CONSTANS delays flowering and affects tuber yield in potato

CONSTANS (CO) has a central role in the photoperiodic regulation of flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana. We show here that potato (Solanum tuberosum ssp. andigena) plants constitutively expressing Arabidopsis CO (pACo plants) flower late under all photoperiodic conditions tested. Exogenous application of gibberellic acid to pACo plants corrected their short stem phenotype but not their late flowering. To further understand the effect of CO in potato, we used three photoperiodic conditions: short days (SD), which strongly induce tuberisation of wild type plants, SD supplemented with a night break (SD+NB), which are moderately inductive, and tuberisation-inhibiting long days. Tuberisation of pACo plants was delayed under SD and very strongly delayed or completely inhibited under SD+NB, suggesting that CO affects an autonomous pathway controlling potato tuberisation. In addition, tuber yield, a trait of high agronomic relevance, was significantly increased in pACo plants expressing moderate CO levels. Our results indicate that CO affects flowering and stem elongation through distinct mechanisms and suggest that its effects on flowering and tuberisation in potato are photoperiod-independent.     

Flowering Patterns in a Seasonal Tropical Lowland Forest in Western Amazonia

The phenological behavior of many tropical plant species is highly dependent on rainfall, but these plants may also respond to changes in photoperiod. Without a better knowledge of the proportion of species responding to different factors, it is difficult to predict how global climate change may affect natural ecosystem processes. The aim of this study was to describe flowering patterns for more than 100 species in Tinigua Park, Colombia, and to propose which factors may trigger flower production ( e.g. , rainfall, temperature, cloud cover, and photoperiod). Data gathered in 5.6 km of phenological transects during 4 yr and complementary information indicated that the vast majority of species showed intraspecific synchronization, and annual production was the most common pattern, followed by episodic frequency. The annual patterns were common in tree species, while episodic patterns were common in lianas. Simple and multiple regression analyses suggested several aspects of photoperiod as the most likely triggers for flowering in most species. However, the fact that many of these species produce flowers in different periods each year, suggests that the proportion of species responding to photoperiodic cues is less that 23 percent in this community. The flowering times of taxonomically related species seldom showed significantly staggered distributions; however they do not necessarily occur at the same time, suggesting that flowering patterns are not strongly constrained by phylogeny.     

Photoperiod Is the Main Cue That Triggers Supercooling Ability in the Land Snail, Helix aspersa (Gastropoda: Helicidae)

Helix aspersa hibernates in Brittany (western France), where it may experience subzero temperatures. Studies on cold hardiness, although scarce in land snails, have shown a seasonal variation in supercooling ability, associated with high temperatures of crystallization (Tc). In the present work, two key environmental factors, temperature and photoperiod, were studied to elucidate, how they may affect the enhancement of supercooling ability in the snails from the end of summer to winter. Nine groups of adult snails were acclimated to different combinations of photoperiod (LD-16:8, LD-12:12, and LD-8:16 h) and temperature (15, 10, and 5°C). Temperature of crystallization, hemolymph osmolality, and water content were measured. The results demonstrate a significant effect of the photoperiod on Tc, i.e., shorter photoperiods induce lower Tc (LD-16:8 h, mean Tc = −3.0°C, SD = 2.0; LD-12:12 h, mean Tc = −4.3°C, SD = 1.9; LD-8:16 h, mean Tc = −5.2°C, SD = 1.9; n = 90), whereas the acclimation temperature had no effect. Measurements of hemolymph osmolality and water content showed that osmolality is negatively correlated with water content. Mechanisms such as dehydration are involved in the decrease of Tc. A declining photoperiod triggers a lower Tc, long before the onset of winter conditions. This response may have an adaptive component, allowing individuals to cope with the mild winters typically observed in oceanic regions.     

Bimodal life cycle of the burying beetle Nicrophorus quadripunctatus in relation to its summer reproductive diapause

Abstract 1. Under natural conditions in Kyoto, Japan, the reproductive activities of Nicrophorus quadripunctatus Kraatz (Coleoptera: Silphidae) decreased in summer and the species showed a bimodal life cycle.
2. In the laboratory, most adult pairs raised at 20 °C under a LD 12:12 h regime reproduced when provided with a piece of chicken. In adults raised at 20 °C under a LD 16:8 h regime, however, both reproductive behaviour and ovarian development were reduced. It is concluded that these adults entered a reproductive summer diapause.
3. High temperature (25 °C) also suppressed the reproductive behaviour even under a favourable LD 12:12 h regime. In the field, therefore, adults reduce their reproductive activity in summer because of diapause induced by long-day photoperiods and direct inhibition of reproduction by high temperatures.
4. When the temperature was changed from 20 °C to 25 °C immediately after hatching of larvae, they reached the wandering stage in 95% of adult pairs. When the temperature was changed from 20 °C to 25 °C immediately after oviposition, however, no larvae hatched in 85% of pairs. Egg mortality was significantly higher at 25 °C than at 20 and 22.5 °C; no eggs hatched at 27.5 °C. The physiological mechanisms for reducing reproduction probably prevent the beetles from inefficient oviposition in summer.     

