Characterization of the Flowering Time Gene in a Mini-Core Collection of .

The optimal flowering time for bioenergy crop is essential for environmental adaptability and biomass accumulation. However, little is known about how genes controlling flowering in other grasses contribute to flowering regulation in . Here, we report on the sequence characterization and gene expression of , a transcription factor encoding a HAP3/NF-YB DNA-binding domain, which has been identified as a major quantitative trait locus in rice, with pleiotropic effects on grain yield, heading date and plant height. In , we identified two homoeologous loci, located on chromosome 13 and on chromosome 7, with one on each of this paleo-allotetraploid species' subgenomes. A total of 46 alleles and 28 predicted protein sequence types were identified in 12 wild-collected accessions. Several variants of showed a geographic and latitudinal distribution. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that expressed under both long days and short days, and showed a significantly higher expression than . The comparison between flowering time and gene expression indicated that affected flowering time in response to day length for some accessions. This study provides insight into the conserved function of in the Poaceae, and is an important initial step in elucidating the flowering regulatory network of .