RNA-seq flowering time and photoperiod in quinoa. Identification of candidate genes for flowering time regulation and photoperiod response in Chenopodium quinoa through transcriptome analysis

In our study, we aimed to identify candidate genes for flowering time regulation and photoperiod response in quinoa by transcriptome analysis. For this purpose, we used the short-day accession D-12082 and the day-neutral accession PI-614886. To begin, we studied quinoa floral transition at histological level. Further, we investigated these accessions under two photoperiod regimes (short- and long-days) and generated transcriptome data from the leaf and shoot apical meristem (SAM) tissues at different stages of development. We identified four groups of differentially expressed genes (DEGs): DEGs differentially responding to the photoperiod regime to control flowering time; DEGs regulating flowering time under long-day conditions; DEGs regulating flowering time under short-day conditions; and DEGs timing flowering at the SAM. Our results showed that flowering time is likely regulated by two distinct pathways under short- and long-day conditions, and that two quinoa FT orthologues are probably important for regulation of these pathways.