Reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide induce senescence of rudimentary leaves and the expression profiles of the related genes in Litchi chinensis

Abstract

Climate change: tricking the trees Warmer winter temperatures suppress flowering of litchi trees, threatening fruit production, but researchers have found another way to trigger litchi trees to reproduce. In litchi, spring buds contain both flower and leaf primordia, and cold cues the plants to shed the young leaves, allowing the flower primordia to develop. With recent warmer winters, the leaves are crowding out the flowers. Biyan Zhou at South China Agricultural University investigated whether spraying with compounds that make the trees produce stress-signaling molecules, such as nitrous oxide, would mimic the effects of a cold winter. Following treatment, the trees shed their rudimentary leaves and flowers developed. Microscopic examination of buds showed that the leaf shedding process looked similar to cold-triggered shedding. This study offers a method to induce litchis to flower and fruit, even in a changing climate.