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Patan SSVK, Vallepu S, Shaik KB, Shaik N, Adi Reddy NRY, Terry RG, Sergeant K, Hausman JF. Drought resistance strategies in minor millets: a review. PLANTA 2024; 260:29. [PMID: 38879859 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04427-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION The review discusses growth and drought-response mechanisms in minor millets under three themes: drought escape, drought avoidance and drought tolerance. Drought is one of the most prominent abiotic stresses impacting plant growth, performance, and productivity. In the context of climate change, the prevalence and severity of drought is expected to increase in many agricultural regions worldwide. Millets (coarse grains) are a group of small-seeded grasses cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions throughout the world and are an important source of food and feed for humans and livestock. Although minor millets, i.e., foxtail millet, finger millet, proso millet, barnyard millet, kodo millet and little millet are generally hardier and more drought-resistant than cereals and major millets (sorghum and pearl millet), understanding their responses, processes and strategies in response to drought is more limited. Here, we review drought resistance strategies in minor millets under three themes: drought escape (e.g., short crop cycle, short vegetative period, developmental plasticity and remobilization of assimilates), drought avoidance (e.g., root traits for better water absorption and leaf traits to control water loss), and drought tolerance (e.g., osmotic adjustment, maintenance of photosynthetic ability and antioxidant potential). Data from 'omics' studies are summarized to provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms important in drought tolerance. In addition, the final section highlights knowledge gaps and challenges to improving minor millets. This review is intended to enhance major cereals and millet per se in light of climate-related increases in aridity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suneetha Vallepu
- Department of Botany, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, 516005, India
| | - Khader Basha Shaik
- Department of Botany, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, 516005, India
| | - Naseem Shaik
- Department of Botany, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, 516005, India
| | | | | | - Kjell Sergeant
- Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, (LIST), Avenue Des Hauts Fourneaux 5, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Jean François Hausman
- Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, (LIST), Avenue Des Hauts Fourneaux 5, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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2
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Al-Salman Y, Cano FJ, Pan L, Koller F, Piñeiro J, Jordan D, Ghannoum O. Anatomical drivers of stomatal conductance in sorghum lines with different leaf widths grown under different temperatures. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:2142-2158. [PMID: 37066624 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sustaining crop productivity and resilience in water-limited environments and under rising temperatures are matters of concern worldwide. We investigated the leaf anatomical traits that underpin our recently identified link between leaf width (LW) and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE), as traits of interest in plant breeding. Ten sorghum lines with varying LW were grown under three temperatures to expand the range of variation of both LW and gas exchange rates. Leaf gas exchange, surface morphology and cross-sectional anatomy were measured and analysed using structural equations modelling. Narrower leaves had lower stomatal conductance (gs ) and higher iWUE across growth temperatures. They also had smaller intercellular airspaces, stomatal size, percentage of open stomatal aperture relative to maximum, hydraulic pathway, mesophyll thickness, and leaf mass per area. Structural modelling revealed a developmental association among leaf anatomical traits that underpinned gs variation in sorghum. Growing temperature and LW both impacted leaf gas exchange rates, but only LW directly impacted leaf anatomy. Wider leaves may be more productive under well-watered conditions, but consume more water for growth and development, which is detrimental under water stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazen Al-Salman
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Francisco J Cano
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- Instituto de Ciencias Forestales (ICIFOR-INIA), CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ling Pan
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Department of Grassland Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Fiona Koller
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Juan Piñeiro
- Department of Biology, IVAGRO, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario, Capus del Rio San Pedro, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - David Jordan
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Hermitage Research Facility, The University of Queensland, Warwick, Queensland, Australia
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture & Fisheries, Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, Queensland, Australia
| | - Oula Ghannoum
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
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3
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Wong ACS, van Oosterom EJ, Godwin ID, Borrell AK. Integrating stay-green and PIN-FORMED genes: PIN-FORMED genes as potential targets for designing climate-resilient cereal ideotypes. AOB PLANTS 2023; 15:plad040. [PMID: 37448862 PMCID: PMC10337860 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plad040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant architecture modification (e.g. short-stature crops) is one of the key outcomes of modern crop breeding for high-yielding crop varieties. In cereals, delayed senescence, or stay-green, is an important trait that enables post-anthesis drought stress adaptation. Stay-green crops can prolong photosynthetic capacity during grain-filling period under post-anthesis drought stress, which is essential to ensure grain yield is not impacted under drought stress conditions. Although various stay-green quantitative trait loci have been identified in cereals, the underlying molecular mechanisms regulating stay-green remain elusive. Recent advances in various gene-editing technologies have provided avenues to fast-track crop improvement, such as the breeding of climate-resilient crops in the face of climate change. We present in this viewpoint the focus on using sorghum as the model cereal crop, to study PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin efflux carriers as means to modulate plant architecture, and the potential to employ it as an adaptive strategy to address the environmental challenges posed by climate uncertainties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erik J van Oosterom
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ian D Godwin
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew K Borrell
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Hermitage Research Facility, 604 Yangan Road, Warwick, Queensland 4370, Australia
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Baloch FS, Altaf MT, Liaqat W, Bedir M, Nadeem MA, Cömertpay G, Çoban N, Habyarimana E, Barutçular C, Cerit I, Ludidi N, Karaköy T, Aasim M, Chung YS, Nawaz MA, Hatipoğlu R, Kökten K, Sun HJ. Recent advancements in the breeding of sorghum crop: current status and future strategies for marker-assisted breeding. Front Genet 2023; 14:1150616. [PMID: 37252661 PMCID: PMC10213934 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1150616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Sorghum is emerging as a model crop for functional genetics and genomics of tropical grasses with abundant uses, including food, feed, and fuel, among others. It is currently the fifth most significant primary cereal crop. Crops are subjected to various biotic and abiotic stresses, which negatively impact on agricultural production. Developing high-yielding, disease-resistant, and climate-resilient cultivars can be achieved through marker-assisted breeding. Such selection has considerably reduced the time to market new crop varieties adapted to challenging conditions. In the recent years, extensive knowledge was gained about genetic markers. We are providing an overview of current advances in sorghum breeding initiatives, with a special focus on early breeders who may not be familiar with DNA markers. Advancements in molecular plant breeding, genetics, genomics selection, and genome editing have contributed to a thorough understanding of DNA markers, provided various proofs of the genetic variety accessible in crop plants, and have substantially enhanced plant breeding technologies. Marker-assisted selection has accelerated and precised the plant breeding process, empowering plant breeders all around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faheem Shehzad Baloch
