To understand the functional identification of large-scale genomic sequences in Forsythia, tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-mediated virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), suitable for the plant, was explored in this study. The results showed that the TRV-mediated VIGS system could be successfully used in Forsythia for silencing the reporter gene FsPDS (Forsythia phytoene desaturase) using stem infiltration and leaf infiltration methods. All the treated plants were pruned below the injection site after 7–15 d infection; the FsPDS was silenced and typical photobleaching symptoms were observed in newly sprouted leaves at the whole-plant level. Meanwhile, this system has been successfully tested and verified through virus detection and qRT-PCR analysis. After the optimization, Forsythia magnesium chelatase subunit H (FsChlH) was silenced successfully in Forsythia using this system, resulting in yellow leaves with decreased chlorophyll content. The system was stable, highly efficient and had greater rapidity and convenience, which made it suitable to study the function of genes related to physiological pathways such as growth and development, and metabolic regulation in Forsythia.

为了解连翘中大规模基因组序列的功能鉴定，本研究探索了适用于该植物的烟草摇铃病毒（TRV）介导的病毒诱导的基因沉默（VIGS）。结果表明，TRV介导的VIGS系统可以成功地用于连翘中，通过茎浸润和叶片浸润方法沉默报告基因FsPDS（连翘八氢番茄红素去饱和酶）。感染7-15天后，将所有处理过的植物在注射部位以下修剪；该FsPDS在整个植物水平上，新发芽的叶片被静默并观察到典型的光漂白症状。同时，该系统已经通过病毒检测和qRT-PCR分析成功进行了测试和验证。优化后，使用该系统在连翘中成功使连翘镁螯合酶亚基H（FsChlH）成功沉默，导致叶绿素含量降低的黄叶。该系统稳定，高效，快捷，方便，适用于研究连翘的生长发育，代谢调控等生理途径相关基因的功能。