A Project Report On Expression Profiling of Flowering Time Controlling Genes in Cowpea

Abstract

A crucial stage of plant development, flowering time, affects many facets of growth, reproduction, and yield. Comprehending the genetic regulation of blooming time in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is crucial for enhancing crop output and adaptability to various settings. To clarify the molecular processes driving the timing of flowering, we performed qRT-PCR based expression profiling of genes relevant to flowering time in two cowpea genotypes, IGFRI-01 and IGFRI-03 in the present work. FCG1 and FCG2 genes showed significantly higher expression in IGFRI-01 and IGFRI-03 genotypes at flowering initiation stage. However, under non-flowering conditions, the gene expression was significantly down-regulated. These observations suggest that FCG1 and FCG2 are linked to flowering initiation time in cowpea. Identification and characterization of such genes will help in understanding the molecular mechanism underlying flowering time in cowpea