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Sivas, Türkiye
| | - Muhammad Tanveer Altaf
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Sivas, Türkiye
| | - Waqas Liaqat
- Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Çukurova University, Adana, Türkiye
| | - Mehmet Bedir
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Sivas, Türkiye
| | - Muhammad Azhar Nadeem
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Sivas, Türkiye
| | - Gönül Cömertpay
- Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute, Adana, Türkiye
| | - Nergiz Çoban
- Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute, Adana, Türkiye
| | - Ephrem Habyarimana
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Celaleddin Barutçular
- Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Çukurova University, Adana, Türkiye
| | - Ibrahim Cerit
- Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute, Adana, Türkiye
| | - Ndomelele Ludidi
- Plant Stress Tolerance Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - Tolga Karaköy
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Sivas, Türkiye
| | - Muhammad Aasim
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Sivas, Türkiye
| | - Yong Suk Chung
- Department of Plant Resources and Environment, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Rüştü Hatipoğlu
- Kırşehir Ahi Evran Universitesi Ziraat Fakultesi Tarla Bitkileri Bolumu, Kırşehir, Türkiye
| | - Kağan Kökten
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Sivas, Türkiye
| | - Hyeon-Jin Sun
- Subtropical Horticulture Research Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea
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5
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Tirfessa A, McLean G, Baker P, Mortlock M, Hammer G, van Oosterom E. Differences in temperature responses among phenological processes in diverse Ethiopian sorghum germplasm can affect their specific adaptation to environmental conditions. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2023; 131:601-611. [PMID: 36661105 PMCID: PMC10147321 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcad011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Main shoot total leaf number (TLN) is a key determinant of plant leaf area and crop adaptation. Environmental factors other than photoperiod can affect TLN in sorghum, implying that leaf appearance rate (LAR) and development rate can differ in response to temperature. The objectives of this study were to determine (1) if temperature effects on TLN can be explained as a consequence of differences in temperature responses across phenological processes and (2) if genotypic differences in these responses can be linked to agroecological adaptation. METHODS Nineteen sorghum genotypes were sown on 12 dates at two locations in Ethiopia with contrasting altitude, creating temperature differences independent of photoperiod. TLN and temperature were recorded in all experiments and LAR for six sowing dates. KEY RESULTS Eleven of the genotypes showed a temperature effect on TLN, which was associated with a significantly higher base temperature (Tbase) for LAR than for pre-anthesis development rate (DR). In contrast, genotypes with no effect of temperature on TLN had similar Tbase for LAR and DR. Across genotypes, Tbase for LAR and DR were highly correlated, but genotypes with low Tbase had the greatest difference in Tbase between the two processes. Genotypic differences were associated with racial grouping. CONCLUSIONS Genotypic and racial differences in responses of phenological processes to temperature, in particular in Tbase, can affect specific adaptation to agroecological zones, as these differences can affect TLN in response to temperature and hence canopy size and the duration of the pre-anthesis period. These can both affect the amount of water used and radiation intercepted pre-anthesis. A multi-disciplinary approach is required to identify genotype × environment × management combinations that can best capture the ensuing specific adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alemu Tirfessa
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, PO Box 436, Adama, Ethiopia
| | - Greg McLean
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
| | - Peter Baker
- The University of Queensland, School of Public Health, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Miranda Mortlock
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane City, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Graeme Hammer
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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6
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Wang L, Shang L, Wu X, Hao H, Jing HC. Genomic architecture of leaf senescence in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2023; 136:45. [PMID: 36905488 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-023-04315-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Leaf senescence in sorghum is primarily controlled by the progression, but not by the onset of senescence. The senescence-delaying haplotypes of 45 key genes accentuated from landraces to improved lines. Leaf senescence is a genetically programmed developmental process and plays a central role for plant survival and crop production by remobilising nutrients accumulated in senescent leaves. In theory, the ultimate outcome of leaf senescence is determined by the onset and progression of senescence, but how these two processes contribute to senescence is not fully illustrated in crops and the genetic basis for them is not well understood. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), which is known for the remarkable stay-green trait, is ideal for dissecting the genomic architecture underlying the regulation of senescence. In this study, a diverse panel of 333 sorghum lines was explored for the onset and progression of leaf senescence. Trait correlation analysis showed that the progression of leaf senescence, rather than the onset of leaf senescence, significantly correlated with variations of the final leaf greenness. This notion was further supported by GWAS, which identified 31 senescence-associated genomic regions containing 148 genes, of which 124 were related to the progression of leaf senescence. The senescence-delaying haplotypes of 45 key candidate genes were enriched in lines with extremely prolonged senescence duration, while senescence-promoting haplotypes in those with extremely accelerated senescence. Haplotype combinations of these genes could well explain the segregation of the senescence trait in a recombinant inbred population. We also demonstrated that senescence-delaying haplotypes of candidate genes were under strong selection during sorghum domestication and genetic improvement. Together, this research advanced our understanding of crop leaf senescence and provided a suite of candidate genes for functional genomics and molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Li Shang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Huaiqing Hao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Hai-Chun Jing
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Engineering Laboratory for Grass-Based Livestock Husbandry, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
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7
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Borrell AK, Wong ACS, George-Jaeggli B, van Oosterom EJ, Mace ES, Godwin ID, Liu G, Mullet JE, Klein PE, Hammer GL, McLean G, Hunt C, Jordan DR. Genetic modification of PIN genes induces causal mechanisms of stay-green drought adaptation phenotype. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:6711-6726. [PMID: 35961690 PMCID: PMC9629789 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The stay-green trait is recognized as a key drought adaptation mechanism in cereals worldwide. Stay-green sorghum plants exhibit delayed senescence of leaves and stems, leading to prolonged growth, a reduced risk of lodging, and higher grain yield under end-of-season drought stress. More than 45 quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with stay-green have been identified, including two major QTL (Stg1 and Stg2). However, the contributing genes that regulate functional stay-green are not known. Here we show that the PIN FORMED family of auxin efflux carrier genes induce some of the causal mechanisms driving the stay-green phenotype in sorghum, with SbPIN4 and SbPIN2 located in Stg1 and Stg2, respectively. We found that nine of 11 sorghum PIN genes aligned with known stay-green QTL. In transgenic studies, we demonstrated that PIN genes located within the Stg1 (SbPIN4), Stg2 (SbPIN2), and Stg3b (SbPIN1) QTL regions acted pleiotropically to modulate canopy development, root architecture, and panicle growth in sorghum, with SbPIN1, SbPIN2, and SbPIN4 differentially expressed in various organs relative to the non-stay-green control. The emergent consequence of such modifications in canopy and root architecture is a stay-green phenotype. Crop simulation modelling shows that the SbPIN2 phenotype can increase grain yield under drought.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Albert C S Wong
