Morris, Wayne L.Alamar, M. CarmenLopez-Cobollo, Rosa M.Castillo Cañete, JavierBennett, Markvan der Kaay, JeroenStevens, JenniferSharma, Sanjeev KumarMcLean, KarenThompson, Andrew J.Terry, Leon A.Turnbull, Colin G. N.Bryan, Glenn J.Taylor, Mark A.2018-12-132018-12-132018-11-03Morris WL, Alamar MC, Lopez-Cobollo RM et al., (2019) A member of the TERMINAL FLOWER1/CENTRORADIALIS gene family controls sprout growth in potato tubers. Journal of Experimental Botany, Volume 70, Issue 3, January 2019, pp. 835–8430022-0957https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/ery387http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/13731Potato tuber bud dormancy break followed by premature sprouting is a major commercial problem which results in quality losses and decreased tuber marketability. An approach to controlling premature tuber sprouting is to develop potato cultivars with a longer dormancy period and/or reduced rate of sprout growth. Our recent studies using a potato diploid population have identified several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that are associated with tuber sprout growth. In the current study, we aim to characterize a candidate gene associated with one of the largest effect QTLs for rapid tuber sprout growth on potato chromosome 3. Underlying this QTL is a gene encoding a TERMINAL FLOWER 1/CENTRORADIALIS homologue (PGSC0003DMG400014322). Here, we use a transgenic approach to manipulate the expression level of the CEN family member in a potato tetraploid genotype (cv. Désirée). We demonstrate a clear effect of manipulation of StCEN expression, with decreased expression levels associated with an increased rate of sprout growth, and overexpressing lines showing a lower rate of sprout growth than controls. Associated with different levels of StCEN expression were different levels of abscisic acid and cytokinins, implying a role in controlling the levels of plant growth regulators in the apical meristem.enAttribution 4.0 InternationalAbscisic acidcytokininpotatosproutingstorageTERMINAL FLOWER 1/ CENTRORADIALISArticle21962797