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Many plant species have succeeded in colonizing a wide range of diverse climates through local adaptation, but the underlying molecular genetics remain obscure. We previously found that winter survival was a direct target of selection during colonization of Japan by the perennial legume Lotus japonicus and identified associated candidate genes. Here, we show that two of these, FERONIA-receptor like kinase (LjFER) and a S-receptor-like kinase gene (LjLecRK), are required for non-acclimated freezing tolerance and show haplotype-dependent cold-responsive expression. Our work suggests that recruiting a conserved growth regulator gene, FER, and a receptor-like kinase gene, LecRK, into the set of cold-responsive genes has contributed to freezing tolerance and local climate adaptation in L. japonicus, offering functional genetic insight into perennial herb evolution.

Many plant species have succeeded in colonizing a wide range of diverse climates through local adaptation, but the underlying molecular genetics remain obscure. We previously found that winter survival was a direct target of selection during colonization of Japan by the perennial legume Lotus japonicus and identified associated candidate genes. Here, we show that two of these, the FERONIA-receptor like kinase (LjFER) and a novel S-receptor-like kinase (LjSRK) are required for non-acclimated freezing tolerance and show haplotype-dependent cold-responsive expression. Our work demonstrates that recruiting a conserved growth regulator, FER, and a novel receptor-like kinase, SRK, into the set of cold-responsive genes has contributed to freezing tolerance and local climate adaptation in L. japonicus, offering new functional genetic insight into perennial herb evolution.

As soybean cultivars are adapted to a relatively narrow range of latitude, the effects of climate changes are estimated to be severe. To address this issue, it is important to improve our understanding of the effects of climate change by applying the simulation model including both genetic and environmental factors with their interactions (G×E). To achieve this goal, we conducted the field experiments for soybean core collections using multiple sowing times in multi-latitudinal fields. Sowing time shifts altered the flowering time (FT) and growth phenotypes, and resulted in increasing the combinations of genotypes and environments. Genome-wide association studies for the obtained phenotypes revealed the effects of field and sowing time to the significance of detected alleles, indicating the presence of G×E. By using accumulated phenotypic and environmental data in 2018 and 2019, we constructed multiple regression models for FT and growth pattern. Applicability of the constructed models was evaluated by the field experiments in 2020 including a novel field, and high correlation between the predicted and measured values was observed, suggesting the robustness of the models. The models presented here would allow us to predict the phenotype of the core collections in a given environment.

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) is an economically important plant which is native to Indonesia and Malaysia. The diversity of rambutan in Indonesia is abundance especially in Kalimantan where the wild relatives still grow naturally. Rambutan cultivars are usually differed from each other based on fruit morphological characters. However, rambutan tree begins to fruiting for the first time in 3-4 years. Therefore, another character is needed to characterize each cultivar in a short period. The objectives of this study were to distinguish rambutan cultivars using leaf morphological and Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR). As many as 30 rambutan cultivars collected from Cipaku Orchard and Mekar Sari Park were observed for their morphological and ISSR characters. Six characters of were surveyed for leaf morphological character. For the genetic character, 6 out of 31 ISSR primers were assessed which resulted in 58 polymorphic bands (87%). As a result, leaf morphological characters overlapped among cultivars causing difficulties distinguishing each cultivar. ISSR marker, three major clusters have been identified according to UPGMA method. Index similarity among rambutan accessions from ISSR data ranged from 48-93%. As a conclusion, ISSR marker could be potentially applied rambutan cultivars characterization.

Capsicum frutescens cv. CakraHijau is a local cultivar that has been widely cultivated in Indonesia due to its several advantages, including its pungency. Pungent taste of Capsicum is generated by capsaicin compound encoded by AT3 gene. Recently, 404 bp fragment of AT3 gene had been isolated. This research aimed to isolate upstream and downstream fragments of AT3 gene. PCR method used two pairs of primers: F2/R2 ( F2 5’-TCT CCA TGC TGA CAA CAA CA-3’, and R2 5’-CGA TGA AAG ATA GCT TGT G-3’) and F3/R3 ( F3 5’-GCA TCT CTT GCA GAG AGC ATA G-3’, and R3 5’-TGT ACG CAC TCG TTG AGA CT-3’). F2/R2 primers amplified 326 bp upstream fragments, while F3/R3 primer amplified 261 bp downstream fragments. The alignment of those two fragments with one previously obtained produces a 675 bp partial sequence with 230 bp located upstream of presumed start codon. ClustalX analysis reveals that this fragment is located upper half compare to C. frutescens cv. Shuanla AT3 gene. Further primer design is necessary to obtain downstream of AT3 gene. Keywords: Capsicum frutescens cv. CakraHijau, Capsaicin, AT3 gene