- University of Queensland, QAAFI, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Barbara George-Jaeggli
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture & Fisheries, Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
| | | | - Emma S Mace
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture & Fisheries, Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
| | - Ian D Godwin
- University of Queensland, QAAFI, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Guoquan Liu
- University of Queensland, QAAFI, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - John E Mullet
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Patricia E Klein
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Graeme L Hammer
- University of Queensland, QAAFI, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Greg McLean
- University of Queensland, QAAFI, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Colleen Hunt
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture & Fisheries, Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
| | - David R Jordan
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
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8
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Zhi X, Hammer G, Borrell A, Tao Y, Wu A, Hunt C, van Oosterom E, Massey-Reed SR, Cruickshank A, Potgieter AB, Jordan D, Mace E, George-Jaeggli B. Genetic basis of sorghum leaf width and its potential as a surrogate for transpiration efficiency. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2022; 135:3057-3071. [PMID: 35933636 PMCID: PMC9482571 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-022-04167-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Leaf width was correlated with plant-level transpiration efficiency and associated with 19 QTL in sorghum, suggesting it could be a surrogate for transpiration efficiency in large breeding program. Enhancing plant transpiration efficiency (TE) by reducing transpiration without compromising photosynthesis and yield is a desirable selection target in crop improvement programs. While narrow individual leaf width has been correlated with greater intrinsic water use efficiency in C4 species, the extent to which this translates to greater plant TE has not been investigated. The aims of this study were to evaluate the correlation of leaf width with TE at the whole-plant scale and investigate the genetic control of leaf width in sorghum. Two lysimetry experiments using 16 genotypes varying for stomatal conductance and three field trials using a large sorghum diversity panel (n = 701 lines) were conducted. Negative associations of leaf width with plant TE were found in the lysimetry experiments, suggesting narrow leaves may result in reduced plant transpiration without trade-offs in biomass accumulation. A wide range in width of the largest leaf was found in the sorghum diversity panel with consistent ranking among sorghum races, suggesting that environmental adaptation may have a role in modifying leaf width. Nineteen QTL were identified by genome-wide association studies on leaf width adjusted for flowering time. The QTL identified showed high levels of correspondence with those in maize and rice, suggesting similarities in the genetic control of leaf width across cereals. Three a priori candidate genes for leaf width, previously found to regulate dorsoventrality, were identified based on a 1-cM threshold. This study provides useful physiological and genetic insights for potential manipulation of leaf width to improve plant adaptation to diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Zhi
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia.
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Henan, China.
| | - Graeme Hammer
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Andrew Borrell
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia
| | - Yongfu Tao
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia
| | - Alex Wu
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Colleen Hunt
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Hermitage Research Facility, Agri-Science Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia
| | - Erik van Oosterom
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Sean Reynolds Massey-Reed
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia
| | - Alan Cruickshank
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Hermitage Research Facility, Agri-Science Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia
| | - Andries B Potgieter
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia
| | - David Jordan
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia.
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Hermitage Research Facility, Agri-Science Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia.
| | - Emma Mace
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia.
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Hermitage Research Facility, Agri-Science Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia.
| | - Barbara George-Jaeggli
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Centre for Crop Science, The University of Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia.
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Hermitage Research Facility, Agri-Science Queensland, Warwick, QLD, Australia.
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9
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Pan L, George-Jaeggli B, Borrell A, Jordan D, Koller F, Al-Salman Y, Ghannoum O, Cano FJ. Coordination of stomata and vein patterns with leaf width underpins water-use efficiency in a C 4 crop. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2022; 45:1612-1630. [PMID: 34773276 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite its importance for crop water use and productivity, especially in drought-affected environments, the underlying mechanisms of variation in intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE = net photosynthesis/stomatal conductance for water vapour, gsw ) are not well understood, especially in C4 plants. Recently, we discovered that leaf width (LW) correlated negatively with iWUE and positively with gsw across several C4 grasses. Here, we confirmed these relationships within 48 field-grown genotypes differing in LW in Sorghum bicolor, a C4 crop adapted to dry and hot conditions. We measured leaf gas exchange and modelled leaf energy balance three times a day, alongside anatomical traits as potential predictors of iWUE. LW correlated negatively with iWUE and stomatal density, but positively with gsw , interveinal distance of longitudinal veins, and the percentage of stomatal aperture relative to maximum. Energy balance modelling showed that wider leaves needed to open their stomata more to generate a more negative leaf-to-air temperature difference, especially at midday when air temperatures exceeded 40°C. These results highlight the important role that LW plays in shaping iWUE through coordination of vein and stomatal traits and by affecting stomatal aperture. Therefore, LW could be used as a predictor of higher iWUE among sorghum genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Pan
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Grassland Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- College of Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Barbara George-Jaeggli
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australia
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, Hermitage Research Facility, The University of Queensland, Warwick, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Agri-Science Queensland, Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andrew Borrell
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australia
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, Hermitage Research Facility, The University of Queensland, Warwick, Queensland, Australia
| | - David Jordan
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australia
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, Hermitage Research Facility, The University of Queensland, Warwick, Queensland, Australia
| | - Fiona Koller
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Yazen Al-Salman
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Oula Ghannoum
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Francisco J Cano
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- Centro de Investigación Forestal (CIFOR), Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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10
