Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Abstract 1 1.1 The whole growth period, growth period of wheat 2 1.1.1 The whole growth period of wheat 2 1.1.2 The growth period of wheat 2 1.1.3 The growth stage of wheat 5 1.1.4 The relation among whole growth period, growth period, growth stage 5 1.2 The research advances in wheat phase development 5 1.3 The research advances in developing types and ecological regionalization of wheat varieties 6 1.4 The research advances in thermo-photoperiod response of wheat organ formations 8 1.4.1 The thermo-photoperiod response of spike differentiation 8 1.4.2 The thermo-photoperiod response of main stem leaf age 10 1.4.3 The relation of wheat organ formations 10 1.5 The research advances in the genes related to vernalization 12 1.6 The research advances in the genes related to photoperiod response 13 Summary and discussion 15 References 16 Chapter 2 The wheat vernalization development 20 Abstract 20 2.1 The vernalization types of different wheat varieties in China 22 2.1.1 The vernalization characteristic of typical spring variety 23 2.1.2 The vernalization response difference among different varieties in the period from seedling to heading period (SH period) 23 2.1.3 The cluster analysis of different varieties in vernalization 25 2.2 The vernalization characteristics of different wheat types 26 2.2.1 The effect of vernalization on the SH period of different varieties 27 2.2.2 The effect of sowing dates on wheat varieties 29 2.2.3 The vernalization characteristic of wheat varieties from different regions of China 32 2.3 The vernalization response of wheat varieties at home and abroad 33 2.3.1 The effect of vernalization on the SH period of different varieties 33 2.3.2 The effect of vernalization on spike differentiation of different varieties 34 2.4 The vernalization response of wheat varieties in the Huanghuai region 35 2.4.1 The effect of vernalization on the SH period of different varieties 37 2.4.2 The effect of vernalization on spike differentiation of different varieties 37 2.4.3 The cluster analysis of different varieties in vernalization 38 2.4.4 The spike differentiation difference of different variety types 40 2.5 The temperature and period of vernalization 43 2.5.1 The temperature of vernalization 43 2.5.2 The effect of cumulative temperature and negative cumulative temperature on the SH period 44 2.5.3 The definition of vernalization period of wheat 45 Summary and discussion 46 References 47 Chapter 3 The photoperiodic development of wheat and interaction of thermo-photoperiod effect 49 Abstract 49 3.1 The photoperiod development of wheat 50 3.1.1 The photoperiod characteristics of wheat varieties in China 50 3.1.2 The photoperiod characteristics of wheat varieties at home and abroad 53 3.2 The thermo-photoperiod sensitiveness of wheat varieties 55 3.2.1 The photoperiod sensitiveness of wheat varieties under different vernalizations 56 3.2.2 The vernalization sensitiveness of wheat varieties under different photoperiods 59 3.3 The combined effects of thermo-photoperiod on the SH period of wheat varieties 60 3.3.1 The thermo-photoperiod condition of the shortest SH period 60 3.3.2 The thermo-photoperiod condition of the longest SH period 62 3.3.3 The analysis of thermo-photoperiod effects on the SH period 63 3.3.4 The regression analysis of thermo-photoperiod effects on the SH period 64 3.4 The effects of thermo-photoperiod on the ear differentiation of wheat varieties 68 Summary and discussion 69 References 72 Chapter 4 The thermo-photoperiod effects on the wheat organ formations 73 Abstract 73 4.1 The thermo-photoperiod response of main stem leaf age 74 4.1.1 The effect of vernalization on main stem leaf age 75 4.1.2 The effect of photoperiod on main stem leaf age 76 4.1.3 The combined effects of the thermo-photoperiod on main stem leaf age 77 4.1.4 The regression analysis of thermo-photoperiod effects on main stem leaf age 80 4.2 The corresponding relation between leaf age and ear differentiation and its diagnose 84 4.2.1 The corresponding relation between leaf age and ear differentiation 84 4.2.2 The ear differentiation diagnose based on leaf age 88 4.2.3 The