1
|
Niu L, Wu L. Study on Key Factors Influencing Coordination Effectiveness of Food Safety Coordinating Body: Lessons from the Chinese Context. Foods 2024; 13:289. [PMID: 38254590 PMCID: PMC11154293 DOI: 10.3390/foods13020289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Many countries have established food safety coordination agencies to strengthen cooperation between government agencies. Due to different national conditions, there are differences in the coordination agencies of different countries, but there are also many similarities. This article studies the key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness of China's food safety coordinating body, so as to enhance interagency collaboration. The results show that the coordination ability of the coordinating body's head, the authority degree of the coordinating body, the clarity degree of the agency's legal responsibility, and the clarity degree of the coordination goal are key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness. The conclusions indicate that the key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness of China's food safety commissions are similar to the key factors in Western countries, without evident differences due to national situations, social systems, and cultures. This article will be useful to policymakers and public sector managers in terms of understanding which key factors influence the coordination effectiveness of coordinating agencies. Moreover, this study provides a perspective for the academic circle from which to understand the main problems faced in the interagency collaborative governance of food safety risks in China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liangyun Niu
- School of Economics, Anyang Normal University, Anyang 455000, China;
| | - Linhai Wu
- Institute for Food Safety Risk Management, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gepts P. Biocultural diversity and crop improvement. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:ETLS20230067. [PMID: 38084755 PMCID: PMC10754339 DOI: 10.1042/etls20230067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Biocultural diversity is the ever-evolving and irreplaceable sum total of all living organisms inhabiting the Earth. It plays a significant role in sustainable productivity and ecosystem services that benefit humanity and is closely allied with human cultural diversity. Despite its essentiality, biodiversity is seriously threatened by the insatiable and inequitable human exploitation of the Earth's resources. One of the benefits of biodiversity is its utilization in crop improvement, including cropping improvement (agronomic cultivation practices) and genetic improvement (plant breeding). Crop improvement has tended to decrease agricultural biodiversity since the origins of agriculture, but awareness of this situation can reverse this negative trend. Cropping improvement can strive to use more diverse cultivars and a broader complement of crops on farms and in landscapes. It can also focus on underutilized crops, including legumes. Genetic improvement can access a broader range of biodiversity sources and, with the assistance of modern breeding tools like genomics, can facilitate the introduction of additional characteristics that improve yield, mitigate environmental stresses, and restore, at least partially, lost crop biodiversity. The current legal framework covering biodiversity includes national intellectual property and international treaty instruments, which have tended to limit access and innovation to biodiversity. A global system of access and benefit sharing, encompassing digital sequence information, would benefit humanity but remains an elusive goal. The Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework sets forth an ambitious set of targets and goals to be accomplished by 2030 and 2050, respectively, to protect and restore biocultural diversity, including agrobiodiversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Gepts
- Department of Plant Sciences, Section of Crop and Ecosystem Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616-8780, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Morcia C, De Flaviis R, Terzi V, Gasparelli ME, Ghizzoni R, Badeck FW, Rizza F, Santarelli V, Tumino G, Sacchetti G. Long-Term In Situ Conservation Drove Microevolution of Solina d'Abruzzo Wheat on Adaptive, Agronomic and Qualitative Traits. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1306. [PMID: 36986994 PMCID: PMC10057728 DOI: 10.3390/plants12061306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Solina is an example of a bread wheat landrace that has been conserved in situ for centuries in Central Italy. A core collection of Solina lines sampled in areas at different altitudes and climatic conditions was obtained and genotyped. A clustering analysis based on a wide SNP dataset generated from DArTseq analysis outlined the existence of two main groups, which, after Fst analysis, showed polymorphism in genes associated with vernalization and photoperiod response. Starting from the hypothesis that the different pedoclimatic environments in which Solina lines were conserved may have shaped the population, some phenotypic characteristics were studied in the Solina core collection. Growth habit, low-temperature resistance, allelic variations at major loci involved in vernalization response, and sensitivity to photoperiod were evaluated, together with seed morphologies, grain colour, and hardness. The two Solina groups showed different responses to low temperatures and to photoperiod-specific allelic variations as well as the different morphology and technological characteristics of the grain. In conclusion, the long-term in situ conservation of Solina in environments sited at different altitudes has had an impact on the evolution of this landrace which, despite its high genetic diversity, remains clearly identifiable and distinct so as to be included in conservation varieties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Morcia
