ISHS Acta Horticulturae 520: XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 10: Application of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology and Breeding - In Vitro Culture.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGICAL STUDY OF STEM FORMATION ON CHICORY ROOT EXPLANTS IN VITRO |
| Authors: | M.A.C. Demeulemeester, M.P. De Proft |
| Keywords: | Chicory, Cichorium intybus L., in vitro culture, root explant, stem formation, photoperiod, gibberellins, cDNA-AFLP |
| Abstract:
Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is a biennial plant which requires cold and long days for flowering. During production of Belgian endive, problems with the flowering habit arise when the plants flower during the first growing season or when the apex grows into a stem in the center of the chicory head during forcing. To study the process of stem formation in chicory, in vitro culture of root fragments provided the basis for an experimental system in which experiments could be done rapidly, large numbers of uniform replicates were possible and a wide variation in conditions could be created. Under short days, only rosettes were initiated. Green stems with expanded leaves could be induced with GA3. No flower buds were initiated. Due to the precise physiological characterization of these growth reactions and due to the fact that different structures could be induced on root fragments from the same root, molecular biological studies on stem formation were possible. This study was done with the "cDNA-AFLP" technique which has now been optimized for chicory tissues. First differences in gene expression after GA3 application on shoot tips initiated under short days were observed. | |
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