Phytochrome C Is A Key Factor Controlling Long-day Flowering in Barley

October 23, 2013

The collaborative research group between the Okayama University Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, the Okayama University Institute of Plant and Resources and the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences has revealed that HvPhyC, one of the phytochrome genes, is a key factor to control long-day flowering and that a mutated HvPhyC causes an early-flowering in the barley variety Hayakiso 2.

The findings were published on Sep. 6, 2013 in the journal Plant Physiology.
http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/early/2013/09/06/pp.113.222570.abstract

Prof. Kato and his colleagues showed that Hayakiso 2 (HK2) has an early-flowering gene and that the gene in question is HvPhyC. The HvPhyC from HK2 has a single nucleotide polymorphism, which causes a non-synonymous amino acid substitution in the functionally essential GAF domain.

The findings are expected to contribute to developing new barley varieties that each have optimal flowering in a certain region. This research group is also developing new barley varieties focused on the HyPhyC gene.


Contact Information:
Mototaka Senda, Ph.D.
US Representative
Intellectual Property Office, Organization for Research Promotion and Collaboration, Okayama University
Fremont, California USA
TEL: 1-510-797-0907
Email: takasenda@okayama-u.ac.jp

Kenji Kato Ph. D.
Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University