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Genomica e Bioinformatica (CREA-GB), Via San Protaso 302, 29017 Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Italy
| | - Riccardo De Flaviis
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via R. Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Valeria Terzi
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Genomica e Bioinformatica (CREA-GB), Via San Protaso 302, 29017 Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Italy
| | - Maria Eugenia Gasparelli
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Genomica e Bioinformatica (CREA-GB), Via San Protaso 302, 29017 Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Italy
| | - Roberta Ghizzoni
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Genomica e Bioinformatica (CREA-GB), Via San Protaso 302, 29017 Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Italy
| | - Franz-W. Badeck
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Genomica e Bioinformatica (CREA-GB), Via San Protaso 302, 29017 Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Italy
| | - Fulvia Rizza
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Genomica e Bioinformatica (CREA-GB), Via San Protaso 302, 29017 Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Italy
| | - Veronica Santarelli
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via R. Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Giorgio Tumino
- Plant Breeding, Wageningen Plant Research, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Giampiero Sacchetti
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via R. Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Comi M, Becot F, Bendixsen C. Automation, Climate Change, and the Future of Farm Work: Cross-Disciplinary Lessons for Studying Dynamic Changes in Agricultural Health and Safety. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4778. [PMID: 36981685 PMCID: PMC10049460 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20064778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we first assess the state of agricultural health and safety research as it pertains to the dynamic challenges facing automating agriculture on a warming planet. Then, we turn to social science fields such as rural sociology, science and technology studies, and environmental studies to leverage relevant insights on the introduction of new technologies, environmental risks, and associated workplace hazards. Increased rates of automation in agriculture alongside new risks associated with climate change create the need for anticipatory governance and adaptive research to study novel mechanisms of worker health and safety. The use of the PRISMA framework led to the 137 articles for our review. We identify three themes in the literature on agricultural health and safety: (1) adoption outcomes, (2) discrete cases of health risks, and (3) an emphasis on care and wellbeing in literature on dairy automation Our review led to the identification of research gaps, noting that current research (a) tends to examine these forces separately, instead of together, (b) has not made robust examination of these forces as socially embedded, and (c) has hesitated to examine the broad, transferable themes for how these forces work across industries. In response to these gaps, we suggest that attention to outside disciplines may provide agricultural health and safety research with a toolset to examine needed inquiry into the multiplicity of experiences of rural stakeholders, the industry specific problems arising from automation and climate change, and the socially embedded aspects of agricultural work in the future.
Collapse
|
5
|
Cooper M, Powell O, Gho C, Tang T, Messina C. Extending the breeder's equation to take aim at the target population of environments. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1129591. [PMID: 36895882 PMCID: PMC9990092 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1129591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A major focus for genomic prediction has been on improving trait prediction accuracy using combinations of algorithms and the training data sets available from plant breeding multi-environment trials (METs). Any improvements in prediction accuracy are viewed as pathways to improve traits in the reference population of genotypes and product performance in the target population of environments (TPE). To realize these breeding outcomes there must be a positive MET-TPE relationship that provides consistency between the trait variation expressed within the MET data sets that are used to train the genome-to-phenome (G2P) model for applications of genomic prediction and the realized trait and performance differences in the TPE for the genotypes that are the prediction targets. The strength of this MET-TPE relationship is usually assumed to be high, however it is rarely quantified. To date investigations of genomic prediction methods have focused on improving prediction accuracy within MET training data sets, with less attention to quantifying the structure of the TPE and the MET-TPE relationship and their potential impact on training the G2P model for applications of genomic prediction to accelerate breeding outcomes for the on-farm TPE. We extend the breeder's equation and use an example to demonstrate the importance of the MET-TPE relationship as a key component for the design of genomic prediction methods to realize improved rates of genetic gain for the target yield, quality, stress tolerance and yield stability traits in the on-farm TPE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Cooper
