Functional characterisation of CETS genes in Fragaria vesca L.

Abstract

The Rosaceae family accounts for more than 90% of the total fresh fruit production in Finland and for more than 25% worldwide in 2013. Thus, improving the yield potential of Rosaceae species works in favor of economic growth and food security. To achieve that, expanding the knowledge on Rosaceae species is required. Fragaria vesca (F. vesca), particularly the everbearing F. vesca semperflorens accession ‘Hawaii-4’ (H4), provides several features that makes it formidable as a model organism for the study of physiological processes in Rosaceae species, where the CENTRORADIALIS/TERMINALFLOWER 1/SELF-PRUNING (CETS) genes play a remarkable role. In this Thesis, I have studied the expression patterns and functions of the CETS genes by performing gene expression analysis, generation of H4 transgenic lines and observation on H4 plants (both transgenic and wild type) grown under different sets of conditions. My results confirmed the expression patterns and functions previously reported for F.vesca TERMINAL FLOWER1 and F.vesca FLOWERING LOCUS T1. I showed that F.vesca CENTRORADIALIS-LIKE2 is a floral repressor and demonstrated that F.vesca FLOWERING LOCUS T3 is a flowering promoter. Additionally, our data suggest that F.vesca MOTHER OF FT is directly related with stolon formation and that F.vesca CENTRORADIALIS-LIKE1 is most likely a floral repressor. This new information could be used in the future to improve the efficiency of Rosaceae crops farming by adapting flowering and vegetative responses and also for breeding more productive Rosaceae crops