光周期对西葫芦185品系顶芽和叶片衰老的调控

在短日照下 ,西葫芦 (CucurbitapepoLinn .) 185品系的植株发生衰老。结构学、基因表达与系列生化分析证实 :短日照启动了顶端分生组织由营养生长锥向花芽的转化 ,进而其组成细胞发生编程性死亡 (PCD) ,导致顶端生长势的丧失 ;与长日照处理相比 ,短日照处理在发育晚期也引起大量叶肉细胞发生PCD ,进而叶片出现衰老。核酸酶活性的高度表达是PCD过程中一个非常重要的分子事件。实验证实 ,西葫芦 185品系植株衰老进程的发生与顶端分生组织和叶肉细胞中发生PCD密切相关。     

Effects of temperature, photoperiod, and light intensity on the calling rhythm in Arctiid moths

Mean times of onset for calling in Haploa clymene (Brown), Spilosoma virginica (Fabricius), Pareuchaetes insulata (Walker), Cycnia tenera (Hübner), and Euchaetes egle (Drury) advance to earlier times in the photoperiod at lower temperatures. Temperature has no apparent effect on the calling period in Pyrrharctia isabella (J. E. Smith), Spilosoma congrua Walker, and Apantesis nais (Drury). The relationship between the temperatures experienced by each of these species as adults and the response of their calling rhythms to temperature is discussed. Lights-on can elicit calling behaviour in C. tenera, although it is not an absolute requirement because calling eventually begins when lights-on is delayed 4 h and calling also begins prior to lights-on at lower temperatures. Calling periods lengthen in C. tenera and S. congrua when the scotophase is prolonged and in S. congrua after the onset of a lower photophase light intensity (40 lux), suggesting that a higher photophase light intensity (450 lux) inhibits calling and thus causes its termination.

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Résumé Aux faibles températures le moment moyen de déclenchement de l'appel apparaît plus tôt au cours de la photopériode chez Haploa clymene Brown, Spilosoma virginica Fab., Pareuchaetes insulata Walk., Cycnia tenera Hübn. et Euchaetes egle Drury. La température n'a apparemment pas d'effet sur le moment où l'appel débute chez Pyrrharctica isabella J.E. Smith, S. congrua Walk. et Apantesis nais Drury.L'analyse porte sur les relations entre les températures subies par les adultes de ces espèces et leurs réactions d'appel aux différentes températures. L'apparition de la lumière peut induire le comportement d'appel chez C. tenera, bien que ce ne soit pas indispensable puisqu'il peut éventuellement commencer à des températures plus basses avant l'illumination quand celle-ci est retardée de 4 heures. Les périodes d'appel sont prolongées avec la scotophase chez C. tenera et S. congrua, et même après l'apparition d'une photophase à faible intensité lumineuse (40 lux), l'appel de S. congrua se poursuit, ce qui suggère que les photophases à intensité lumineuse plus élevée (450 lux) inhibent l'appel et ainsi en provoquent la fin.

     

Circannual Growth Rhythm in a Brown Alga,Pterygophora californica

A circannual rhythm was found in the kelp Pterygophora californica which forms a new blade with a free running period of 7 ? 8 months under constant conditions. Individual plants exposed to cycles of daylength with T = 12, 6, or 3 months performed 1, 2, or 4 growth cycles, respectively, in one calendar year showing the entrainment of the endogenous circannual rhythm. The annual growth cycle also followed a phase shift of the annual cycle of daylength (T = 12 months) by 3 or 6 months.     

A mutant strain of Chymomyza costata (Diptera: Drosophilidae) insensitive to diapause-inducing action of photoperiod

ABSTRACT. From a Japanese population of Chymomyza costata which has been known to have a photoperiodic larval diapause, we selected a mutant strain which did not respond to photoperiod. However, about 70% of the individuals of this strain entered diapause at 11^oC irrespective of photoperiod, and about the same percentage of those of the photoperiod-sensitive strain also did so in continuous illumination at 11^oC. This indicates that low temperature induces diapause independently of photoperiod. On the other hand, a temperature drop from 18 or 25^oC to 15^oC and chilling at 4^oC did not induce diapause.