M.Sc. (Botany) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Sc. / The commercial value of cut flowers, whether for ornamental use or as an export product, has increased significantly over the years. Much attention is given to flower quality and flower longevity. These two factors are influenced by preharvest and postharvest treatments. The major postharvest loss reduction techniques in carnation flowers include regulation of preharvest growing, use of improved harvesting techniques, use of various storage techniques, use of growth regulators and use of floral preservatives. Senescence of carnation flowers (Dianthus caryophyllus L. cv. White Candy), is accompanied by a climacteric rise in ethylene synthesis and an increased sensitivity of the flowers to ethylene. A pulse treatment with sucrose caused a delay and suppression of the climacteric rise in ethylene synthesis. The action of sucrose, with reference to ethylene, was similar to that of cytolcinins. Dry storage also caused an increase in flower longevity. This is due to the flower's ability to maintain water balance by lowering the cells osmotic potential. Dry storage is of importance, as transportation of the flowers occurs under these conditions. Although sucrose increased the longevity of freshly cut carnations, it caused a decrease in longevity of flowers that were subjected to water stress. With the lowering of the tissue water potential through treatment with sucrose and thereafter by dry storage, the flowers are subjected to stress, and are not able to recover even after rehydration. Applied sucrose increased the carbohydrate pool, thereby resulting in a gradual decline of starch. Administering both sucrose and water stress to the carnation flowers resulted in an early peak in the sugar content, as well as an early depletion of sugar in the flower petals. Cytokinin activity in untreated carnation flowers appeared to be higher compared to flowers treated with sucrose. Water stress have the effect of decreasing cytokinin levels and activity. It is thus clear from the results of this study, that carnations subjected to water stress through dry storage, should not be pretreated with any preservative containing sucrose, as it leads to a reduction in vase life.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第18323号 / 農博第2048号 / 新制||農||1021(附属図書館) / 学位論文||H26||N4830(農学部図書室) / 31181 / 京都大学大学院農学研究科農学専攻 / (主査)教授 奥本 裕, 教授 白岩 立彦, 教授 冨永 達 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 新制・論文博士 / 博士(農学) / 乙第13519号 / 論農博第2907号 / 新制||農||1096(附属図書館) / 学位論文||R4||N5419(農学部図書室) / 京都大学大学院農学研究科農学専攻 / (主査)教授 中﨑 鉄也, 教授 那須田 周平, 教授 吉田 健太郎 / 学位規則第4条第2項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

Effects of exogenously applied GA₄₊₇ on floral and vegetative development of <u>Streptocarpus x hybridus</u> were investigated. <u>S. x hybridus</u> 'Hybrid Delta' petiolode tissue from plants treated with 25 μg GA₄₊₇ were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Plants treated at 1 cm leaf lengths appeared unaffected by GA₄₊₇ one week after treatment while 2 and 3 cm GA-treated samples showed enhanced floral initiation. / Master of Science

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a candidate bioenergy crop. Somatic embryogenic (SE) calli are used for genetic transformation in switchgrass. A superior switchgrass line, HR8, was developed using recurrent tissue culture selection from cv. Alamo. HR8 SE calli were genetically transformable using Agrobacterium at an efficiency of ~12%. We used HR8 somatic embryogenic calli for genetic improvement of switchgrass. The lignin content of feedstock has been proposed as one key trait impacting biofuel production. 4-Coumarate: Coenzyme A ligase (4CL) is one of the key enzymes involved in the monolignol biosynthetic pathway. Two homologous 4CL genes, Pv4CL1 and Pv4CL2, were identified in switchgrass. Gene expression patterns and enzymatic activity assays suggested that Pv4CL1 is involved in monolignol biosynthesis. Stable transgenic plants were obtained with Pv4CL1 down-regulated. RNA interference of Pv4CL1 reduced extractable 4CL activity by 80%, leading to a reduction in lignin content with decreased guaiacyl unit composition. The transgenic plants had uncompromised biomass yield. After dilute acid pretreatment, the low lignin transgenic biomass had significantly increased cellulose hydrolysis (saccharification) efficiency for biofuel production. Erect leaf is a desirable trait to adjust the overall plant architecture to perceive more solar energy and thereby to increase the plant biomass production in a field population. We overexpressed an Arabidopsis NAC transcriptional factor gene, LONG VEGETATIVE PHASE ONE (AtLOV1), in switchgrass. Surprisingly, AtLOV1 induced smaller leaf angle by changing morphologies of epidermal cells in the leaf collar region, affecting lignin content and monolignol composition, and also causing delayed flowering time in switchgrass. Global gene-expression analysis of AtLOV1 transgenic plants demonstrated an array of genes has altered expressions. Potential downstream genes involved in the pleiotropic phenotypic traits of the transgenic plants are discussed. / Ph. D.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 L82 / Master of Science