corresponding relation between leaf age and ear differentiation under the field 92 4.3 The thermo-photoperiod response of other characters 94 4.3.1 The thermo-photoperiod response of the tiller 94 4.3.2 The thermo-photoperiod response of plant height 96 4.3.3 The thermo-photoperiod response of the ear 97 Summary and discussion 99 References 102 Chapter 5 The development types and ecological regionalization of wheat in China 103 Abstract 103 5.1 The characteristics and regionalization of wheat sowing date 104 5.1.1 The characteristics of wheat sowing date 104 5.1.2 Regionalization of wheat sowing date 107 5.2 The development type of wheat and regional characteristics in China 107 5.2.1 The development type of wheat varieties 107 5.2.2 The regional characteristics of wheat regionalization 108 5.3 The regionalization of wheat distribution in China 109 5.3.1 The region of spring wheat of spring planting 110 5.3.2 The region of winter wheat of autumn planting and spring wheat of winter planting 112 5.3.3 The region of both winter and spring wheat 116 References 117 Chapter 6 The variation patterns of climatic factors and wheat production in different wheat regions of China 118 Abstract 118 6.1 The temperature variation in different wheat regions and its effect on wheat growing period 121 6.1.1 The temperature variation in different wheat regions 121 6.1.2 The effect of temperature variation on wheat growing period 123 6.1.3 The effect of accumulated temperature before winter on main stem leaf age and spike differentiation of wheat 127 6.2 The variation pattern of light conditions in different wheat regions 133 6.2.1 The variation pattern of day length in different wheat regions 133 6.2.2 The variation pattern of light duration in different wheat regions 134 6.3 The variation pattern of precipitation in different wheat regions 137 6.3.1 The distribution of precipitation in different wheat regions 137 6.3.2 The precipitation variation in different wheat regions 139 6.4 The variation pattern of sun radiation and wheat productivity in different wheat regions 140 6.4.1 The variation pattern of sun radiation 140 6.4.2 The wheat potential productivity in different wheat regions 142 6.5 The situation and development analysis of wheat production in China 144 6.5.1 The importance of wheat in China 144 6.5.2 The consumption and trade of wheat in China 146 6.5.3 The development process of wheat production in China 148 6.5.4 The development characteristic of wheat production in China 150 6.6 The development analysis of wheat production in different wheat regions 152 6.6.1 The importance of different wheat regions in China 152 6.6.2 The development analysis of wheat production in the Huanghuai wheat region 154 6.6.3 The development analysis of wheat production in winter wheat region 161 6.6.4 The development analysis of wheat production in spring wheat region and both winter and spring wheat region 172 References 179 Chapter 7 Wheat vernalization-related genes and its composition analysis 180 Abstract 180 7.1 The vernalization-related proteins and molecular marker of vernalizationrelated genes 182 7.1.1 The change of soluble protein amount during vernalization 182 7.1.2 The change of soluble protein composition during vernalization 183 7.1.3 The change of isoenzymes during vernalization 185 7.1.4 The molecular marker of vernalization-related genes 191 7.2 The composition analysis of vernalization-related genes VRN1 192 7.2.1 The sequence analysis of the promoter and first intron code region of VRN-A1 193 7.2.2 The sequence analysis of first intron code region of VRN-B1 194 7.2.3 The sequence analysis of first intron code region of VRN-D1 195 7.2.4 The relation between the composition of Vrn1 allelic genes and growth habits 198 7.2.5 The composition analysis of VRN1 allelic genes of wheat varieties from the Huanghuai wheat region 199 7.3 The types and distribution of vernalization-related genes of wheat varieties from the whole country 203 7.3.1 The type analysis of vernalization-related genes of wheat varieties 203 7.3.2 The distribution of vernalization-related genes of wheat varieties 207 7.3.3 The relation between genotypes and growth