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Burridge JD, Grondin A, Vadez V. Optimizing Crop Water Use for Drought and Climate Change Adaptation Requires a Multi-Scale Approach. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:824720. [PMID: 35574091 PMCID: PMC9100818 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.824720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Selection criteria that co-optimize water use efficiency and yield are needed to promote plant productivity in increasingly challenging and variable drought scenarios, particularly dryland cereals in the semi-arid tropics. Optimizing water use efficiency and yield fundamentally involves transpiration dynamics, where restriction of maximum transpiration rate helps to avoid early crop failure, while maximizing grain filling. Transpiration restriction can be regulated by multiple mechanisms and involves cross-organ coordination. This coordination involves complex feedbacks and feedforwards over time scales ranging from minutes to weeks, and from spatial scales ranging from cell membrane to crop canopy. Aquaporins have direct effect but various compensation and coordination pathways involve phenology, relative root and shoot growth, shoot architecture, root length distribution profile, as well as other architectural and anatomical aspects of plant form and function. We propose gravimetric phenotyping as an integrative, cross-scale solution to understand the dynamic, interwoven, and context-dependent coordination of transpiration regulation. The most fruitful breeding strategy is likely to be that which maintains focus on the phene of interest, namely, daily and season level transpiration dynamics. This direct selection approach is more precise than yield-based selection but sufficiently integrative to capture attenuating and complementary factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D. Burridge
- DIADE Group, Cereal Root Systems, Institute de Recherche pour le Développement/Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- *Correspondence: James D. Burridge,
| | - Alexandre Grondin
- DIADE Group, Cereal Root Systems, Institute de Recherche pour le Développement/Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Adaptation des Plantes et Microorganismes Associés aux Stress Environnementaux, Laboratoire Mixte International, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre d’Étude Régional pour l’Amélioration de l’Adaptation à la Sécheresse, Thiès, Senegal
| | - Vincent Vadez
- DIADE Group, Cereal Root Systems, Institute de Recherche pour le Développement/Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Adaptation des Plantes et Microorganismes Associés aux Stress Environnementaux, Laboratoire Mixte International, Dakar, Senegal
- Centre d’Étude Régional pour l’Amélioration de l’Adaptation à la Sécheresse, Thiès, Senegal
- International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, India
- Vincent Vadez,
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11
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Abreha KB, Enyew M, Carlsson AS, Vetukuri RR, Feyissa T, Motlhaodi T, Ng'uni D, Geleta M. Sorghum in dryland: morphological, physiological, and molecular responses of sorghum under drought stress. PLANTA 2021; 255:20. [PMID: 34894286 PMCID: PMC8665920 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-021-03799-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Droughts negatively affect sorghum's productivity and nutritional quality. Across its diversity centers, however, there exist resilient genotypes that function differently under drought stress at various levels, including molecular and physiological. Sorghum is an economically important and a staple food crop for over half a billion people in developing countries, mostly in arid and semi-arid regions where drought stress is a major limiting factor. Although sorghum is generally considered tolerant, drought stress still significantly hampers its productivity and nutritional quality across its major cultivation areas. Hence, understanding both the effects of the stress and plant response is indispensable for improving drought tolerance of the crop. This review aimed at enhancing our understanding and provide more insights on drought tolerance in sorghum as a contribution to the development of climate resilient sorghum cultivars. We summarized findings on the effects of drought on the growth and development of sorghum including osmotic potential that impedes germination process and embryonic structures, photosynthetic rates, and imbalance in source-sink relations that in turn affect seed filling often manifested in the form of substantial reduction in grain yield and quality. Mechanisms of sorghum response to drought-stress involving morphological, physiological, and molecular alterations are presented. We highlighted the current understanding about the genetic basis of drought tolerance in sorghum, which is important for maximizing utilization of its germplasm for development of improved cultivars. Furthermore, we discussed interactions of drought with other abiotic stresses and biotic factors, which may increase the vulnerability of the crop or enhance its tolerance to drought stress. Based on the research reviewed in this article, it appears possible to develop locally adapted cultivars of sorghum that are drought tolerant and nutrient rich using modern plant breeding techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kibrom B Abreha
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, 234 22, Lomma, Sweden.
| | - Muluken Enyew
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, 234 22, Lomma, Sweden
- Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Anders S Carlsson
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, 234 22, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Ramesh R Vetukuri
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, 234 22, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Tileye Feyissa
- Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Tiny Motlhaodi
- Department of Agricultural Research, Private Bag, 0033, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Dickson Ng'uni
- Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, Mount Makulu Research Station, P/B 7, Chilanga, Zambia
| | - Mulatu Geleta
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, 234 22, Lomma, Sweden
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12
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Guddimalli R, Somanaboina AK, Palle SR, Edupuganti S, Kummari D, Palakolanu SR, Naravula J, Gandra J, Qureshi IA, Marka N, Polavarapu R, Kavi Kishor PB. Overexpression of RNA-binding bacterial chaperones in rice leads to stay-green phenotype, improved yield and tolerance to salt and drought stresses. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2021; 173:1351-1368. [PMID: 33583030 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Genes encoding bacterial cold shock proteins A (CspA, 213 bp) and B (CspB, 216 bp) were isolated from Escherichia coli strain K12, which showed 100% homology with gene sequences isolated from other bacterial species. In silico domain, analysis showed eukaryotic conserved cold shock domain (CSD) and ribonuclease-binding domain (RBD) indicating that they bind to RNA and are involved in temperature stress tolerance. Overexpression of these two genes in E. coli resulted in higher growth in presence of 200 mM NaCl and 300 mM mannitol. Western blot confirmed the translational products of the two genes. Seedlings of indica rice were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens containing pCAMBIA1301 CspA and CspB genes. Transgene integration was confirmed by β-glucuronidase (GUS) histochemical assay, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, and gene copy number by Southern blotting. Chlorophyll, proline, Na+ , and K+ contents were higher in transgenics exposed to 150 mM NaCl and drought (imposed by withholding water) stresses during floral initiation stage. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activities increased, while malondialdehyde (MDA) content was low in transgenics. Transgenics displayed increased root, shoot, and panicle lengths, root dry mass, and a distinct stay-green (SGR) phenotype. Higher transcript levels of CspA, CspB, SGR, chlorophyllase, isopentenyl adenine transferase 1 (IPT1), 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED), SOD, and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) genes were observed in transgenics compared to wild type plants (WT) under multiple stresses. Present work indicates that bacterial chaperone proteins are capable of imparting SGR phenotype, salt and drought stress tolerance alongside grain improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anil Kumar Somanaboina
- Department of Biotechnology, Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology and Research, Guntur, India
| | | | | | - Divya Kummari
- Cell, Molecular & Genetic Engineering Lab, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad, India
| | - Sudhakar Reddy Palakolanu
