Shikimic acid accelerates phase change and flowering in Chinese jujube

The juvenile-to-adult phase change with first flowering as the indicator plays a crucial role in the lifecycle of fruit trees. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying phase change in fruit trees remain largely unknown. Shikimic acid (ShA) pathway is a main metabolic pathway closely related to the synthesis of hormones and many important secondary metabolites participating in plant phase change. So,whether ShA regulates phase change in plants is worth clarifying. Here, the distinct morphological characteristics and the underlying mechanisms of phase change in jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), an important fruit tree native to China with nutritious fruit and outstanding tolerance abiotic stresses, were clarified. A combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis found that ShA is positively involved in jujube(Yuhong’×Xing 16’) phase change. The genes in the upstream of ShA synthesis pathway (ZjDAHPS, ZjDHQS and ZjSDH), the contents of ShA and the downstream secondary metabolites like phenols were significantly upregulated in the phase change period. Further, the treatment of spraying exogenous ShA verified that ShA at a very low concentration (60 mg·L^(-1)) can substantially speed up the phase change and flowering of jujube and other tested plants including Arabidopsis, tomato and wheat. The exogenous ShA (60 mg·L^(-1)) treatment in jujube seedlings could increase the accumulation of endogenous ShA, enhance leaf photosynthesis and the synthesis of phenols especially flavonoids and phenolic acids, and promote the expression of genes (ZjCOs, ZjNFYs and ZjPHYs) involved in flowering pathway. Basing on above results, we put forward a propose for the underlying mechanism of ShA regulating phase change, and a hypothesis that ShA could be considered a phytohormone-like substance because it is endogenous, ubiquitous, movable and highly efficient at very low concentrations. This study highlights the critical role of ShA in plant phase change and its phytohormone-like properties.

Biology of Flowering of Some Species of the Genus Phlomoides Moench

The article presents the biology of flowering and the daily dynamics of flowering of two species from the Lamiaceae family: ph. anisochila va ph. sogdiana of the distribution out in the Nuratau Mountains range.

J-family genes redundantly regulate flowering time and increase yield in soybean

Soybean(Glycine max)is a short-day crop whose flowering time is regulated by photoperiod.The longjuvenile trait extends its vegetative phase and increases yield under short-day conditions.Natural variation in J,the major locus controlling this trait,modulates flowering time.We report that the three J-family genes influence soybean flowering time,with the triple mutant Guangzhou Mammoth-2 flowering late under short days by inhibiting transcription of E1-family genes.J-family genes offer promising allelic combinations for breeding.

Molecular mechanism of flowering time regulation in Brassica rapa:similarities and differences with Arabidopsis

Properly regulated flowering time is pivotal for successful plant reproduction.The floral transition from vegetative growth to reproductive growth is regulated by a complex gene regulatory network that integrates environmental signals and internal conditions to ensure that flowering takes place under favorable conditions.Brassica rapa is a diploid Cruciferae species that includes several varieties that are cultivated as vegetable or oil crops.Flowering time is one of the most important agricultural traits of B.rapa crops because of its influence on yield and quality.The transition to flowering in B.rapa is regulated by several environmental and developmental cues,which are perceived by several signaling pathways,including the vernalization pathway,the autonomous pathway,the circadian clock,the thermosensory pathway,and gibberellin(GA)signaling.These signals are integrated to control the expression of floral integrators BrFTs and BrSOC1s to regulate flowering.In this review,we summarized current research advances on the molecular mechanisms that govern flowering time regulation in B.rapa and compare this to what is known in Arabidopsis.

