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Ectopic AtCBF3 expression improves freezing tolerance and promotes compact growth habit in petunia

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Abstract

Freezing temperatures can be devastating for annual bedding plants, including Petunia × hybrida (petunia). The C-repeat binding factor (CBF) transcriptional activator proteins induce expression of a cascade of genes during the process of cold acclimation that results in a transient improvement in freezing tolerance for many plant species. Petunia ‘Mitchell’ plants were transformed with either AtCBF3 from Arabidopsis thaliana or SlCBF1 from Solanum lycopersicum, both under the strong constitutive CaMV 35S promoter. AtCBF3, but not SlCBF1, expression improved basal (non-cold-acclimated) freezing tolerance compared to wild-type plants, and induced expression of putative members of a petunia CBF-regulon. The basal freezing tolerance of AtCBF3 lines was similar to cold-acclimated freezing tolerance for wild-type plants. Additionally, freezing tolerance of AtCBF3 lines improved further following cold acclimation. Constitutive AtCBF3 expression also resulted in a dwarf phenotype, with reductions in plant height, internode length and leaf area, but did not impact leaf mass, resulting in a decreased specific leaf area (mm2 mg−1). Flowering of AtCBF3 lines was also delayed compared to wild-type.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge financial support from the American Floral Endowment and Project GREEEN. We thank Dr. Michael Thomashow for the use of his laboratory for the controlled freezing tests.

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  1. Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Aaron E. Walworth, Guo-qing Song & Ryan M. Warner

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  1. Aaron E. Walworth
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  2. Guo-qing Song
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  3. Ryan M. Warner
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Correspondence to Ryan M. Warner.

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Walworth, A.E., Song, Gq. & Warner, R.M. Ectopic AtCBF3 expression improves freezing tolerance and promotes compact growth habit in petunia. Mol Breeding 33, 731–741 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-013-9989-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-013-9989-7

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