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Owen Powell
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Carla Gho
- School of Agriculture & Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Tom Tang
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, IA, United States
| | - Carlos Messina
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Cooper M, Messina CD. Breeding crops for drought-affected environments and improved climate resilience. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:162-186. [PMID: 36370076 PMCID: PMC9806606 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Breeding climate-resilient crops with improved levels of abiotic and biotic stress resistance as a response to climate change presents both opportunities and challenges. Applying the framework of the "breeder's equation," which is used to predict the response to selection for a breeding program cycle, we review methodologies and strategies that have been used to successfully breed crops with improved levels of drought resistance, where the target population of environments (TPEs) is a spatially and temporally heterogeneous mixture of drought-affected and favorable (water-sufficient) environments. Long-term improvement of temperate maize for the US corn belt is used as a case study and compared with progress for other crops and geographies. Integration of trait information across scales, from genomes to ecosystems, is needed to accurately predict yield outcomes for genotypes within the current and future TPEs. This will require transdisciplinary teams to explore, identify, and exploit novel opportunities to accelerate breeding program outcomes; both improved germplasm resources and improved products (cultivars, hybrids, clones, and populations) that outperform and replace the products in use by farmers, in combination with modified agronomic management strategies suited to their local environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos D Messina
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bowerman AF, Byrt CS, Roy SJ, Whitney SM, Mortimer JC, Ankeny RA, Gilliham M, Zhang D, Millar AA, Rebetzke GJ, Pogson BJ. Potential abiotic stress targets for modern genetic manipulation. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:139-161. [PMID: 36377770 PMCID: PMC9806601 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Research into crop yield and resilience has underpinned global food security, evident in yields tripling in the past 5 decades. The challenges that global agriculture now faces are not just to feed 10+ billion people within a generation, but to do so under a harsher, more variable, and less predictable climate, and in many cases with less water, more expensive inputs, and declining soil quality. The challenges of climate change are not simply to breed for a "hotter drier climate," but to enable resilience to floods and droughts and frosts and heat waves, possibly even within a single growing season. How well we prepare for the coming decades of climate variability will depend on our ability to modify current practices, innovate with novel breeding methods, and communicate and work with farming communities to ensure viability and profitability. Here we define how future climates will impact farming systems and growing seasons, thereby identifying the traits and practices needed and including exemplars being implemented and developed. Critically, this review will also consider societal perspectives and public engagement about emerging technologies for climate resilience, with participatory approaches presented as the best approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F Bowerman
- ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Caitlin S Byrt
- ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Stuart John Roy
- ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia
| | - Spencer M Whitney
- ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Jenny C Mortimer
- ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Rachel A Ankeny
- ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Humanities, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, South Australia, Australia
| | - Matthew Gilliham
- ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia
| | - Dabing Zhang
- ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia
| | - Anthony A Millar
- ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Greg J Rebetzke
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Barry J Pogson
- ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crops Development, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Xiong W, Reynolds M, Xu Y. Climate change challenges plant breeding. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 70:102308. [PMID: 36279790 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant breeding is important to cope with climate change impacts, complementing crop management and policy interventions to ensure global food production. However, changes in environmental factors also affect the objectives, efficiency, and genetic gains of the current plant breeding system. In this review, we summarize the challenges prompted by climate change to breeding climate-resilient crops and the limitations of the next-generation breeding approach in addressing climate change. It is anticipated that the integration of multi-disciplines and technologies into three schemes of genotyping, phenotyping, and envirotyping will result in the delivery of climate change-ready crops in less time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xiong
- CIMMYT-Henan Joint Center for Wheat and Maize Improvement, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China; International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), El Batan, Texcoco, Mexico.
