Hormonal Regulation and Transcriptomic Insights into Flower Development in IHydrangea paniculata/I ‘Vanilla Strawberry’

Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate flower growth, development, and opening is of paramount importance, yet these processes remain less explored at the genetic level. Flower development in Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanilla Strawberry’ is finely tuned through hormonal signals, yet the ge...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plants (Basel) 2024-02, Vol.13 (4)
Main Authors: Xue, Chao, Wen, Yuxing, Sheng, Song, Gao, Yu, Zhang, Yaoyi, Chen, Tingfeng, Peng, Jiqing, Cao, Shoujin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Antioxidants
Botanical research
Chlorophyll
Development
DNA binding proteins
Enzymes
Ethylene
Flowers
Gene expression
Genes
Genetic aspects
Gibberellins
Hydrangeas
Physiological aspects
Plant hormones
Plants
RNA
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Summary:Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate flower growth, development, and opening is of paramount importance, yet these processes remain less explored at the genetic level. Flower development in Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanilla Strawberry’ is finely tuned through hormonal signals, yet the genetic underpinnings are not well defined. This study addresses the gap by examining the influence of gibberellic acid (GA3), salicylic acid (SA), and ethylene (ETH) on the flowering traits and underlying molecular responses. Treatment with 100 mg/L SA significantly improved chlorophyll content and bolstered the accumulation of soluble sugars and proteins, advancing the flowering onset by 6 days and lengthening the flowering period by 11 days. Concurrently, this treatment enhanced inflorescence dimensions, increasing length, width, and petal area by 22.76%, 26.74%, and 27.45%, respectively. Contrastingly, 100 mg/L GA3 expanded inflorescence size but postponed flowering initiation and decreased inflorescence count. Higher concentrations of SA and GA3, as well as any concentration of ETH, resulted in delayed flowering and inferior inflorescence attributes. A physiological analysis over 50 days revealed that these regulators variably affected sugar and protein levels and modified antioxidant enzyme activities. An RNA-seq analysis during floral development highlighted significant transcriptomic reprogramming, with SA treatment downregulating Myb transcription factors, implicating them in the modulation of flowering timing and stress adaptation. These findings illuminate the complex interplay between hormonal treatments, gene expression, and flowering phenotypes in Hydrangea paniculata, offering valuable perspectives for ornamental horticulture optimization.
ISSN:2223-7747
2223-7747
DOI:10.3390/plants13040486