- Cell, Molecular & Genetic Engineering Lab, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad, India
| | - Jalaja Naravula
- Department of Biotechnology, Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology and Research, Guntur, India
| | - Jawahar Gandra
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Sciences B-II, Jain University, Bengaluru, India
| | - Insaf A Qureshi
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
| | - Nagaraju Marka
- Biochemistry Division, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India
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13
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Varshney RK, Barmukh R, Roorkiwal M, Qi Y, Kholova J, Tuberosa R, Reynolds MP, Tardieu F, Siddique KHM. Breeding custom-designed crops for improved drought adaptation. ADVANCED GENETICS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2021; 2:e202100017. [PMID: 36620433 PMCID: PMC9744523 DOI: 10.1002/ggn2.202100017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The current pace of crop improvement is inadequate to feed the burgeoning human population by 2050. Higher, more stable, and sustainable crop production is required against a backdrop of drought stress, which causes significant losses in crop yields. Tailoring crops for drought adaptation may hold the key to address these challenges and provide resilient production systems for future harvests. Understanding the genetic and molecular landscape of the functionality of alleles associated with adaptive traits will make designer crop breeding the prospective approach for crop improvement. Here, we highlight the potential of genomics technologies combined with crop physiology for high-throughput identification of the genetic architecture of key drought-adaptive traits and explore innovative genomic breeding strategies for designing future crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev K. Varshney
- Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Systems BiologyInternational Crops Research Institute for the Semi‐Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)HyderabadIndia,State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Centre for Crop and Food InnovationMurdoch UniversityMurdochWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Rutwik Barmukh
- Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Systems BiologyInternational Crops Research Institute for the Semi‐Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)HyderabadIndia
| | - Manish Roorkiwal
- Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Systems BiologyInternational Crops Research Institute for the Semi‐Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)HyderabadIndia
| | - Yiping Qi
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape ArchitectureUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMarylandUSA,Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology ResearchUniversity of MarylandRockvilleMarylandUSA
| | - Jana Kholova
- Crop Physiology and ModellingInternational Crops Research Institute for the Semi‐Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)HyderabadIndia
| | - Roberto Tuberosa
- Department of Agricultural and Food SciencesUniversity of BolognaBolognaItaly
| | | | - Francois Tardieu
- Université de Montpellier, INRAE, Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie des Plantes sous Stress, EnvironnementauxMontpellierFrance
| | - Kadambot H. M. Siddique
- The UWA Institute of AgricultureThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
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14
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Drought and High Temperature Stress in Sorghum: Physiological, Genetic, and Molecular Insights and Breeding Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22189826. [PMID: 34575989 PMCID: PMC8472353 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sorghum is one of the staple crops for millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (SA). The future climate in these sorghum production regions is likely to have unexpected short or long episodes of drought and/or high temperature (HT), which can cause significant yield losses. Therefore, to achieve food and nutritional security, drought and HT stress tolerance ability in sorghum must be genetically improved. Drought tolerance mechanism, stay green, and grain yield under stress has been widely studied. However, novel traits associated with drought (restricted transpiration and root architecture) need to be explored and utilized in breeding. In sorghum, knowledge on the traits associated with HT tolerance is limited. Heat shock transcription factors, dehydrins, and genes associated with hormones such as auxin, ethylene, and abscisic acid and compatible solutes are involved in drought stress modulation. In contrast, our understanding of HT tolerance at the omic level is limited and needs attention. Breeding programs have exploited limited traits with narrow genetic and genomic resources to develop drought or heat tolerant lines. Reproductive stages of sorghum are relatively more sensitive to stress compared to vegetative stages. Therefore, breeding should incorporate appropriate pre-flowering and post-flowering tolerance in a broad genetic base population and in heterotic hybrid breeding pipelines. Currently, more than 240 QTLs are reported for drought tolerance-associated traits in sorghum prospecting discovery of trait markers. Identifying traits and better understanding of physiological and genetic mechanisms and quantification of genetic variability for these traits may enhance HT tolerance. Drought and HT tolerance can be improved by better understanding mechanisms associated with tolerance and screening large germplasm collections to identify tolerant lines and incorporation of those traits into elite breeding lines. Systems approaches help in identifying the best donors of tolerance to be incorporated in the SSA and SA sorghum breeding programs. Integrated breeding with use of high-throughput precision phenomics and genomics can deliver a range of drought and HT tolerant genotypes that can improve yield and resilience of sorghum under drought and HT stresses.
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15
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Hou X, Xue Q, Jessup KE, Zhang Y, Blaser B, Stewart BA, Baltensperger DD. Effect of nitrogen supply on stay-green sorghum in differing post-flowering water regimes. PLANTA 2021; 254:63. [PMID: 34477992 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-021-03712-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The expression of stay-green (SG) characteristic in sorghum under water stress was related to N supply. SG genotype performed better than a non-stay-green (NSG) genotype at medium and high N levels. The differences in physiological parameters between SG and NSG genotypes were not significant at low N level and severe water stress. Grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] with stay-green (SG) trait has the potential to produce more biomass and use soil water and nitrogen (N) more efficiently under post-flowering water stress. Previous studies were mostly conducted without N deficiency and more information is needed for interactions among soil N availability, SG genotype, and post-flowering water stress. In this study, the differences in leaf growth and senescence, shoot and root biomass, evapotranspiration (ET), water use efficiency (WUE), leaf photosynthetic responses, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) between a SG genotype (BTx642) and a non-stay-green (NSG) genotype (Tx7000) were examined. The two genotypes were grown at three N levels (Low, LN; Medium, MN; High, HN) and under three post-flowering water regimes (No water deficit, ND; Moderate water deficit, MD; Severe water deficit, SD). The genotypic difference was generally significant while it frequently interacted with N levels and water regimes. At medium and high N levels, SG genotype consistently had greater green leaf area, slower senescence rate, more shoot biomass and root biomass, and greater WUE and NUE than the NSG genotype under post-flowering drought. However, differences in several variables (e.g., leaf senescence, ET, WUE and NUE) between genotypes were not significant under SD at LN. At HN and MN, photosynthetic function of SG genotype was better maintained under drought. At LN, SG genotype maintained greater green leaf area but had lower photosynthetic activity than the NSG genotype. Nonetheless, adequate N supply is important for SG genotype under drought and greater root biomass may contribute to greater NUE in SG genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Hou
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 6500 Amarillo Blvd W, Amarillo, TX, 79106, USA
- Department of Agricultural Science, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX, 79106-0001, USA
| | - Qingwu Xue
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 6500 Amarillo Blvd W, Amarillo, TX, 79106, USA.
