Identification and Functional Studies on the Role of in Herbaceous Peony Stem Development.

Stem strength plays a crucial role in the growth and development of plants, as well as in their flowering and fruiting. It not only impacts the lodging resistance of crops, but also influences the ornamental value of ornamental plants. Stem development is closely linked to stem strength; however, the roles of the SPL transcription factors in the stem development of herbaceous peony ( Pall.) are not yet fully elucidated. In this study, we obtained and cloned the full-length sequence of , encoding 1085 amino acids. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that the expression level of gradually increased with the stem development of and was significantly expressed in vascular bundles. Subsequently, utilizing the techniques of virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and heterologous overexpression in tobacco ( L.), it was determined that -silenced had a thinner xylem thickness, a decreased stem diameter, and weakened stem strength, while -overexpressing tobacco resulted in a thicker xylem thickness, an increased stem diameter, and enhanced stem strength. Further screening of the interacting proteins of PlSPL14 using a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assay revealed an interactive relationship between PlSPL14 and PlSLR1 protein, which acts as a negative regulator of gibberellin (GA). Additionally, the expression level of gradually decreased during the stem development of . The above results suggest that may play a positive regulatory role in stem development and act in the xylem, making it a potential candidate gene for enhancing stem straightness in plants.