Environmental regulation of the end-of-flowering in angiosperms

Flowering is a key phase in plant development, whose timing is crucial to synchronise a plant’s life cycle with the changing seasons. Environmental signals are fundamental in determining when flowering starts in angiosperms, but their effects during the end-of-flowering are only beginning to be understood. The work presented here provides a detailed characterization of the environmental control of end-of-flowering in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and other angiosperms, and suggests a key role for temperature, day length and nutrient availability as regulators of inflorescence arrest. Furthermore, the genetic regulation of end-of-flowering has been examined both in standard laboratory accessions and in naturally-occurring populations. This has led to the identification of a novel role for the floral integrator FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) in the control of inflorescence meristem arrest and its response to environmental signals. Additionally, systems biology and bioinformatic approaches have been utilized to identify potential genes underlying arrest, both FT-dependent and independent. Taken together, the data gathered here demonstrate that the environment has a clear impact on both the duration of flowering and the reproductive output of plants, and shed light into the genetic signals underlying this processes. Better understanding the environmental control of end-of-flowering is a necessary first step towards improving the productivity of crops and here, its relevance has been demonstrated for hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum), a species of world-wide commercial importance.