Figure 4

Functional analysis of JcFT in Jatropha. (A) Comparison of plant architecture of JcFT transgenic T1 plant (#43, right) with WT Jatropha plant. Red lines indicate the leaf position of the first and second inflorescences. Bar: 10 cm. (B): A 12-month old WT Jatropha plant. Red lines indicate the leaf position of the first and second inflorescences. Bar: 10 cm. (C) Segregated Jatropha transgenic T1 plant (#43) showing similar flowering traits as WT Jatropha plant. Bar: 10 cm. (D) Schematic diagram of plant architectures in WT and JcFT-overexpressing Jatropha plants. (E) Comparison of WT Jatropha (left) and JcFT-overexpressing transgenic T1 plant (#33, right) with early inflorescence (Inf). Bar: 1 cm. Besides early flowering, JcFT-overexpressing plants produce smaller leaves but with higher leaf number. Bar: 1 cm. (F) Typical WT Jatropha sympodial unit structure: two infloresences (Inf) and two lateral shoots (LS). (G) and (H) Enlarged view showing sympodial unit structure of JcFT-overexpressing transgenic T1 plant (#33): one inflorescence (Inf) and two lateral shoots (LS). Coty: cotyledon. White arrow: lateral shoots. Star: flower bud. L: leaf. Bar: 1 cm. (I) Increased branching in JcFT-overexpressing transgenic Jatropha. Bar: 1 cm. (J) A JcFT transgenic T1 plant (#33) with strong phenotype showing extreme early flowering. Note that the plant produces one single flower at the cotyledon stage. Bar: 1 cm. (K) Comparison of fruit size of WT Jatropha (left) and transgenic Jatropha plant overexpressing JcFT (right). Bar: 1 cm.