Cassava, which produces edible starchy roots, is an important staple food for hundreds of millions of people in the tropics. Breeding of cassava is hampered by its poor flower production, flower abortion, and lack of reproductive prolificacy. The current work determined that ethylene signalling affects floral development in cassava and that the anti-ethylene plant growth regulator silver thiosulfate (STS) mitigates the effects of ethylene on flower development. STS did not affect the timing of flower initiation, but improved early inflorescence and flower development as well as flower longevity such that flower numbers were increased. STS did not affect shoot and storage root growth. Studies of silver accumulation and treatment localization support the hypothesis that the beneficial effects of STS are confined to tissues of the shoot apex. The most effective timing of application was before inflorescence appearance extending to post-flower appearance. Based on this work a recommended protocol for STS use was developed. This work has the potential to improve methods for enhancing cassava flower development in breeding nurseries and thereby synchronize flowering of desired parents and enable the production of abundant progeny of desired crosses.

中文翻译：

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抗乙烯生长调节剂硫代硫酸银 (STS) 可增加木薯 (Manihot esculenta Crantz) 的花产量和寿命

木薯产生可食用的淀粉根，是热带地区数亿人的重要主食。木薯的育种受到其花产量低、花败育和缺乏繁殖能力的阻碍。目前的工作确定乙烯信号影响木薯的花发育，抗乙烯植物生长调节剂硫代硫酸银 (STS) 减轻了乙烯对花发育的影响。STS 不影响花开始的时间，但改善了早期花序和花发育以及花的寿命，从而增加了花数。STS 不影响芽和贮藏根的生长。银积累和治疗定位的研究支持 STS 的有益作用仅限于茎尖组织的假设。最有效的施用时间是在花序出现之前延伸到花后出现。基于这项工作，开发了 STS 使用的推荐协议。这项工作有可能改进在育种苗圃中促进木薯花发育的方法，从而同步所需亲本的开花，并能够产生大量所需杂交后代。