| | - Matthew Reynolds
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), El Batan, Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Yunbi Xu
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), El Batan, Texcoco, Mexico; Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Marin M, Hallett PD, Feeney DS, Brown LK, Naveed M, Koebernick N, Ruiz S, Bengough AG, Roose T, George TS. Impact of root hairs on microscale soil physical properties in the field. PLANT AND SOIL 2022; 476:491-509. [PMID: 35992246 PMCID: PMC9381483 DOI: 10.1007/s11104-022-05530-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Recent laboratory studies revealed that root hairs may alter soil physical behaviour, influencing soil porosity and water retention on the small scale. However, the results are not consistent, and it is not known if structural changes at the small-scale have impacts at larger scales. Therefore, we evaluated the potential effects of root hairs on soil hydro-mechanical properties in the field using rhizosphere-scale physical measurements. METHODS Changes in soil water retention properties as well as mechanical and hydraulic characteristics were monitored in both silt loam and sandy loam soils. Measurements were taken from plant establishment to harvesting in field trials, comparing three barley genotypes representing distinct phenotypic categories in relation to root hair length. Soil hardness and elasticity were measured using a 3-mm-diameter spherical indenter, while water sorptivity and repellency were measured using a miniaturized infiltrometer with a 0.4-mm tip radius. RESULTS Over the growing season, plants induced changes in the soil water retention properties, with the plant available water increasing by 21%. Both soil hardness (P = 0.031) and elasticity (P = 0.048) decreased significantly in the presence of root hairs in silt loam soil, by 50% and 36%, respectively. Root hairs also led to significantly smaller water repellency (P = 0.007) in sandy loam soil vegetated with the hairy genotype (-49%) compared to the hairless mutant. CONCLUSIONS Breeding of cash crops for improved soil conditions could be achieved by selecting root phenotypes that ameliorate soil physical properties and therefore contribute to increased soil health. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11104-022-05530-1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. Marin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU UK
- The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA UK
| | - P. D. Hallett
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU UK
| | - D. S. Feeney
- The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA UK
- School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN UK
| | - L. K. Brown
- The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA UK
| | - M. Naveed
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU UK
- Present Address: School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, London, W5 5RF UK
| | - N. Koebernick
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ UK
- Present Address: Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - S. Ruiz
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ UK
| | - A. G. Bengough
- The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA UK
- School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN UK
| | - T. Roose
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ UK
| | - T. S. George
- The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA UK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ćalić I, Groen SC, Choi JY, Joly‐Lopez Z, Hamann E, Natividad MA, Dorph K, Cabral CLU, Torres RO, Vergara GV, Henry A, Purugganan MD, Franks SJ. The influence of genetic architecture on responses to selection under drought in rice. Evol Appl 2022; 15:1670-1690. [PMID: 36330294 PMCID: PMC9624088 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurately predicting responses to selection is a major goal in biology and important for successful crop breeding in changing environments. However, evolutionary responses to selection can be constrained by such factors as genetic and cross‐environment correlations, linkage, and pleiotropy, and our understanding of the extent and impact of such constraints is still developing. Here, we conducted a field experiment to investigate potential constraints to selection for drought resistance in rice (Oryza sativa) using phenotypic selection analysis and quantitative genetics. We found that traits related to drought response were heritable, and some were under selection, including selection for earlier flowering, which could allow drought escape. However, patterns of selection generally were not opposite under wet and dry conditions, and we did not find individual or closely linked genes that influenced multiple traits, indicating a lack of evidence that antagonistic pleiotropy, linkage, or cross‐environment correlations would constrain selection for drought resistance. In most cases, genetic correlations had little influence on responses to selection, with direct and indirect selection largely congruent. The exception to this was seed mass under drought, which was predicted to evolve in the opposite direction of direct selection due to correlations. Because of this indirect effect on selection on seed mass, selection for drought resistance was not accompanied by a decrease in seed mass, and yield increased with fecundity. Furthermore, breeding lines with high fitness and yield under drought also had high fitness and yield under wet conditions, indicating that there was no evidence for a yield penalty on drought resistance. We found multiple genes in which expression influenced both water use efficiency (WUE) and days to first flowering, supporting a genetic basis for the trade‐off between drought escape and avoidance strategies. Together, these results can provide helpful guidance for understanding and managing evolutionary constraints and breeding stress‐resistant crops.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irina Ćalić
