Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding 2025, Vol.15, No.3, 89-97 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/tgmb 94 7.2 Expression pattern and functional assays The expression level of CsaFT1 in tea plants is significantly increased before flowering and during the flower bud formation stage. Functional tests show that after introducing CsaFT1 into Arabidopsis thaliana, the plants can flower earlier and also increase the expression levels of flower-related genes such as SOC1 and LFY. These results suggest that CsaFT1 can indeed promote plant flowering (Liu et al., 2020a). Furthermore, some plant hormones, such as gibberellin and abscisic acid, also affect the expression of CsaFT1, indicating that it is also involved in the hormone-regulated flowering mechanism (Xu et al., 2022). 7.3 Implications for breeding early- or late-flowering cultivars The research on CsaFT1 provides a new direction for regulating the flowering time of tea plants. By controlling the expression of this gene, it is possible to achieve breeding of early or late flowering traits, thereby growing more suitable tea varieties in different regions or seasons. This not only helps balance the vegetative growth and flowering of tea plants, but also increases the yield and quality of tea (Liu et al., 2020a; Xu et al., 2022). In the future, CsaFT1 can be used as a molecular marker to breed new tea varieties that adapt to different climates and tea-picking times, bringing a more sustainable development path to the tea industry. 8 Applications in Tea Breeding and Crop Improvement 8.1 Marker-assisted selection for flowering traits With the sequencing of the tea genome and the pan-genome completed, scientists have identified many important genes and allelic variations related to flowering time. These achievements have laid the foundation for the development of molecular markers and the realization of label-assisted selection (MAS). By combining genotype and phenotype analysis, researchers can more accurately identify early-flowering or late-flowering varieties, thereby accelerating the breeding progress and improving the breeding efficiency (Chen et al., 2023; Li et al., 2023). 8.2 Molecular breeding strategies for climate adaptation Nowadays, climate change is becoming increasingly obvious, which also has an impact on the growth and flowering time of tea. Molecular breeding methods, such as genomic selection, genetic modification and gene editing, can help breed new varieties that are more adaptable to extreme weather conditions like drought and high temperatures. By screening genes related to stress resistance and flowering time and combining genomic breeding technology, scientists are expected to cultivate high-yield and high-quality tea varieties more quickly (Mukhopadhyay et al., 2015; Lubanga et al., 2022; Ramakrishnan et al., 2023). 8.3 Integration with phenology-based cultivation practices If these molecular breeding achievements are combined with the planting and management methods of tea gardens, the flowering time can be better controlled. For instance, by using molecular markers to identify early-flowering or late-flowering varieties and combining them with local weather and growth records, more reasonable planting and tea-picking times can be arranged, thereby enhancing the yield and quality of tea. Meanwhile, this method can also help tea gardens better cope with climate change and maintain stable production (Ranatunga, 2019; Li et al., 2023; Zakir et al., 2023). 9 Concluding Remarks In recent years, research on the molecular mechanism of when tea flower has made rapid progress. Scientists have identified many key genes, such as CsFLC1 and CsMADS27 in the MADS-box family, which play a significant role in regulating flowering time, winter dormancy and germination. Through genomic and transcriptomic analysis, classic flowering genes such as SOC1, LFY, FT, GI, and PRR7 were also discovered. The combination of miR156d and CsSPL1 is also closely related to the flowering time and the development of flower organs. In addition, hormones such as gibberellin, abolic acid and ethylene, along with their signaling pathways, also affect flowering and dormancy. These hormones, together with transcription factors (such as MYB, WRKY, bHLH, etc.), form a complex regulatory network.
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