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Publications

NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.

2005

2004

Abstract

Introduction: Survival and competitive successes of boreal forest trees depend on a balance between exploiting the full growing season and minimising frost injury through proper timing of hardening in autumn and dehardening in spring. Our research indicates that the female parents of Norway spruce adjust these timing events in their progeny according to the prevailing temperature conditions during sexual reproduction. Reproduction in a cold environment advances bud-set and cold acclimation in the autumn and dehardening and flushing in spring, whereas a warm reproductive environment delays these progeny traits by an unknown non-Mendelian mechanism. We are now looking for molecular mechanisms that can explain this “epigenetic” phenomenon. Material and methods: We have performed identical crosses with the same Norway spruce (Picea abies) parent, as discussed by Skrøppa & Johnsen (1994) and Johnsen et al. (1995), in combination with timed temperature treatments during shorter and longer periods from female meiosis, pollen tube growth, syngamy and embryogenesis and tested the progenies for bud-set and frost hardiness. We have followed the transcription of the spruce phytochromes PHYO, PHYP and PHYN and the class IV chitinase PaChi4 using Quantitative Multiplex Real-Time PCR. Results and conclusions: The effect of temperature on Adaptive properties is most likely a response to accumulated heat during embryogenesis and seed maturation. Our first attempt to look for a molecular mechanism has revealed that transcription of PHYO, PHYP and PHYN and the class IV chitinase PaChi4 (relative to alphaTubulin) all show higher transcription levels in progenies born under cold conditions than their full-sibs born under warmer conditions. This result is consistent with preliminary findings that methylation of cytosine in total DNA is higher in progenies reproduce under warm conditions than their colder full-sib counterparts. If these observations are related to methylation or other epigenetic effects, we may explain why progenies with a memory of a past time cold embryogenesis are more sensitive to short days than their full-sibs with a warmer embryonic history.

2003

2002

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the activity of gibberellins and auxins for induction of parthenocarpic fruit development in cloudberry, Rubus chamaemorus L., a dioecious, northern wild berry with potential for cultivation. Plant hormones were applied directly to open flowers, either dissolved in ethanol or as an aqueous spray. Of the tested gibberellins (GA1, GA3, GA4, dimethyl-GA4, GA5, GA9, GA19, GA20 and GA24) only GA1, GA3, GA4 and dimethyl-GA4 were active and induced fruit development comparable to development of pollinated fruits. Lack of activity of GA20 and GA9, the immediate precursors of GA1 and GA4, respectively, suggests that 3 b-hydroxylation of gibberellins can be inhibited in unpollinated flowers of cloudberry. Auxin treatments induced an initial fruit development, but did not result in ripe berries. Based on these results, use of transgenic methods to regulate gibberellin or/and auxin biosynthesis in carpels of cloudberry could be used to develop a parthenocarpic cloudberry.