Data from: An antagonistic pair of FT homologs mediates the control of flowering time in sugar beet

Cultivated beets (Beta vulgaris) are unable to form reproductive shoots
during the first year of their life cycle. Flowering only occurs if plants
get vernalized, i.e. pass through the winter, and are subsequently exposed
to an increasing day length (photoperiod) in spring. Here we show that the
regulation of flowering time in beet is controlled by the interplay of two
paralogs of the FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene in Arabidopsis that have
evolved antagonistic functions. BvFT2 is functionally conserved with FT
and essential for flowering. In contrast, BvFT1, which is down-regulated
in response to vernalization, represses flowering and is crucial for the
vernalization response in beet. These data suggest that beet utilizes a
different strategy relative to Arabidopsis and cereals to regulate
vernalization.