FTA2 — Cicer arietinum

Summary

FTA2 (FT) on chickpea chromosome 3 encodes a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP family) with annotated DNA-binding transcription factor activity, mRNA regulatory element binding translation repressor activity, and protein N-GlcNAc transferase activity. The gene is associated with photoperiodism, floral whorl development, maintenance of floral meristem identity, vernalization response, and regulation of secondary shoot formation. It has been connected to photoperiod-sensitive flowering time, spikelet floret size, inflorescence branch arrangement, axillary bud dormancy, fruit set, seed viability, vegetative vigor, and temperature stress response. Additional associations include strigolactone signaling, branching, floral transition timing, florigen transport, and abiotic stress tolerance. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to flowering time, photoperiodic flowering response, seed dormancy, and inflorescence architecture.