Optimization of crop productivity in tomato using induced mutations in the florigen pathway

Soon Ju Park, Ke Jiang, Lior Tal, Yoav Yichie, Oron Gar, Dani Zamir, Yuval Eshed, Zachary B. Lippman*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

165 Scopus citations

Abstract

Naturally occurring genetic variation in the universal florigen flowering pathway has produced major advancements in crop domestication. However, variants that can maximize crop yields may not exist in natural populations. Here we show that tomato productivity can be fine-tuned and optimized by exploiting combinations of selected mutations in multiple florigen pathway components. By screening for chemically induced mutations that suppress the bushy, determinate growth habit of field tomatoes, we isolated a new weak allele of the florigen gene SINGLE FLOWER TRUSS (SFT) and two mutations affecting a bZIP transcription factor component of the 'florigen activation complex' (ref. 11). By combining heterozygous mutations, we pinpointed an optimal balance of flowering signals, resulting in a new partially determinate architecture that translated to maximum yields. We propose that harnessing mutations in the florigen pathway to customize plant architecture and flower production offers a broad toolkit to boost crop productivity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1337-1342
Number of pages6
JournalNature Genetics
Volume46
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 11 Dec 2014
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Science Foundation1237880
United States - Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development FundIS4536-12C
European Commission
Israel Science Foundation1294-10

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Optimization of crop productivity in tomato using induced mutations in the florigen pathway'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this