Transcriptome profiling of a long-juvenile soybean variety with a loss-of-function allele of J (GmELF3a) under different photoperiod conditions

The loss of function of J/GmELF3 gene in soybean delays flowering and enhance yield under short day conditions. Understanding the molecular mechanism of soybean delayed flowering under short-day (SD) conditions will enhance breeding of high yielding soybean varieties for the tropics. Our study aims at discovering the flowering related genes and the pathways involved in Huaxia-3, a long-juvenile mutant soybean variety with mutation in J locus and delayed flowering under SD. RNA-Seq analysis was conducted to compare the transcriptome of Huaxia-3 (HX-3) to a transgenic Huaxia-3 (OEHX-3) overexpressing the J gene. The study contributes to the knowledge gap in the molecular mechanism of flowering time regulation under tropical conditions.