- Department of Biological Sciences Fordham University Bronx NY USA
- Institute of Botany University of Cologne Cologne Germany
| | - Simon C. Groen
- Department of Nematology University of California at Riverside Riverside CA USA
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology New York University New York NY USA
| | - Jae Young Choi
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology New York University New York NY USA
| | - Zoé Joly‐Lopez
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology New York University New York NY USA
- Département de Chimie Université du Québec à Montréal Montréal Québec Canada
| | - Elena Hamann
- Department of Biological Sciences Fordham University Bronx NY USA
- Department of Genetics and Odum School of Ecology University of Georgia Athens GA USA
| | | | - Katherine Dorph
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology New York University New York NY USA
| | | | | | - Georgina V. Vergara
- International Rice Research Institute Los Baños Laguna Philippines
- Institute of Crop Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños, 4031 College Laguna Philippines
| | - Amelia Henry
- International Rice Research Institute Los Baños Laguna Philippines
| | - Michael D. Purugganan
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology New York University New York NY USA
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology NYU Abu Dhabi Research Institute New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates
| | - Steven J. Franks
- Department of Biological Sciences Fordham University Bronx NY USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Revord RS, Miller G, Meier NA, Webber JB, Romero-Severson J, Gold MA, Lovell ST. A Roadmap for Participatory Chestnut Breeding for Nut Production in the Eastern United States. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 12:735597. [PMID: 35046969 PMCID: PMC8761792 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.735597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Chestnut cultivation for nut production is increasing in the eastern half of the United States. Chinese chestnuts (Castanea mollissima Blume), or Chinese hybrids with European (C. sativa Mill.) and Japanese chestnuts (C. crenata Sieb. & Zucc.), are cultivated due to their high kernel quality, climatic adaptation, and disease resistance. Several hundred thousand pounds of high-quality fresh nuts are taken to market every fall, and several hundred additional orchards are entering bearing years. Grower-led on-farm improvement has largely facilitated this growth. A lack of significant investments in chestnut breeding in the region, paired with issues of graft incompatibility, has led many growers to cultivate seedlings of cultivars rather than grafted cultivars. After decades of evaluation, selection, and sharing of plant materials, growers have reached a threshold of improvement where commercial seedling orchards can be reliably established by planting offspring from elite selected parents. Growers recognize that if cooperation persists and university expertise and resources are enlisted, improvement can continue and accelerate. To this end, the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (UMCA) and chestnut growers throughout the eastern United States are partnering to formalize a participatory breeding program - the Chestnut Improvement Network. This partnership entails the UMCA providing an organizational structure and leadership to coordinate on-farm improvement, implement strategic crossing schemes, and integrate genetic tools. Chestnut growers offer structural capacity by cultivating seedling production orchards that provide financial support for the grower but also house segregating populations with improved individuals, in situ repositories, and selection trials, creating great value for the industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ronald S. Revord
- School of Natural Resources, Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | | | - Nicholas A. Meier
- School of Natural Resources, Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - John Bryan Webber
- School of Natural Resources, Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Jeanne Romero-Severson
- Department of Biological Sciences, 327 Galvin Life Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Michael A. Gold
- School of Natural Resources, Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Sarah T. Lovell