| | - Kirk E Jessup
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 6500 Amarillo Blvd W, Amarillo, TX, 79106, USA
| | - Yinghua Zhang
- Department of Agronomy, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Brock Blaser
- Department of Agricultural Science, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX, 79106-0001, USA
| | - B A Stewart
- Department of Agricultural Science, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX, 79106-0001, USA
| | - David D Baltensperger
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
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16
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Stomatal and Leaf Morphology Response of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) Provenances Transferred to Contrasting Climatic Conditions. FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11121359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Climate change-induced elevated temperatures and drought are considered to be serious threats to forest ecosystems worldwide, negatively affecting tree growth and viability. We studied nine European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) provenances located in two provenance trial plots with contrasting climates in Central Europe. Stomata play a vital role in the water balance of plants by regulating gaseous exchanges between plants and the atmosphere. Therefore, to explain the possible adaptation and acclimation of provenances to climate conditions, stomatal (stomatal density, the length of guard cells, and the potential conductance index) and leaf morphological traits (leaf size, leaf dry weight and specific leaf area) were assessed. The phenotypic plasticity index was calculated from the variability of provenances’ stomatal and leaf traits between the provenance plots. We assessed the impact of various climatic characteristics and derived indices (e.g., ecodistance) on intraspecific differences in stomatal and leaf traits. Provenances transferred to drier and warmer conditions acclimated through a decrease in stomatal density, the length of guard cells, potential conductance index, leaf size and leaf dry weight. The reduction in stomatal density and the potential conductance index was proportional to the degree of aridity difference between the climate of origin and conditions of the new site. Moreover, we found that the climate heterogeneity and latitude of the original provenance sites influence the phenotypic plasticity of provenances. Provenances from lower latitudes and less heterogeneous climates showed higher values of phenotypic plasticity. Furthermore, we observed a positive correlation between phenotypic plasticity and mortality in the arid plot but not in the more humid plot. Based on these impacts of the climate on stomatal and leaf traits of transferred provenances, we can improve the predictions of provenance reactions for future scenarios of global climate change.
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17
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The Impacts of Flowering Time and Tillering on Grain Yield of Sorghum Hybrids across Diverse Environments. AGRONOMY-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/agronomy10010135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Sorghum in Australia is grown in water-limited environments of varying extent, generating substantial genotype × environment interactions (GEIs) for grain yield. Much of the yield variation and GEI results from variations in flowering time and tillering through their effects on canopy development. The confounding effects of flowering and tillering complicate the interpretation of breeding trials. In this study, we evaluated the impacts of both flowering time (DTF) and tillering capacity (FTN) on the yield of 1741 unique test hybrids derived from three common female testers in 21 yield testing trials (48 tester/trial combinations) across the major sorghum production regions in Australia in three seasons. Contributions of DTF and FTN to genetic variation in grain yield were significant in 14 and 12 tester/trial combinations, respectively. The proportion of genetic variance in grain yield explained by DTF and FTN ranged from 0.2% to 61.0% and from 1.4% to 56.9%, respectively, depending on trials and genetic background of female testers. The relationship of DTF or FTN with grain yield of hybrids was frequently positive but varied across the genetic background of testers. Accounting for the effects of DTF and FTN using linear models did not substantially increase the between-trial genetic correlations for grain yield. The results suggested that other factors affecting canopy development dynamics and grain yield might contribute GEI and/or the linear approach to account for DTF and FTN on grain yield did not capture the complex non-linear interactions.
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18
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Liedtke JD, Hunt CH, George-Jaeggli B, Laws K, Watson J, Potgieter AB, Cruickshank A, Jordan DR. High-Throughput Phenotyping of Dynamic Canopy Traits Associated with Stay-Green in Grain Sorghum. PLANT PHENOMICS (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2020; 2020:4635153. [PMID: 33313557 PMCID: PMC7706314 DOI: 10.34133/2020/4635153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Drought is a recurring phenomenon that puts crop yields at risk and threatens the livelihoods of many people around the globe. Stay-green is a drought adaption phenotype found in sorghum and other cereals. Plants expressing this phenotype show less drought-induced senescence and maintain functional green leaves for longer when water limitation occurs during grain fill, conferring benefits in both yield per se and harvestability. The physiological causes of the phenotype are postulated to be water saving through mechanisms such as reduced canopy size or access to extra water through mechanisms such as deeper roots. In sorghum breeding programs, stay-green has traditionally been assessed by comparing visual scores of leaf senescence either by identifying final leaf senescence or by estimating rate of leaf senescence. In this study, we compared measurements of canopy dynamics obtained from remote sensing on two sorghum breeding trials to stay-green values (breeding values) obtained from visual leaf senescence ratings in multienvironment breeding trials to determine which components of canopy development were most closely linked to the stay-green phenotype. Surprisingly, canopy size as estimated using preflowering canopy parameters was weakly correlated with stay-green values for leaf senescence while postflowering canopy parameters showed a much stronger association with leaf senescence. Our study suggests that factors other than canopy size have an important role in the expression of a stay-green phenotype in grain sorghum and further that the use of UAVs with multispectral sensors provides an excellent way of measuring canopy traits of hundreds of plots grown in large field trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C. H. Hunt
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
| | - B. George-Jaeggli
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
| | - K. Laws
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
| | - J. Watson
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Toowoomba QLD 4343, Australia
| | - A. B. Potgieter
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Toowoomba QLD 4343, Australia
| | - A. Cruickshank
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
| | - D. R. Jordan
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Warwick, QLD 4370, Australia
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19
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Kamal NM, Gorafi YSA, Abdelrahman M, Abdellatef E, Tsujimoto H. Stay-Green Trait: A Prospective Approach for Yield Potential, and Drought and Heat Stress Adaptation in Globally Important Cereals. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E5837. [PMID: 31757070 PMCID: PMC6928793 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20235837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The yield losses in cereal crops because of abiotic stress and the expected huge losses from climate change indicate our urgent need for useful traits to achieve food security. The stay-green (SG) is a secondary trait that enables crop plants to maintain their green leaves and photosynthesis capacity for a longer time after anthesis, especially under drought and heat stress conditions. Thus, SG plants have longer grain-filling period and subsequently higher yield than non-SG. SG trait was recognized as a superior characteristic for commercially bred cereal selection to overcome the current yield stagnation in alliance with yield adaptability and stability. Breeding for functional SG has contributed in improving crop yields, particularly when it is combined with other useful traits. Thus, elucidating the molecular and physiological mechanisms associated with SG trait is maybe the key to defeating the stagnation in productivity associated with adaptation to environmental stress. This review discusses the recent advances in SG as a crucial trait for genetic improvement of the five major cereal crops, sorghum, wheat, rice, maize, and barley with particular emphasis on the physiological consequences of SG trait. Finally, we provided perspectives on future directions for SG research that addresses present and future global challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasrein Mohamed Kamal
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan; (Y.S.A.G.); (M.A.)
