Discovery of Flowering Gene in Cacao May Lead to Accelerated Breeding Strategies
Published:24 May2021 Source:Penn State
For the first time, Penn State researchers have identified a gene that controls flowering in cacao, a discovery that may help accelerate breeding efforts aimed at improving the disease-ridden plant, they suggested.
Characterizing the Flowering Locus T gene in cacao, responsible for the production of florigen -- a protein that triggers flowering in most plants -- is important, according to study co-author Mark Guiltinan, J. Franklin Styer Professor of Horticultural Botany and professor of plant molecular biology. He expects this advancement to enable scientists to develop disease-resistant trees faster, which is critical because 20% to 30% of the world's cacao crop is lost to disease annually.