PlFUL directly targets PlDAM and PlSOC1 to promote bud dormancy release in herbaceous peony

作者：Xiaobin Wang, Danqing Li, Xu Chen, Lingmei Shao, Runlong Zhang, Zihao Li, Yan Shen, Qiaoyu Huang, Xiaohua Shi, David P. Horvath, Yiping Xia, Jiaping Zhang · 发表于：Journal of Integrative Agriculture · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1016/j.jia.2026.08.022 · 研究领域：Plant Physiology and Cultivation Studies、Plant Molecular Biology Research、Flowering Plant Growth and Cultivation

Bud dormancy release (BDR) is a critical adaptive process that determines spring bud break, flowering time, and yield stability in perennial crops. However, its regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the physiological and molecular basis of BDR in herbaceous peony ( Paeonia lactiflora ), an important perennial ornamental and oil crop. Morphological observations confirmed a gradual release from endodormancy, accompanied by continuous shoot apical meristem (SAM) differentiation. Integrative full-length transcriptomic and physiological analyses revealed that carbohydrate metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, and environmental adaptation are enriched key pathways during BDR. WGCNA analysis identified two key modules (MEred and MEgreen), with the MADS-box APETALA1 ( AP1 )/ FRUITFULL ( FUL ) subfamily gene PlFUL emerging as a central hub gene associated with BDR, a role that has rarely been reported in bud dormancy. Silencing PlFUL significantly delayed bud break, confirming its positive role in regulating BDR. RNA sequencing analyses suggested that PlFUL may promote BDR through hormonal regulation, carbohydrate metabolism, and the PlDAM - PlSOC1 module. Further comprehensive analyses revealed that PlFUL directly binds to the promoters of PlDAM and PlSOC1 , thereby repressing PlDAM but activating PlSOC1 transcription. Together, these findings shed light on the regulatory role of PlFUL in BDR and provide useful information for optimizing chilling requ...