- School of Natural Resources, Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Khoury CK, Brush S, Costich DE, Curry HA, de Haan S, Engels JMM, Guarino L, Hoban S, Mercer KL, Miller AJ, Nabhan GP, Perales HR, Richards C, Riggins C, Thormann I. Crop genetic erosion: understanding and responding to loss of crop diversity. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:84-118. [PMID: 34515358 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Crop diversity underpins the productivity, resilience and adaptive capacity of agriculture. Loss of this diversity, termed crop genetic erosion, is therefore concerning. While alarms regarding evident declines in crop diversity have been raised for over a century, the magnitude, trajectory, drivers and significance of these losses remain insufficiently understood. We outline the various definitions, measurements, scales and sources of information on crop genetic erosion. We then provide a synthesis of evidence regarding changes in the diversity of traditional crop landraces on farms, modern crop cultivars in agriculture, crop wild relatives in their natural habitats and crop genetic resources held in conservation repositories. This evidence indicates that marked losses, but also maintenance and increases in diversity, have occurred in all these contexts, the extent depending on species, taxonomic and geographic scale, and region, as well as analytical approach. We discuss steps needed to further advance knowledge around the agricultural and societal significance, as well as conservation implications, of crop genetic erosion. Finally, we propose actions to mitigate, stem and reverse further losses of crop diversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Colin K Khoury
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Km 17, Recta Cali-Palmira, Apartado Aéreo 6713, 763537, Cali, Colombia
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, 1 N. Grand Blvd, St Louis, MO, 63103, USA
- San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Dr., Encinitas, CA, 92024, USA
| | - Stephen Brush
- University of California Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Denise E Costich
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Carretera México-Veracruz, Km. 45, El Batán, 56237, Texcoco, México
| | - Helen Anne Curry
- Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge, CB2 3RH, UK
| | - Stef de Haan
- International Potato Center (CIP), Avenida La Molina 1895, La Molina, Apartado Postal 1558, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Luigi Guarino
- Global Crop Diversity Trust, Platz der Vereinten Nationen 7, 53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sean Hoban
- The Morton Arboretum, The Center for Tree Science, 4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL, 60532, USA
| | - Kristin L Mercer
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Allison J Miller
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, 1 N. Grand Blvd, St Louis, MO, 63103, USA
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 N Warson Rd, St Louis, MO, 63132, USA
| | - Gary P Nabhan
- Southwest Center and Institute of the Environment, University of Arizona, 1401 E. First St., PO Box 210185, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0185, USA
| | - Hugo R Perales
- Departamento de Agroecología, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, San Cristóbal, Chiapas, 29290, México
| | - Chris Richards
- National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1111 South Mason Street, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Chance Riggins
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, 331 Edward R. Madigan Lab, 1201 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Imke Thormann
- Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE), Information and Coordination Centre for Biological Diversity (IBV), Deichmanns Aue 29, 53179, Bonn, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Argumedo A, Song Y, Khoury CK, Hunter D, Dempewolf H, Guarino L, de Haan S. Biocultural Diversity for Food System Transformation Under Global Environmental Change. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.685299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Biocultural diversity is central to the nutrition, resilience, and adaptive capacity of Indigenous and traditional peoples, who collectively maintain the longest ongoing human experiences with the provision of food under environmental change. In the form of crops and livestock and associated knowledge on their cultivation and use, food-related biocultural diversity likewise underpins global food security. As food system transformation is increasingly recognized as an urgent priority, we argue that food security, sustainability, resilience, and adaptive capacity can be furthered through greater emphasis on conservation, use, and celebration of food-related biocultural diversity. We provide examples from the Parque de la Papa, Peru, a “food biocultural diversity neighborhood” which through advocacy and partnerships based around its diversity, has both enhanced local communities and contributed to food security at a much larger scale. We outline collaborative actions which we believe are important to up- and out-scale food biocultural diversity neighborhood successes. Further research and knowledge sharing are critical to better document, understand, track, and communicate the value, functions, and state of biocultural diversity in food systems. Expanded training and capacity development opportunities are important to enable the interchange of experiences and visions on food, health, sustainability and resilience, climate adaptation, equity and justice, and livelihood generation with others facing similar challenges. Finally, strengthened networking across food biocultural diversity neighborhoods is essential to their persistence and growth as they increasingly engage with local, national, and international organizations, based on shared interests and on their own terms, across five continents.