habits 216 References 217 Chapter 8 Cloning and expression of vernalization-related genes in wheat 219 Abstract 219 8.1 Cloning and expression of vernalization-related gene VRN1 222 8.1.1 Cloning and sequence analysis of VRN1 222 8.1.2 Expression analysis of VRN1 after vernalization 235 8.1.3 Expression analysis of VRN1 during vernalization 241 8.1.4 The relation among genotype, expression and development process 246 8.2 Cloning and expression of vernalization-related gene VRN2 247 8.2.1 Cloning and sequence analysis of VRN2 247 8.2.2 Expression analysis of VRN2 259 8.2.3 The characteristics of sequence and expression of VRN2 261 8.3 Cloning and expression of vernalization-related gene VRN3 263 8.3.1 Cloning and sequence analysis of VRN3 264 8.3.2 Expression analysis of VRN3 268 8.3.3 The relation between VRN3 and vernalization and the interaction of VRN1,VRN2, VRN3 275 8.4 The expression characteristics of vernalization-related genes 279 8.4.1 The expression of vernalization-related genes during seed developing 279 8.4.2 The expression of vernalization-related genes during seed germinating 279 8.4.3 The expression of vernalization-related genes in different organs 280 8.4.4 The expression characteristics analysis of vernalization-related genes 282 References 282 Chapter 9 Analysis of vernalization-responsive transcriptome and candidate genes in wheat 285 Abstract 285 9.1 The analysis of the vernalization-responsive transcriptomes and expression profiles 287 9.1.1 The transcriptome sequencing, assembly, Unigene annotation and GO classification 287 9.1.2 The analysis of digital gene expression (DGE) 290 9.1.3 Validation of DGE by qRT-PCR method 296 9.2 Expression patterns and sequence analysis of vernalization-related candidate genes in wheat 297 9.2.1 The vernalization-related genes from DGE 298 9.2.2 Expression patterns of the vernalization-related genes 299 9.2.3 cDNA cloning and sequence and function analysis of the vernalization-related genes 303 9.2.4 Expression analysis of the vernalization-related genes 310 9.3 Functional verification of candidate genes by VIGS technology 312 9.3.1 Cloning and transcription of candidate genes 312 9.3.2 Expression analysis of candidate genes under infection by BSMV recombinant vector 313 9.3.3 The effect of candidate genes on vernalization 319 9.4 VER2 cloning and expression analysis 320 9.4.1 VER2 cloning and sequence analysis of different varities 320 9.4.2 VER2 expression analysis during vernalization of different varities 322 9.4.3 VER2 expression analysis under different vernalizations 326 References 328 Chapter 10 Wheat photoperiod-related genes and transcriptome analysis 330 Abstract 330 10.1 The photoperiod characteristics of different wheat varieties 332 10.1.1 The heading period difference of wheat varieties under different photoperiods 333 10.1.2 The flowering period difference of wheat varieties under different photoperiods 335 10.1.3 The ear differentiation difference of wheat varieties under different photoperiods 337 10.2 The allelic gene type and sequence characteristic of photoperiod-related gene Ppd-1 339 10.2.1 The allelic gene type of photoperiod-related gene Ppd-1 of different wheat varieties340 10.2.2 The cDNA sequence of photoperiod-related gene Ppd-1 of different wheat varieties342 10.2.3 The genome sequence of photoperiod-related gene Ppd-1 of different wheat varieties352 10.3 The expression characteristic of photoperiod-related genes 353 10.3.1 The expression characteristic of Ppd-D1 of different wheat varieties 354 10.3.2 The expression characteristic of TaGI of different wheat varieties 355 10.3.3 The expression characteristic of TaCO of different wheat varieties 356 10.3.4 The expression characteristic of TaFT of different wheat varieties 357 10.4 The transcriptome library and DGE related to photoperiodic response 358 10.4.1 The transcriptome sequencing analysis 359 10.4.2 The functional subsets and classifications of the transcriptomes 360 10.4.3 The differently expressed genes and their function analysis in DGE 363 References 368 Appendix 1 Publications by authors 369 Appendix 2 Index 373 Colour figures Photographs of wheat thermo-photoperiod development