title: Monitoring seasonal bud set, bud burst, and cold hardiness in Populus.
abstract: Using a perennial model plant allows the study of reoccurring seasonal events in a way that is not possible using a fast-growing annual such as Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). In this study, we present a hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × P. tremuloides) as our perennial model plant. These plants can be grown in growth chambers to shorten growth periods and manipulate day length and temperature in ways that would be impossible under natural conditions. In addition, the use of growth chambers allows easy monitoring of height and diameter expansion, accelerating the collection of data from new strategies that allow evaluation of promoters or inhibitors of growth. Here, we describe how to study and quantify responses to seasonal changes (mainly using P. tremula × P. tremuloides) by measuring growth rate and key events under different photoperiodic cycles.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cell Physiology, Bielefeld University, 100131, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany, mikael.johansson@uni-bielefeld.de.
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003080:Cold Temperature; D017440:Photoperiod; D057445:Plant Dormancy; D032107:Populus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons