Oren-Shamir, M., Dept. of Ornamental Horticulture, Agric. Res. Org., Volcani C., Bet Dagan, Israel
Shaked-Sachray, L., Dept. of Ornamental Horticulture, Agric. Res. Org., Volcani C., Bet Dagan, Israel
Nissim-Levi, A., Dept. of Ornamental Horticulture, Agric. Res. Org., Volcani C., Bet Dagan, Israel
Ecker, R., Dept. of Ornamental Horticulture, Agric. Res. Org., Volcani C., Bet Dagan, Israel

In most lisianthus flowers anthocyanin coloration occurs very late in petal development just preceding unfurling of the petals. We have developed through breeding several lisianthus lines in which coloration occurs at a very early developmental stage. Using these lines and lines in which coloration occurs at a late stage, we study the trait of anthocyanin synthesis timing both genetically and biochemically. The early coloration trait is shown to be recessive for the F1 generation, and probably involves more than one gene. Our biochemical study show that three key enzymes in the metabolic pathway of anthocyanin synthesis (chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI) and flavone 3-hydroxylase (F3H)) accumulate early on during bud development in all lines. Hence, the control of the pathway is either at enzymes late in the pathway or is postranslational.