Growth rate and flowering time are agriculturally important traits that are linked to fitness, productivity and reproductive success of plants. To study the genetic basis for natural variation in growth rate and flowering time between local accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana, hybrids were produced between fast growing / late flowering and slow growing / early flowering parents. F3 and F5 hybrid families were grown under a range of conditions – under a constant controlled environment, outside over the winter and outside in spring and early summer. Growth rates were estimated from repeated images of rosettes. Flowering time, as number of leaves to flower, was also recorded both in control and natural conditions for F5 lines. Damage by slugs and stress-induced production of anthocyanin pigments were also recorded for plants grown outside. Broad-sense heritability estimates were higher for F5 families than F3, in which more loci will segregate, and ranged from 48% to 89%. No significant correlation between growth rates under different environments was observed in most cases for F3 populations, however significant correlations were detected for F5 families outside and under controlled conditions, suggesting that same genes can affect growth rate in more than one environment. The genotypes of F3 families were determined at thirty-nine SSLP (simple sequence length polymorphism) loci and used in regression with phenotype data to search for quantitative trait loci (QTL). Significant QTLs were detected in F3 families for growth rate, flowering time and anthocyanin production, but not for herbivore damage. To confirm QTL detected in the F3 and to detect additional loci, bulk segregant analysis was carried out in F5 families grown under different conditions. Potentially linked markers were tested further in individual F5 plants and QTL mapped on a finer scale in F5 families that remained heterozygous for candidate regions. VIP5 and LDL1 were selected as potential candidate genes for flowering time variation. These genes were sequenced for two parental alleles. A transposon insertion and 5’ UTR deletion were found in the LDL1 allele from the late flowering parent and SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) were observed throughout the gene. However both alleles appeared to be expressed at similar levels. Transgenic lines have been produced carrying the LDL1 allele from the early flowering parent (4D1) in the background of the later flowering parent (11C1). This work is on-going and will hopefully reveal whether LDL1 underlies differences in flowering behaviour seen between 11C1 and 4D1.

Identification of allelic variation through quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping offers possibilities for the improvement of quantitatively inherited traits. This requires a genetic map along with the phenotypic characterization of a mapping population. A doubled haploid (DH) Polo X Topas population consisting of 194 lines and a recombinant inbred line population of 92 lines was developed. Individual genetic maps derived from each population were integrated into a consensus map. The DH-based genetic map was used for QTL mapping. The DH-based map was comprised of 620 loci that were assembled into 19 linkage groups that were anchored to the B. napus chromosomes. The DH-based map covered 2244.1 cM genomic distance with an average marker interval of 3.7 cM. The DH population was phenotyped in four environments with each line replicated twice in a randomized complete block design. Days to flowering was recorded and oil content and fatty acid composition were determined using Near Infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and Gas Chromatography, respectively. Fourteen QTL were identified for oil content, 33 QTL for palmitic acid content, 18 QTL for stearic acid content, 21 QTL for oleic acid content, 20 QTL for linoleic acid content, 23 QTL for linolenic acid content, 16 QTL for arachidic acid content and 14 QTL for flowering time. Oil content QTL were identified on five linkage groups, A3, A10, C1, C5, and C6. An oil content QTL, qOIL-A10c appeared in all four environments, whereas qOIL-A10a appeared in only one environment but explained 26.99% variation. The oil content in the population ranged from 35% to 55.5% with the parents having values of 42% to 46%. Two genomic regions on C3, with map positions at 147.83 cM and 154.55 cM harbored QTL (rQTL) for all the fatty acids studied. The additive effects of the rQTL reveal a correlation pattern which is supported by the phenotypic correlation observed between the fatty acids. This suggests rQTL have role in the fatty acid composition and possibly determine total seed oil content. The rQTL and flanking markers of the identified QTL offer utility in further development of B. napus. / October 2015

The effects of planting date were evaluated on field establishment and flowering of ten southwestern wildflower species combined in a mix. Species tested include Baileya multiradiata, Castilleja lanata, Eschscholtzia californica, Eschscholtzia mexicana, Gaillardia pulchellum, Lesquerella gordonii, Lupinus sparsiflorus, Orthocarpus purpurascens, Penstemon eatonii, and Phacelia campanularia. Seeds of all species were combined in a mix and directly seeded into field plots. All species are native to the southwestern deserts of the United States. Treatments consisted of five planting dates, starting September 30, 1987 and continuing through November 30, 1987, with treatments planted at two week intervals during the ten week period. There were significant differences in both plant stand and flowering between planting dates. The October 15 planting had the optimum plant stand with regard to the largest spectrum of species represented by desirable numbers. Flowering was most pronounced in the September 30 and October 15 plantings.