title: A possible role for flowering locus T-encoding genes in interpreting environmental and internal cues affecting olive (Olea europaea L.) flower induction.
abstract: Olive (Olea europaea L.) inflorescences, formed in lateral buds, flower in spring. However, there is some debate regarding time of flower induction and inflorescence initiation. Olive juvenility and seasonality of flowering were altered by overexpressing genes encoding flowering locus T (FT). OeFT1 and OeFT2 caused early flowering under short days when expressed in Arabidopsis. Expression of OeFT1/2 in olive leaves and OeFT2 in buds increased in winter, while initiation of inflorescences occurred i n late winter. Trees exposed to an artificial warm winter expressed low levels of OeFT1/2 in leaves and did not flower. Olive flower induction thus seems to be mediated by an increase in FT levels in response to cold winters. Olive flowering is dependent on additional internal factors. It was severely reduced in trees that carried a heavy fruit load the previous season (harvested in November) and in trees without fruit to which cold temperatures were artificially applied in summer. Expression analysis suggested that these internal factors work either by reducing the increase in OeFT1/2 expression or through putative flowering repressors such as TFL1. With expected warmer winters, future consumption of olive oil, as part of a healthy Mediterranean diet, should benefit from better understanding these factors.
authors.affiliation: The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Amnon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haberman
authors.affiliation: The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Ortal
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bakhshian
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', IHSM-UMA-CSIC, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, 29071, Spain.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cerezo-Medina
authors.affiliation: The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paltiel
authors.affiliation: The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Giora
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ben-Ari
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', IHSM-UMA-CSIC, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, 29071, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Angel
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mercado
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', IHSM-UMA-CSIC, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, 29071, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pliego-Alfaro
authors.affiliation: The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.|Institute of Plant Sciences, The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan, 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Shimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lavee
authors.affiliation: The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Alon
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0191-3907
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samach
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003463:Cues; D004777:Environment; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005638:Fruit / Q000502:physiology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D056626:Inflorescence / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018519:Meristem / Q000648:ultrastructure; D031658:Olea / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Olea europaea; alternate bearing; flowering; flowering locus T; fruit load; olive