Effect of TIF on gene expression under inductive and non-inductive photoperiods. Solanum tuberosum

The primary objective of this project is to determine the physiological and developmental differences between photoperiod and root induced tuberization responses in potato using genomic techniques. These experiments will establish baseline genomic and proteomic response associated with a partially characterized root-produced compound (TIF) that either substitutes for, or over-rides, the primary leaf perceived photoperiod induction signal in potato. The proposed work will answer the following questions. Are photoperiod and root induced tuberization responses the same? Do photoperiod and root induced tuberization trigger the same developmental processes in the stolon? How are photoperiod and root induced signals expressed in the genome of the leaf, stolon and roots? The data from the proposed experiments will prove invaluable in identifying key pathways in specific tissues to target in subsequent experiments in order to determine identify of, and establish the mode of action of the TIF compound. Keywords: Direct comparison Overall design: 35 hybs total