- Agricultural Research Corporation, Wad-Medani P.O. Box 126, Sudan
| | - Yasir Serag Alnor Gorafi
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan; (Y.S.A.G.); (M.A.)
- Agricultural Research Corporation, Wad-Medani P.O. Box 126, Sudan
| | - Mostafa Abdelrahman
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan; (Y.S.A.G.); (M.A.)
- Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Aswan University, Aswan 81528, Egypt
| | - Eltayb Abdellatef
- Commission for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, National Center for Research, Khartoum P.O. Box 6096, Sudan;
| | - Hisashi Tsujimoto
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan; (Y.S.A.G.); (M.A.)
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20
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Geetika G, van Oosterom EJ, George-Jaeggli B, Mortlock MY, Deifel KS, McLean G, Hammer GL. Genotypic variation in whole-plant transpiration efficiency in sorghum only partly aligns with variation in stomatal conductance. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2019; 46:1072-1089. [PMID: 31615621 DOI: 10.1071/fp18177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Water scarcity can limit sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) production in dryland agriculture, but increased whole-plant transpiration efficiency (TEwp, biomass production per unit of water transpired) can enhance grain yield in such conditions. The objectives of this study were to quantify variation in TEwp for 27 sorghum genotypes and explore the linkages of this variation to responses of the underpinning leaf-level processes to environmental conditions. Individual plants were grown in large lysimeters in two well-watered experiments. Whole-plant transpiration per unit of green leaf area (TGLA) was monitored continuously and stomatal conductance and maximum photosynthetic capacity were measured during sunny conditions on recently expanded leaves. Leaf chlorophyll measurements of the upper five leaves of the main shoot were conducted during early grain filling. TEwp was determined at harvest. The results showed that diurnal patterns in TGLA were determined by vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and by the response of whole-plant conductance to radiation and VPD. Significant genotypic variation in the response of TGLA to VPD occurred and was related to genotypic differences in stomatal conductance. However, variation in TGLA explained only part of the variation in TEwp, with some of the residual variation explained by leaf chlorophyll readings, which were a reflection of photosynthetic capacity. Genotypes with different genetic background often differed in TEwp, TGLA and leaf chlorophyll, indicating potential differences in photosynthetic capacity among these groups. Observed differences in TEwp and its component traits can affect adaptation to drought stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geetika Geetika
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia; and Corresponding author.
| | - Erik J van Oosterom
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Barbara George-Jaeggli
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, Qld 4370, Australia; and Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Warwick, Qld 4370, Australia
| | - Miranda Y Mortlock
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Kurt S Deifel
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Greg McLean
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia
| | - Graeme L Hammer
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
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21
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Kamal NM, Gorafi YSA, Tsujimoto H, Ghanim AMA. Stay-Green QTLs Response in Adaptation to Post-Flowering Drought Depends on the Drought Severity. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:7082095. [PMID: 30584537 PMCID: PMC6280221 DOI: 10.1155/2018/7082095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Stay-green trait enhances sorghum adaptation to post-flowering drought. Six stay-green backcross introgression lines (BILs) carrying one or more stay-green QTLs (Stg1-4) and their parents were characterized under non-stress (W100: 100% of soil field capacity (FC)) and two levels of post-flowering drought (W75: 75% FC; W50: 50% FC) in a controlled condition. We aimed to study the response and identify the drought threshold of these QTLs under different levels of post-flowering drought and find traits closely contributing to grain yield (GY) under different drought severity. W50 caused the highest reduction in BILs performance. From W100 to W50, the GY of the recurrent parent reduced by 70%, whereas that of the BILs reduced by only 36%. W75 and W50 induce different behavior/response compared to W100. Harvest index contributed to the GY under the three water regimes. For high GY under drought transpiration rate at the beginning of drought and mid-grain filling was important at W75, whereas it was important at mid-grain filling and late-grain filling at W50. Stay-green trait can be scored simply with the relative number of green leaves/plants under both irrigated and stress environments. QTL pyramiding might not always be necessary to stabilize or increase the GY under post-flowering drought. The stay-green QTLs increase GY under drought by manipulating water utilization depending on drought severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasrein Mohamed Kamal
- Biotechnology and Biosafety Research Center, Agricultural Research Corporation, P.O. Box 30, Shambat, Khartoum North, Sudan
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan
| | - Yasir Serag Alnor Gorafi
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan
- Agricultural Research Corporation, P.O. Box 126, Wad Medani, Sudan
| | - Hisashi Tsujimoto
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori 680-0001, Japan
| | - Abdelbagi Mukhtar Ali Ghanim
- Biotechnology and Biosafety Research Center, Agricultural Research Corporation, P.O. Box 30, Shambat, Khartoum North, Sudan
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Laboratory, FAO/IAEA Joint Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Seibersdorf, Austria
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22
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Chenu K, Van Oosterom EJ, McLean G, Deifel KS, Fletcher A, Geetika G, Tirfessa A, Mace ES, Jordan DR, Sulman R, Hammer GL. Integrating modelling and phenotyping approaches to identify and screen complex traits: transpiration efficiency in cereals. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2018; 69:3181-3194. [PMID: 29474730 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ery059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Following advances in genetics, genomics, and phenotyping, trait selection in breeding is limited by our ability to understand interactions within the plant and with the environment, and to identify traits of most relevance to the target population of environments. We propose an integrated approach that combines insights from crop modelling, physiology, genetics, and breeding to characterize traits valuable for yield gain in the target population of environments, develop relevant high-throughput phenotyping platforms, and identify genetic controls and their value in production environments. This paper uses transpiration efficiency (biomass produced per unit of water used) as an example of a complex trait of interest to illustrate how the approach can guide modelling, phenotyping, and selection in a breeding programme. We believe that this approach, by integrating insights from diverse disciplines, can increase the resource use efficiency of breeding programmes for improving yield gains in target populations of environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Chenu
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Toowoomba, QLD, Australia
| | - E J Van Oosterom
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - G McLean
- Queensland Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia
| | - K S Deifel
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - A Fletcher
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Toowoomba, QLD, Australia
| | - G Geetika
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - A Tirfessa
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Adama, Ethiopia
| | - E S Mace
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, QLD, Australia
| | - D R Jordan
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Hermitage Research Facility, Warwick, QLD, Australia
| | - R Sulman
