ABSTRACT

Previous studies have shown the conversion of the perennial kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) to continuously flowering allows rapid cycling of generations. These plants are smaller, flower earlier and do not undergo dormancy. They provide a model system to rapidly test gene function in flowers and fruit, and allows for continuous production of fruit rather than seasonal production. In this study, the fruit of continuously flowering, CENTRORADIALIS (CEN) gene-edited, yellow-fleshed ‘Hort16A’ kiwifruit lines were assessed for a range of fruit quality characters. The fruit were smaller and often misshapen, but maturation and ripening occurred on a similar timeline to those of orchard-grown fruit. A single edited CEN line with balanced vegetative-floral production and fruit maturation was selected to assess the effects of growing conditions on fruit maturation and ripening. By lowering the temperature of the plants during maturation, starch breakdown and fruit softening were induced and degreening slowed. This result shows that despite the gene-edited plants flowering continuously and not experiencing a period of winter dormancy, the fruit they produce can complete a full cycle of development and ripening, and these fruit may be manipulated in a predictable manner through temperature within the controlled growing environment.

摘要

先前的研究表明，多年生猕猴桃（猕猴桃属）转化为持续开花可以实现快速的世代循环。这些植物较小，开花较早，不会休眠。它们提供了一个模型系统来快速测试花卉和水果中的基因功能，并允许水果的连续生产而不是季节性生产。在这项研究中，对连续开花的CENTRORADIALIS ( CEN ) 基因编辑的黄色果肉 'Hort16A' 猕猴桃品系的果实进行了一系列果实品质特征的评估。果实较小且经常畸形，但成熟和成熟的时间与果园种植的果实相似。一个编辑过的CEN选择具有平衡的营养-花卉生产和果实成熟的线来评估生长条件对果实成熟和成熟的影响。通过在成熟过程中降低植物的温度，淀粉分解和果实软化被诱导并且度数减慢。这一结果表明，尽管基因编辑的植物持续开花并且没有经历冬季休眠期，但它们产生的果实可以完成一个完整的发育和成熟周期，并且这些果实可以通过可控的温度以可预测的方式进行操纵。生长环境。