Effects of Vernalization on Off–Season Flowering and Gene Expression in Sub-Tropical Strawberry cv. Pharachatan 80

Abstract

Off-season strawberry production may diversify the yield, thereby increasing costs, but the environmental conditions are a limiting factor. This experiment aimed to study the effects of vernalization on off-season flowering and gene expression in sub-tropical strawberry cv. Pharachatan 80. The factorial (2 × 2) + 1 in a completely randomized design was used in this study. Factor A was the vernalization temperatures: 2 °C and 4 °C. Factor B was the vernalization periods: 1 week and 2 weeks, compared with non-vernalization (control). The expression profile of genes was determined after vernalization treatments. The results revealed an interaction between the two factors on the number of days it took the plants to bloom, the percentage of flowering, the number of inflorescences, the number of flowers per inflorescence and the number of flowers per plant, whereas the number of first flower bloom days, inflorescence length and flower size were not affected by the interaction between the two factors. Strawberry plants vernalized for 1 and 2 weeks at 2 °C showed earlier flowering (21.4 and 23.1 days, respectively) than did those vernalized at 4 °C (24.9 and 25.7 days, respectively). On the other hand, non-vernalized strawberry plants took longer to bloom, at 62.2 days. Strawberry plants vernalized at 2 °C for 2 weeks had the highest percentage of flowering, number of inflorescences, number of flowers per inflorescence and number of flowers per plant. The analysis on gene expression showed that VRN5, SOC1 and FT genes were upregulated after vernalization at 2 °C for 2 weeks, whereas gene expression of the control treatment was not detected. This study demonstrates that vernalization treatment could induce off-season flowering in sub-tropical strawberry cv. Pharachatan 80 by activating flowering genes.

Plant Growth Promoting and Colonization of Endophytic Streptomyces albus CINv1 against Strawberry Anthracnose

“…Strawberry cv. Pharachatan 80, the most popular variety, was developed by The Royal Project Foundation for commercial purposes [3]. Strawberry anthracnose is a common disease of strawberry production in the highland region of Chiang Mai, Thailand.…”

Integration of Evaporative Greenhouse, Internet of Things and Root-zone Cooling to Enhance Growth and Development of Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) in Tropical Climate

“…Strawberry plants vernalized at 2 °C for 2 weeks had the highest percentage of flowering, number of inflorescences, number of flowers per inflorescence and number of flowers per plant as compared to vernalized at 4 °C [24]. [25] also indicated that cooling of the crown to 10-20°C induced flower bud differentiation of June-bearing strawberries. Extreme high or low temperature effected on flower development pollination and fruit malformation in strawberry [26,27] Nowadays, climate change and global warming raise ambient and soil temperatures causing strawberry productivity to decline.…”