- Biosystems Engineering, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia
| | - G L Hammer
- University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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23
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Bechtold U, Ferguson JN, Mullineaux PM. To defend or to grow: lessons from Arabidopsis C24. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2018; 69:2809-2821. [PMID: 29562306 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ery106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of Arabidopsis as a model species and the availability of genetic and genomic resources have resulted in the identification and detailed characterization of abiotic stress signalling pathways. However, this has led only to limited success in engineering abiotic stress tolerance in crops. This is because there needs to be a deeper understanding of how to combine resistances to a range of stresses with growth and productivity. The natural variation and genomic resources of Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) are a great asset to understand the mechanisms of multiple stress tolerances. One natural variant in Arabidopsis is the accession C24, and here we provide an overview of the increasing research interest in this accession. C24 is highlighted as a source of tolerance for multiple abiotic and biotic stresses, and a key accession to understand the basis of basal immunity to infection, high water use efficiency, and water productivity. Multiple biochemical, physiological, and phenological mechanisms have been attributed to these traits in C24, and none of them constrains productivity. Based on the uniqueness of C24, we postulate that the use of variation derived from natural selection in undomesticated species provides opportunities to better understand how complex environmental stress tolerances and resource use efficiency are co-ordinated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Bechtold
- University of Essex, School of Biological Sciences, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, UK
| | - John N Ferguson
- Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Philip M Mullineaux
- University of Essex, School of Biological Sciences, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, UK
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24
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Tardieu F, Simonneau T, Muller B. The Physiological Basis of Drought Tolerance in Crop Plants: A Scenario-Dependent Probabilistic Approach. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 69:733-759. [PMID: 29553801 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-042817-040218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Drought tolerance involves mechanisms operating at different spatial and temporal scales, from rapid stomatal closure to maintenance of crop yield. We review how short-term mechanisms are controlled for stabilizing shoot water potential and how long-term processes have been constrained by evolution or breeding to fit into acclimation strategies for specific drought scenarios. These short- or long-term feedback processes participate in trade-offs between carbon accumulation and the risk of deleterious soil water depletion. Corresponding traits and alleles may therefore have positive or negative effects on crop yield depending on drought scenarios. We propose an approach that analyzes the genetic architecture of traits in phenotyping platforms and of yield in tens of field experiments. A combination of modeling and genomic prediction is then used to estimate the comparative interests of combinations of alleles depending on drought scenarios. Hence, drought tolerance is understood probabilistically by estimating the benefit and risk of each combination of alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Tardieu
- INRA, Université Montpellier, Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie des Plantes sous Stress Environnementaux, F-34060 Montpellier, France;
| | - Thierry Simonneau
- INRA, Université Montpellier, Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie des Plantes sous Stress Environnementaux, F-34060 Montpellier, France;
| | - Bertrand Muller
- INRA, Université Montpellier, Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie des Plantes sous Stress Environnementaux, F-34060 Montpellier, France;
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25
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Potgieter AB, George-Jaeggli B, Chapman SC, Laws K, Suárez Cadavid LA, Wixted J, Watson J, Eldridge M, Jordan DR, Hammer GL. Multi-Spectral Imaging from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Enables the Assessment of Seasonal Leaf Area Dynamics of Sorghum Breeding Lines. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1532. [PMID: 28951735 PMCID: PMC5599772 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Genetic improvement in sorghum breeding programs requires the assessment of adaptation traits in small-plot breeding trials across multiple environments. Many of these phenotypic assessments are made by manual measurement or visual scoring, both of which are time consuming and expensive. This limits trial size and the potential for genetic gain. In addition, these methods are typically restricted to point estimates of particular traits, such as leaf senescence or flowering and do not capture the dynamic nature of crop growth. In water-limited environments in particular, information on leaf area development over time would provide valuable insight into water use and adaptation to water scarcity during specific phenological stages of crop development. Current methods to estimate plant leaf area index (LAI) involve destructive sampling and are not practical in breeding. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and proximal-sensing technologies open new opportunities to assess these traits multiple times in large small-plot trials. We analyzed vegetation-specific crop indices obtained from a narrowband multi-spectral camera on board a UAV platform flown over a small pilot trial with 30 plots (10 genotypes randomized within 3 blocks). Due to variable emergence we were able to assess the utility of these vegetation indices to estimate canopy cover and LAI over a large range of plant densities. We found good correlations between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) with plant number per plot, canopy cover and LAI both during the vegetative growth phase (pre-anthesis) and at maximum canopy cover shortly after anthesis. We also analyzed the utility of time-sequence data to assess the senescence pattern of sorghum genotypes known as fast (senescent) or slow senescing (stay-green) types. The Normalized Difference Red Edge (NDRE) index which estimates leaf chlorophyll content was most useful in characterizing the leaf area dynamics/senescence patterns of contrasting genotypes. These methods to monitor dynamics of green and senesced leaf area are suitable for out-scaling to enhance phenotyping of additional crop canopy characteristics and likely crop yield responses among genotypes across large fields and multiple dates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andries B. Potgieter
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of QueenslandToowoomba, QLD, Australia
- *Correspondence: Andries B. Potgieter
| | - Barbara George-Jaeggli
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of QueenslandWarwick, QLD, Australia
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and FisheriesWarwick, QLD, Australia
- Barbara George-Jaeggli
| | - Scott C. Chapman
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of QueenslandGatton, QLD, Australia
- CSIRO Agriculture and FoodSt. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of QueenslandSt. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Kenneth Laws
- Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and FisheriesWarwick, QLD, Australia
| | - Luz A. Suárez Cadavid
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of QueenslandToowoomba, QLD, Australia
| | - Jemima Wixted
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of QueenslandWarwick, QLD, Australia
| | - James Watson
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of QueenslandToowoomba, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark Eldridge
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of QueenslandWarwick, QLD, Australia
| | - David R. Jordan
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of QueenslandWarwick, QLD, Australia
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