Collapse
|
14
|
Kholová J, Urban MO, Cock J, Arcos J, Arnaud E, Aytekin D, Azevedo V, Barnes AP, Ceccarelli S, Chavarriaga P, Cobb JN, Connor D, Cooper M, Craufurd P, Debouck D, Fungo R, Grando S, Hammer GL, Jara CE, Messina C, Mosquera G, Nchanji E, Ng EH, Prager S, Sankaran S, Selvaraj M, Tardieu F, Thornton P, Valdes-Gutierrez SP, van Etten J, Wenzl P, Xu Y. In pursuit of a better world: crop improvement and the CGIAR. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:5158-5179. [PMID: 34021317 PMCID: PMC8272562 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The CGIAR crop improvement (CI) programs, unlike commercial CI programs, which are mainly geared to profit though meeting farmers' needs, are charged with meeting multiple objectives with target populations that include both farmers and the community at large. We compiled the opinions from >30 experts in the private and public sector on key strategies, methodologies, and activities that could the help CGIAR meet the challenges of providing farmers with improved varieties while simultaneously meeting the goals of: (i) nutrition, health, and food security; (ii) poverty reduction, livelihoods, and jobs; (iii) gender equality, youth, and inclusion; (iv) climate adaptation and mitigation; and (v) environmental health and biodiversity. We review the crop improvement processes starting with crop choice, moving through to breeding objectives, production of potential new varieties, selection, and finally adoption by farmers. The importance of multidisciplinary teams working towards common objectives is stressed as a key factor to success. The role of the distinct disciplines, actors, and their interactions throughout the process from crop choice through to adoption by farmers is discussed and illustrated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Kholová
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad-502324, India
| | - Milan Oldřich Urban
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - James Cock
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Jairo Arcos
- HarvestPlus, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Elizabeth Arnaud
- Bioversity International, Parc scientifique Agropolis II, 1990 Boulevard de la Lironde, 34397 Montpellier, France
| | | | - Vania Azevedo
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad-502324, India
| | | | | | - Paul Chavarriaga
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | | | - David Connor
- Department of Agriculture and Food, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mark Cooper
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Peter Craufurd
- CIMMYT, 1st floor, National Plant Breeding and Genetics Centre, NARC Research Station, Khumaltor, Lalitpur, PO Box 5186, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Daniel Debouck
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Robert Fungo
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, PO Box 6247, Kampala, Uganda
- School of Food Technology, Nutrition & Bio-Engineering, Makerere University, PO Box, 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Stefania Grando
- Independent Consultant, Corso Mazzini 256, 63100 Ascoli Piceno, Italy
| | - Graeme L Hammer
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Carlos E Jara
- Independent Consultant, Hacienda Real, Torre 2, CP 760033, Cali, Colombia
| | - Charlie Messina
- Corteva Agriscience, 7200 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131, USA
| | - Gloria Mosquera
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Eileen Nchanji
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, African hub, Box 823-00621, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Eng Hwa Ng
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT); México-Veracruz, El Batán Km. 45, 56237, Mexico
| | - Steven Prager
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Sindhujan Sankaran
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, 1935 E. Grimes Way, PO Box 646120, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Michael Selvaraj
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - François Tardieu
- INRA Centre de Montpellier, Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
| | - Philip Thornton
- CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture 37 and Food Security (CCAFS), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Sandra P Valdes-Gutierrez
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Jacob van Etten
- Bioversity International, Parc scientifique Agropolis II, 1990 Boulevard de la Lironde, 34397 Montpellier, France
| | - Peter Wenzl
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Yunbi Xu
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), El Batan Texcoco 56130, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kholová J, Urban MO, Cock J, Arcos J, Arnaud E, Aytekin D, Azevedo V, Barnes AP, Ceccarelli S, Chavarriaga P, Cobb JN, Connor D, Cooper M, Craufurd P, Debouck D, Fungo R, Grando S, Hammer GL, Jara CE, Messina C, Mosquera G, Nchanji E, Ng EH, Prager S, Sankaran S, Selvaraj M, Tardieu F, Thornton P, Valdes-Gutierrez SP, van Etten J, Wenzl P, Xu Y. In pursuit of a better world: crop improvement and the CGIAR. