Author(s)

Carolina Alvarez^1,2*, Luis Valledor³, Patricia Sáez¹, Rodrigo Hasbún¹, Manuel Sánchez-Olate¹, María Jesús Cañal⁴, Darcy Ríos¹

¹Laboratorio de Cultivo de Tejidos Vegetales, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Centro de Biotecnología, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
²Centro Tecnológico de la Planta Forestal (CTPF), Instituto Forestal (INFOR), Sede Bío-Bío, Chile.
³Laboratories of Adaption Biotechnologies, Global Change Research Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic.
⁴Plant Physiology, Epiphysage Research Group, Biology of Organisms and Systems Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.

A major problem in forest clonal productivity is the loss of morphogenetic capability with the increasing age of plants. However, despite of the importance of loss of morphogenetic competence, very little research has been done about the underlying mechanisms involved in this process. For this reason, a gene expression analysis using dot blot technique was performed in needles and stems of 1- and 3-year old Pinus radiata rootstock plants with a proved decrease in morphogenetic competence. Needles of one year old rootstock plants showed a higher number of up-regulated in genes mainly corresponding to photosynthesis and protein synthesis, degradation and modification, reflecting a higher number of active pathways in younger hedges, contrary to the older ones. Gene expression profiles found in stems are in agreement with those found in needles, indicating more active pathways in younger rootstock plants than in older ones. Several transcripts regulating transcription and translation were up-regulated in young competent tissues. Three-year-old stems presented an increase in the expression of an ethylene response factor, involved in plant organ senescence, indicating that pathways involved in senescence and ageing might inhibit the adventitious root formation, as in the older cuttings.

Plant Ageing, Gene Expression, Morphogenetic Competence, Pinus radiate

Alvarez, C. , Valledor, L. , Sáez, P. , Hasbún, R. , Sánchez-Olate, M. , Cañal, M. and Ríos, D. (2016) Changes in Gene Expression in Needles and Stems of Pinus radiata Rootstock Plants of Different Ontogenic Age. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 7, 1205-1216. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2016.78116.