Table 4 Time required (in hours) for the different VIGS ILL lines to reach 50% flower pedicel abscission

Time to 50% abscission

17.8 ± 0.29 a

16 ± 0.32 b

17.5 ± 0.32 a

16.3 ± 0.29 b

16.2 ± 0.22 b

17.7 ± 0.16 a

Silenced SlILL gene(s)

ILL1 + 5

ILL1 + 6

ILL5 + 6

ILL3 + 7

ILL1 + 5 + 6

Time to 50% abscission

15.3 ± 0.41 c

15.4 ± 0.19 c

15.3 ± 0.35 c

17.6 0.53 a

12.4 ± 0.33 d