GmAP1d regulates flowering time under long-day photoperiods in soybean

Flowering time is important for adaptation of soybean(Glycine max)to different environments.Here,we conducted a genome-wide association study of flowering time using a panel of 1490 cultivated soybean accessions.We identified three strong signals at the qFT02-2 locus(Chr02:12037319–12238569),which were associated with flowering time in three environments:Gongzhuling,Mengcheng,and Nanchang.By analyzing linkage disequilibrium,gene expression patterns,gene annotation,and the diversity of variants,we identified an AP1 homolog as the candidate gene for the qFT02-2 locus,which we named GmAP1d.Only one nonsynonymous polymorphism existed among 1490 soybean accessions at position Chr02:12087053.Accessions carrying the Chr02:12087053-T allele flowered significantly earlier than those carrying the Chr02:12087053-A allele.Thus,we developed a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence(CAPS)marker for the SNP at Chr02:12087053,which is suitable for marker-assisted breeding of flowering time.Knockout of GmAP1d in the‘Williams 82’background by gene editing promoted flowering under long-day conditions,confirming that GmAP1d is the causal gene for qFT02-2.An analysis of the region surrounding GmAP1d revealed that GmAP1d was artificially selected during the genetic improvement of soybean.Through stepwise selection,the proportion of modern cultivars carrying the Chr02:12087053-T allele has increased,and this allele has become nearly fixed(95%)in northern China.These findings provide a theoretical basis for better understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of flowering time in soybean and a target gene that can be used for breeding modern soybean cultivars adapted to different latitudes.

AHP-based Landscape Value Evaluation of Perennial Flower Border Application in Hefei City

An analytic hierarchy process(AHP)was employed to establish a landscape value evaluation model for 20 common species of perennial flowers in the flower border of Hefei City.With the overarching objective of determining the application value of the flower border,10 evaluation factors were identified and subsequently classified into 3 distinct grades.Grade I(L>2.5)was defined as perennial flower resources with the highest development and utilization value,including only one species of Salvia farinacea.Grade II(2.0≤L≤2.5)was defined as perennial flower varieties suitable for most areas,encompassing 9 species of plants,such asTaraxacummongolicum.Grade III(L<2.0)was defined as perennial flower varieties with low application value,encompassing 10 species of plants,such asRuellia brittoniana,but lacking the value of further popularization and application.Consequently,the proportion of their application in the flower border should be reduced.The evaluation results can serve as a theoretical foundation for the implementation of perennial flowers in urban flower borders.

Unraveling the regulatory network of flower coloration in soybean:Insights into roles of GmMYBA3 and GmMYBR1

Anthocyanins play crucial roles in pollen protection and pollinator attraction in flowering plants.However,the mechanisms underlying flower color determination and whether floral anthocyanin regulators participate in other processes remain largely unresolved in soybeans(Glycine max).In this study,we investigated the genetic components and mechanisms governing anthocyanin biosynthesis in soybean flowers.Molecular and genetic studies have characterized two antagonistic regulators,the positive activator GmMYBA3 and the negative repressor GmMYBR1,that modulate the gene expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis in soybean flowers.Further findings revealed a regulatory interplay between GmMYBA3 and GmMYBR1 bridged by GmTT8a,highlighting the complexity of anthocyanin regulation in different soybean organs.Exploration of additional soybean cultivars demonstrated the universality of GmMYBA3 and GmMYBR1 in regulating floral anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes,with GmF3’5’H identified as a crucial determinant of white flower color.This study provides a molecular mechanism underlying soybean flower color determination,paving the way for the molecular modification of soybean flowers to probably enhance their resistance to abiotic stresses and attractiveness to pollinators.

Flower development and sexual dimorphism in Vernicia montana

The mu oil tree(Vernicia montana Lour.) is a dioecious species, but the genetic mechanisms underlying its phenotypic sexual dimorphism are unclear. In this study, we determined two pivotal phases of sex differentiation of mu oil tree via morphological and histological analyses of unisexual flowers:(Ⅰ) differentiation of male or female primordia to produce staminate flowers(SFs) or transient hermaphrodite flowers(HFs),and(Ⅱ) complete abortion of stamens in transient HFs to generate pistillate flowers(PFs). A total of 1621 sex-biased genes were identified by comparative transcriptome analysis which exhibited elevated rates of protein evolution than unbiased genes. The female-biased genes were enriched in the production of defense compounds while male-biased genes were focused on the production of viable pollens. Transcriptomebased analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes(DEGs) between PFs and SFs in phase Ⅰ involved in abscisic acid(ABA), auxin(AUX), cytokinin(CK), ethylene(ET), and gibberellin(GA) biosynthesis and signaling showed higher expression levels in males than in females in general, whereas the DEGs involved in jasmonic acid(JA) and salicylic acid(SA) pathways displayed opposite expression patterns. Moreover,differentially expressed endogenous ABA, AUX, GAs, JA, and SA exhibited consistent biased expression patterns with the DEGs by UPLC-MSbased analysis. Exogenous application of an anti-ethylene plant growth regulator could promote the development of stamens in PFs and generated HFs. Comparative transcriptomic and hormonal analyses of PFs and SFs in phase Ⅱ indicated an increase in ET concentration when abortion of stamens in PFs occurred. This study suggested that phytohormones play key roles in sex dimorphism and ET may determine the development of stamens in PFs of mu oil tree, which provides an insight into plant sex differentiation mechanisms.

