Virus-induced gene silencing shows that LATE FLOWERING plays a role in promoting flower development in soybean

Abstract Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a useful tool to investigate the role of genes particularly in hard-to-transform plant species via Agrobacterium -mediated genetic transformation process. Soybean one most important crops for food and protein source, but its low efficiency makes it hard identify functions interest. Here, we adopted tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV)-based VIGS systems examined LATE FLOWERING ( GmLATE ) soybean. Because TRSV induces symptoms affecting leaf senescence development, screened soybean genotypes selected genotype, named Aram, which shows resistance while susceptible TRSV-induced silencing. The TRSV-based showed suppressed flower development with decreased expression related flowering. These results suggest that plays promoting soybean, different from as floral repressor Arabidopsis . Our show novel function demonstrate system can be used study involved flowering