Root starch reserves are necessary for vigorous re-growth following cutting back in Lotus japonicus.

Perenniality and vegetative re-growth vigour represent key agronomic traits in forage legume (Fabaceae) species. The known determinants of perenniality include the conservation of the vegetative meristem during and after the flowering phase, and the separation of flowering from senescence. The abili...

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Main Authors: Cécile Vriet, Alison M Smith, Trevor L Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3909078?pdf=render
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author Cécile Vriet
Alison M Smith
Trevor L Wang
author_facet Cécile Vriet
Alison M Smith
Trevor L Wang
author_sort Cécile Vriet
collection DOAJ
description Perenniality and vegetative re-growth vigour represent key agronomic traits in forage legume (Fabaceae) species. The known determinants of perenniality include the conservation of the vegetative meristem during and after the flowering phase, and the separation of flowering from senescence. The ability of the plants to store nutrient resources in perennial organs and remobilize them may also play an important role in the perennial growth habit, and in determining the capacity of the plant to re-grow following grazing or from one season to the next. To examine the importance of stored starch, we examined the vegetative re-growth vigour following cutting back of a unique collection of Lotus japonicus mutants impaired in their ability to synthesize or degrade starch. Our results establish that starch stored in the roots is important for re-growth vigour in Lotus japonicus. We extended this analysis to a collection of Lotus (trefoil) species and two ecotypes of Lotus japonicus displaying a large variation in their carbohydrate resource allocation. There was a positive correlation between root starch content and re-growth vigour in these natural variants, and a good general correlation between high re-growth vigour and the perennial life-form. We discuss the relationship between perenniality and the availability of root carbohydrates for re-growth.
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spelling doaj.art-b62ed7ad0a2d42da9e14145759eda5162022-12-22T00:03:59ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0191e8733310.1371/journal.pone.0087333Root starch reserves are necessary for vigorous re-growth following cutting back in Lotus japonicus.Cécile VrietAlison M SmithTrevor L WangPerenniality and vegetative re-growth vigour represent key agronomic traits in forage legume (Fabaceae) species. The known determinants of perenniality include the conservation of the vegetative meristem during and after the flowering phase, and the separation of flowering from senescence. The ability of the plants to store nutrient resources in perennial organs and remobilize them may also play an important role in the perennial growth habit, and in determining the capacity of the plant to re-grow following grazing or from one season to the next. To examine the importance of stored starch, we examined the vegetative re-growth vigour following cutting back of a unique collection of Lotus japonicus mutants impaired in their ability to synthesize or degrade starch. Our results establish that starch stored in the roots is important for re-growth vigour in Lotus japonicus. We extended this analysis to a collection of Lotus (trefoil) species and two ecotypes of Lotus japonicus displaying a large variation in their carbohydrate resource allocation. There was a positive correlation between root starch content and re-growth vigour in these natural variants, and a good general correlation between high re-growth vigour and the perennial life-form. We discuss the relationship between perenniality and the availability of root carbohydrates for re-growth.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3909078?pdf=render
spellingShingle Cécile Vriet
Alison M Smith
Trevor L Wang
Root starch reserves are necessary for vigorous re-growth following cutting back in Lotus japonicus.
PLoS ONE
title Root starch reserves are necessary for vigorous re-growth following cutting back in Lotus japonicus.
title_full Root starch reserves are necessary for vigorous re-growth following cutting back in Lotus japonicus.
title_fullStr Root starch reserves are necessary for vigorous re-growth following cutting back in Lotus japonicus.
title_full_unstemmed Root starch reserves are necessary for vigorous re-growth following cutting back in Lotus japonicus.
title_short Root starch reserves are necessary for vigorous re-growth following cutting back in Lotus japonicus.
title_sort root starch reserves are necessary for vigorous re growth following cutting back in lotus japonicus
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3909078?pdf=render
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AT trevorlwang rootstarchreservesarenecessaryforvigorousregrowthfollowingcuttingbackinlotusjaponicus