2P3FL:A Novel Approach for Privacy Preserving in Financial Sectors Using Flower Federated Learning

The increasing data pool in finance sectors forces machine learning(ML)to step into new complications.Banking data has significant financial implications and is confidential.Combining users data from several organizations for various banking services may result in various intrusions and privacy leakages.As a result,this study employs federated learning(FL)using a flower paradigm to preserve each organization’s privacy while collaborating to build a robust shared global model.However,diverse data distributions in the collaborative training process might result in inadequate model learning and a lack of privacy.To address this issue,the present paper proposes the imple-mentation of Federated Averaging(FedAvg)and Federated Proximal(FedProx)methods in the flower framework,which take advantage of the data locality while training and guaranteeing global convergence.Resultantly improves the privacy of the local models.This analysis used the credit card and Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity Intrusion Detection Evaluation(CICIDS)datasets.Precision,recall,and accuracy as performance indicators to show the efficacy of the proposed strategy using FedAvg and FedProx.The experimental findings suggest that the proposed approach helps to safely use banking data from diverse sources to enhance customer banking services by obtaining accuracy of 99.55%and 83.72%for FedAvg and 99.57%,and 84.63%for FedProx.

Flower morphology of Allium(Amaryllidaceae)and its systematic significance

Allium is a complicated genus that includes approximately 1000 species.Although its morphology is well studied,the taxonomic importance of many morphological traits,including floral traits,are poorly understood.Here,we examined and measured the floral characteristics of 87 accessions of 74 Allium taxa(belonging to 30 sections and nine subgenera)from Central to Eastern Asian countries.We then examined the taxonomic relationships between select flower characteristics and a phylogenetic tree based on ITS sequences.Our results confirm that floral morphology provides key taxonomic information to assess species delimitation in Allium.We found that perianth color is an important characteristic within the subg.Melanocrommyum,Polyprason,and Reticulatobulbosa.In subg.Allium,Cepa,and Rhizirideum,significant characteristics include ovary shape,perianth shape,and inner tepal apex.For species in subg.Angunium,the key taxonomic character is ovule number(only one ovule in per locule).In the subg.Allium,Cepa,Polyprason,and Reticulatobulbosa,which belong to the third evolutionary line of Allium,hood-like appendages occur in the ovary,although these do not occur in subg.Rhizirideum.Our results also indicated that the flower morphology of several species in some sections are not clearly distinguished,e.g.,sect.Sacculiferum(subg.Cepa)and sect.Tenuissima(subg.Rhizirideum).This study provides detailed photographs and descriptions of floral characteristics and information on general distributions,habitats,and phenology of the studied taxa.

Transcriptome and morphological analyses of double flower formation in Dianthus chinensis

The double flower developmental process is regulated via a complex transcriptional regulatory network.To understand this highly dynamic and complex developmental process of Dianthus spp.,we performed a comparative analysis of floral morphology and transcriptome dynamics in simple flowers and double flowers.We found that the primordium of double flowers of‘X’was larger in size compared to that of simple flowers of‘L’in Dianthus chinensis.RNA-seq and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis(WGCNA)during flower development,identified stage-specific gene network modules.Expression analysis by RNA-seq indicated that a group of genes related to floral meristem identity,primordia position and polarity were highly expressed in double flowers genotypes compared to simple flowers genotypes,suggesting their roles in double-petal formation.A total of 21 DEGs related to petal number were identified between simple and double flowers.The experiments of in situ hybridization revealed that DcaAP2L,DcaLFY and DcaUFO genes were expressed in the intra-sepal boundary and petal boundary.We proposed a potential transcriptional regulatory network for simple and double flower development.This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanism underlying double flower formation in Dianthus spp.

