Publication details
Effect of high temperatures on flowering Arabidopsis thaliana
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| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | Due to climate change, the average annual temperatures have increased dramatically in the last decades. A further increase is expected In the upcoming years, including an increase in heatwave events. High temperatures affect plant fitness, reducing fertility and the production of fruits and seeds. Plant reproduction is the most sensitive phase to high temperatures because of heat-induced sterility and alteration of female and male gametophytes, reducing the production of seeds (Barnabás et al., 2008). The auxin and cytokinin plant hormones regulate the development of ovules, embryos, and seeds. Heat stress has been shown to alter hormone metabolism (Stavang et al., 2009). We aim to analyze how different high-temperature scenarios affect flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana, focusing on the production of seeds and alteration of hormonal homeostasis. Our results show that high temperatures negatively affect flowering, altering the production of flowers and reducing flowering time. Pollination and fertilization of ovules are affected by high temperatures resulting in a lower production of seeds and shorter fruit size. High temperatures accelerate embryo development, and, in many cases, embryos display developmental defects, similar to what is observed in various auxin mutants. The morphology and size of seeds are different when seeds are produced under high-temperature conditions compared to milder warm temperatures, affecting germination and seedling phenotype. Barnabás, B., Jäger, K. & Fehér, A. 2008. The effect of drought and heat stress on reproductive processes in cereals. Plant Cell and Environment, 31, 11-38. Stavang, J.A., et al. 2009. Hormonal regulation of temperature-induced growth in Arabidopsis. The Plant Journal 60, 589-601. |