Abstract:

Potato is an important food crop in China, and its growth and development are vulnerable to abiotic stresses. The effect of drought on potato growth and development is more dramatic. In this study, StLAC12 was verified as target gene of potato Stu-miR408. It was demonstrated that Stu-miR408 negatively regulated expression of StLAC12. The effect of Stu-miR408 on plant drought resistance was also investigated, and it was found that down-regulated expression of Stu-miR408 can enhance drought resistance of potato. It was also found that lignin synthesis was affected by Stu-miR408, and miR408-LAC12 can affect xylem development by regulating lignin synthesis in response to drought stress. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that Stu-miR408 negatively regulates potato drought tolerance and provided valuable new insights into Stu-miR408-mediated lignin synthesis pathway in response to potato drought stress.