Analysis on Genetic Diversity of 40 Flowering Cherry Cultivars and Construction of Molecular ID Based on SSR Markers

Studying on the genetic diversity and genetic relationship of flowering cherry cultivars is extremely important for germplasm conservation, cultivar identification and breeding. Flowering cherry is widely cultivated as an important woody ornamental plant in worldwide, especially Japan, China. However, owning to the morphological similarity, many cultivars are distinguished hardly in non-flowering season. Here, we evaluated the genetic diversity and genetic relationship of 40 flowering cherry cultivars, which are mainly cultivated in China. We selected 13 polymorphicprimers to amplify to allele fragments with fluorescent-labeled capillary electrophoresis technology. The population structure analysis results show that these cultivars could be divided into 4 subpopulations. At the population level, Na and Ne were 6.062, 4.326, respectively. Ho and He were 0.458 and 0.670, respectively. The Shannon’s information index (I) was 1.417. The Pop3, which originated from P. serrulata, had the highest Ho, He, and I among the 4 subpopulations. AMOVA showed that only 4% of genetic variation came from populations, the 39% variation came from individuals and 57% (p < 0.05) came from intra-individuals. 5 polymorphic SSR primers were selected to construct molecular ID code system of these cultivars. This analysis on the genetic diversity and relationship of the 40 flowering cherry cultivars will help to insight into the genetic background, relationship of these flowering cherry cultivars and promote to identify similar cultivars.

Strategies and Economic Benefit Analysis for Productive Landscape of Rape Flower Sea in Cold Regions

The cold regions are located in high latitudes and cold climates.The local excellent ornamental plant resources are relatively scarce.The plant species that are suitable for both ornamental and productive benefits of landscape of flower sea construction are also even fewer.Therefore,it is imperative to introduce and screen the plant resources suitable for cold regions to create the landscape of flower sea.The rape,an oilseed crop,was used as a research object in order to create a productive flower landscape with both ornamental and economic values in cold regions.Four rape flower varieties,Qingza No.5,7,9,and 11,were introduced from Qinghai Hufeng Agricultural Science and Technology Group Co.,Ltd.They were planted in the experimental practice base of Northeast Agricultural University in three batches.Development characteristics and seed yield of rape flowers on different sowing dates were studied.The fuzzy probability method was used to comprehensively evaluate the varieties.The results showed that the rape flowers grew well in Harbin City during the experimental sowing period,which could form a good landscape of flower sea and had a considerable rapeseed yield.It could be widely used in cold urban and rural areas,such as Harbin City.In view of the experimental results,the strategies of creating a productive landscape of rape flower sea were proposed and the economic benefits were analyzed.It could change the status quo of a uniform landscape of flower sea in cold regions,help the development of rural tourism,and promote local economic income.

Diversity and Application of Herbaceous Flowers in Urban Road Greening in Hefei City

In urban road greening,the planting of ground cover flowers is essential,and herbaceous flowers are an important part.Through the investigation on the diversity of herbaceous flowers in urban road green spaces of Hefei City,the types,colors,application frequency and planting of herbaceous flowers in urban road green spaces were statistically analyzed,and the application forms of herbaceous flowers in the road greening of Hefei City were studied.The characteristics and problems of herbaceous flowers in the road greening of Hefei City were found,and some development suggestions were put forward.

Evaluation of Application Value of 30 Introduced Flowering Shrubs in Landscape in Hefei City Based on AHP Method

The application effect of 30 introduced flowering shrubs in landscape in Hefei City was comprehensively evaluated by the analytic hierarchy process(APH).A comprehensive evaluation model was established by using factors such as plant type,resistance and drought tolerance of introduced flowering shrubs.The results show that the application effect of grade-I introduced flowering shrubs(including 12 kinds,e.g.Lantanacamara)was the best(j≥2.6),and that of grade-II introduced flowering shrubs(including 14 kinds,e.g.Abelia×grandiflora‘Francis Mason’)was better(2.2≤j<2.6),while that of grade-III introduced flowering shrubs(including 4 kinds,e.g.Ligustrum×vicaryi)was moderate(j<2.2).The evaluation results can provide reference for the application effect of introduced flowering shrubs in landscape in Hefei City.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Application Value of Wild Flower Resources in Flower Border in Hefei City

In order to further understand and better develop and utilize wild flower resources in Hefei City,a comprehensive evaluation model of landscape value of wild flowers in the application of flower border was constructed by field investigation and analytic hierarchy process(AHP).The application value of wild flowers in Hefei was evaluated by selecting evaluation indicators from three aspects of ornamental value,adaptability and resource potential.

