Genome-Wide Identification of Auxin Response Factors in Peanut ( L.) and Functional Analysis in Root Morphology.

Auxin response factors (ARFs) play important roles in plant growth and development; however, research in peanut ( L.) is still lacking. Here, 63, 30, and 30 genes were identified from an allotetraploid peanut cultivar and two diploid ancestors (. and . ). Phylogenetic tree and gene structure analysis showed that most s were highly similar to those in the ancestors. By scanning the whole-genome for ARF-recognized -elements, we obtained a potential target gene pool of AhARFs, and the further cluster analysis and comparative analysis showed that numerous members were closely related to root development. Furthermore, we comprehensively analyzed the relationship between the root morphology and the expression levels of s in 11 peanut varieties. The results showed that the expression levels of // were positively correlated with root length, root surface area, and root tip number, suggesting an important regulatory role of these genes in root architecture and potential application values in peanut breeding.