than those induced by GA3, 4-CPA+GA3, and 6-BA+GA3. Application of the GA biosynthesis inhibitor paclobutrazol reduced both the fresh weight and fruit set of 4-CPA- and 6-BA-induced fruits, but the effect of the inhibitor was reversed by the application of GA3. In contrast to unpollinated ovaries, the ovaries induced by 4-CPA and 6-BA showed enhanced accumulation of active GAs, but at a lower level than in pollinated ovaries between 7 and 21 days after anthesis (DAA). Gene analysis showed that the increase in the GA content in 4-CPA- and 6-BA-treated ovaries was the result of the upregulation of GA biosynthesis genes, such as VvGA3ox1, and suppression of GA catabolism genes, such as VvGA2ox3 and VvGA2ox4. In addition, the concentration of active IAA was enhanced in the ovaries induced by 6-BA, which was accompanied by the elevated expression of the IAA biosynthesis genes VvYUC2 and VvYUC6. These results suggested that 4-CPA- and 6-BA-induced fruit set in grapevine requires downstream gibberellin biosynthesis.

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Acknowledgments

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (31471842) supported this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    Long Lu, Jinjun Liang, Xiang Zhu, Kun Xiao, Tianzhong Li & Jianfang Hu

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  1. Long Lu
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  2. Jinjun Liang
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  3. Xiang Zhu
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Correspondence to Jianfang Hu.

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The sequences of the VvGA20oxs, VvGA3oxs, VvGA2oxs, and VvYUCs reported here are available in GenBank (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/): VvGA20ox1 [GenBank accession no. KC898188]; VvGA20ox2 [GenBank accession no. KC898186]; VvGA20ox3 [GenBank accession no. KC KC898189]; VvGA3ox1 [GenBank accession no. KC898176]; VvGA3ox2 [GenBank accession no. KC898175]; VvGA3ox3 [GenBank accession no. KC898177]; VvGA2ox1 [GenBank accession no. KC898179]; VvGA2ox2 [GenBank accession no. KC898180]; VvGA2ox3 [GenBank accession no. KC898181]; VvGA2ox4 [GenBank accession no. KC898182]; VvGA2ox7 [GenBank accession no. KC898184]; VvYUC2 [GenBank accession no. XM_002280979]; VvYUC6 [GenBank accession no. XM_010650228].

Additional information

Communicated by M. Wirthensohn

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Supplemental Table S1

Primers used for the qRT-PCR performed in this work. (DOCX 18 kb)

Supplemental Table S2

The size of ovule from different treatment at 21 DAA. Values are the means of eight sections (±SE), one section per fruit, and eight fruits. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between treatments are indicated using different letters according to a Tukey’s test. (DOCX 16 kb)

Supplemental Fig. S1

Intact inflorescence (a) and emasculated ovaries (b) at 10 DBA (Days before anthesis). (JPG 3767 kb)

Supplemental Fig. S2

Ovule with degrading embryo sac from GA3-treated unpollinated ovaries at 14 (a) and 21 DAA (b). Scale bar=100 μm. (JPG 3776 kb)

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Lu, L., Liang, J., Zhu, X. et al. Auxin- and cytokinin-induced berries set in grapevine partly rely on enhanced gibberellin biosynthesis. Tree Genetics & Genomes 12, 41 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-016-0980-4

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