Study on Skin Care Efficacy of the Active Ingredients in Camellia Japonica Flowers at High and Low Altitudes

The active ingredients of Camellia japonica flowers(CJF)at high and low altitudes,as well as their skin care efficacy were compared.The dried red CJF at high and low altitudes were ultrasonically extracted with 70%ethanol,and these extracts were concentrated and then diluted to a constant volume.The content of total flavonoids,total polyphenols and total proteins was tested and analyzed.In addition,DPPH free radical scavenging,inhibition of the formation of advanced glycation end products,and inhibitory activity against elastase was measured to compare their skin care efficacy in anti-oxidation,anti-glycation,anti-wrinkling and firming.The results showed that,based on the dry weight of CJF,the content of total flavonoids and total proteins of the CJF at high altitude was approximately 1.5 times of the CJF at low altitude,while the content of total polyphenols was approximately 2.4 times that of the CJF at low altitude.The skin care efficacy of CJF at high altitude was significantly better than that of the CJF at low altitude.This work could provide theoretical basis for the selection and application of Camellia japonica flowers in the field of cosmetics.

Molecular regulatory events of flower and fruit abscission in horticultural plants

Flower and fruit abscission is a highly programmed physiological process,which is closely related to the yield of horticultural plants.The coordination of many regulatory factors associated with metabolic and signaling pathways plays a key role in the flower and fruit shedding.Hormones,peptides,carbohydrates,polyamines or cell wall modifying proteins regulate flower and fruit shedding.This article reviewed the recent studies of flower and fruit abscission,including the molecular regulation mechanism of abscission zone formation,typical structure and location of abscission zones,and other factors affecting flower and fruit abscission,such as stresses,hormones,peptides,carbohydrates,polyamines and cell wall modifying proteins.Overall,the review summarizes the developmental mechanism and the diversity of abscission zones,and the key factors affecting flower and fruit abscission of horticultural plants,aiming to provide guidance for studying the molecular regulatory mechanism of flower and fruit abscission.

Two soybean homologues of TERMINAL FLOWER 1 control flowering time under long day conditions

Flowering time is a key agronomic trait that directly affect the adaptation and yield of soybean.After whole genome duplications,about 75%of genes being represented by multiple copies in soybean.There are four TERMINAL FLOWER 1(TFL1)genes in soybean,and the TFL1b(Dt1)has been characterized as the determinant of stem growth habit.The function of other TFL1 homologs in soybean is still unclear.Here,we generated knockout mutants by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology and found that the tfl1c/tfl1d double mutants flowered significantly earlier than wild-type plants.We investigated that TFL1c and TFL1d could physically interact with the b ZIP transcription factor FDc1 and bind to the promoter of APETALA1a(AP1a).RNA-seq and q RT-PCR analyses indicated that TFL1c and TFL1d repressed the expressions of the four AP1 homologs and delayed the flowering time in soybean.The two genes play important roles in the regulation of flowering time in soybean and mainly act as the flowering inhibitors under long-day conditions.Our results identify novel components in the flowering-time regulation network of soybean and will be invaluable for molecular breeding of improved soybean yield.

Flowers: precious food and medicine resources

Flower plants are popular all over the world and important sources of ornamental plants,bioactive molecules and nutrients.Flowers have a wide range of biological activities and beneficial pharmacological effects.Flowers and their active ingredients are becoming more and more popular in the preparation of food,drugs and industrial products.This paper summarizes the active ingredients,pharmacological activities and applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries of flower plants in recent years.In addition,the possible molecular mechanism of pharmacological effects of flower plants were also discussed.302 active constituents from 55 species of flower plants were summarized,including flavonoids(115),terpenoids(90),phenylpropanoids(20),alkaloids(13),organic acids(27)and others(37).The pharmacological effects of flower plants are very extensive,mainly including antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor,anti-virus,and hypoglycemic.The mechanisms of anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor and hypoglycemic activities present the characteristics of multi-way and multi-target.Because of its rich nutrients,bioactive ingredients and plant essential oils,and its wide sources,flower plants are widely used in food,beverage,cosmetics and drug research.Flower plants also play an important role in pharmaceutical industry,food industry and other fields.