ARS | Publication request: Flower and early fruit development in a diploid strawberry, Fragaria vesca

Submitted to: Planta
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: November 24, 2011
Publication Date: December 24, 2011
Citation: Hollender, C., Geretz, A., Slovin, J.P., Liu, Z. 2011. Flower and early fruit development in a diploid strawberry, Fragaria vesca. Planta. 235(6):1123-1139.

Interpretive Summary: Even moderately elevated temperatures cause strawberry plants to stop producing quality fruit. We conducted a detailed description of normal flower and early fruit development as part of our research to understand how temperature affects fruit production. We used manual dissection, light microscopy, and electron microscopy to show the different stages in flower and fruit development, from when the flower is first formed from primordial cells to when the embryo has developed in the seed. The research resulted in defined stages for flower development using clear landmarks to serve as a reference for future genetic and molecular research to determine how heat is affecting berry production. The research will benefit researchers studying strawberry development and promote development of heat tolerant strawberry plants.

Technical Abstract: The diploid woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca is being recognized as an ideal model for the more complex octoploid commercial strawberry (Fragaria ' ananassa) due to the recent completion of a draft genome sequence of F. vesca, short seed to seed cycle, and facile transformation. These features potentially make F. vesca a good model for other members of the Rosaceae family, which contains many economically important tree and woody perennial fruit, nut, ornamental, and wood crops. To propel F. vesca’s role in genetic and genomic research and to facilitate the study of its reproductive development, standardized developmental staging and detailed descriptions of morphological changes associated with flower and fruit development are essential. Using hand dissection, histological sections, and scanning electron microscopy, we have investigated in detail F. vesca flower and early fruit development using a seventh generation inbred diploid line of F. vesca, Yellow Wonder 5AF7. In situ hybridization with the F. vesca AGAMOUS homolog, FvAG, showed expression in stamen and carpel primordia. This work lays the essential groundwork and standardization for future molecular, genetic, and genomic dissections of F. vesca flower and early fruit development.