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021. [PMID: 34021317 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4638248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The CGIAR crop improvement (CI) programs, unlike commercial CI programs, which are mainly geared to profit though meeting farmers' needs, are charged with meeting multiple objectives with target populations that include both farmers and the community at large. We compiled the opinions from >30 experts in the private and public sector on key strategies, methodologies, and activities that could the help CGIAR meet the challenges of providing farmers with improved varieties while simultaneously meeting the goals of: (i) nutrition, health, and food security; (ii) poverty reduction, livelihoods, and jobs; (iii) gender equality, youth, and inclusion; (iv) climate adaptation and mitigation; and (v) environmental health and biodiversity. We review the crop improvement processes starting with crop choice, moving through to breeding objectives, production of potential new varieties, selection, and finally adoption by farmers. The importance of multidisciplinary teams working towards common objectives is stressed as a key factor to success. The role of the distinct disciplines, actors, and their interactions throughout the process from crop choice through to adoption by farmers is discussed and illustrated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Kholová
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad-502324, India
| | - Milan Oldřich Urban
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - James Cock
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Jairo Arcos
- HarvestPlus, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Elizabeth Arnaud
- Bioversity International, Parc scientifique Agropolis II, 1990 Boulevard de la Lironde, 34397 Montpellier, France
| | | | - Vania Azevedo
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad-502324, India
| | | | | | - Paul Chavarriaga
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | | | - David Connor
- Department of Agriculture and Food, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mark Cooper
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Peter Craufurd
- CIMMYT, 1st floor, National Plant Breeding and Genetics Centre, NARC Research Station, Khumaltor, Lalitpur, PO Box 5186, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Daniel Debouck
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Robert Fungo
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, PO Box 6247, Kampala, Uganda
- School of Food Technology, Nutrition & Bio-Engineering, Makerere University, PO Box, 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Stefania Grando
- Independent Consultant, Corso Mazzini 256, 63100 Ascoli Piceno, Italy
| | - Graeme L Hammer
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Carlos E Jara
- Independent Consultant, Hacienda Real, Torre 2, CP 760033, Cali, Colombia
| | - Charlie Messina
- Corteva Agriscience, 7200 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131, USA
| | - Gloria Mosquera
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Eileen Nchanji
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, African hub, Box 823-00621, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Eng Hwa Ng
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT); México-Veracruz, El Batán Km. 45, 56237, Mexico
| | - Steven Prager
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Sindhujan Sankaran
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, 1935 E. Grimes Way, PO Box 646120, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Michael Selvaraj
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - François Tardieu
- INRA Centre de Montpellier, Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
| | - Philip Thornton
- CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture 37 and Food Security (CCAFS), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Sandra P Valdes-Gutierrez
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Jacob van Etten
- Bioversity International, Parc scientifique Agropolis II, 1990 Boulevard de la Lironde, 34397 Montpellier, France
| | - Peter Wenzl
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, CP 763537, A.A. 12 6713, Cali, Colombia
| | - Yunbi Xu
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), El Batan Texcoco 56130, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Mansour MMF, Emam MM, Salama KHA, Morsy AA. Sorghum under saline conditions: responses, tolerance mechanisms, and management strategies. PLANTA 2021; 254:24. [PMID: 34224010 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-021-03671-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An overview is presented of recent advances in our knowledge of responses and mechanisms rendering adaptation to saline conditions in sorghum. Different strategies deployed to enhance salinity stress tolerance in sorghum are also pointed out. Salinity stress is a growing problem worldwide. Sorghum is the fifth key crop among cereals. Understanding responses and tolerance strategies in sorghum would be therefore helpful effort for providing biomarkers for designing greatest salinity-tolerant sorghum genotypes. When sorghum exposed to salinity, salinity-tolerant genotypes most probably reprogram their gene expression to activate adaptive biochemical and physiological responses for survival. The review thus discusses the possible physiological and biochemical responses that confer salinity tolerance to sorghum under saline conditions. Although it is not characterized in sorghum, salinity perceiving and transmitting signals to downstream responses via signaling transduction pathways most likely are essential strategy for sorghum adaptation to salinity stress. Sorghum has also shown to withstand moderate saline environments and retain the germination, growth, and photosynthetic activities. Salinity-tolerant sorghum genotypes show the ability to exclude excessive Na+ from reaching shoots and induce ion homeostasis. Osmotic homeostasis and ROS detoxification are also evident as salinity tolerance strategies in sorghum. These above mechanisms lead to re-establishment of cellular ionic, osmotic, and redox homeostasis as well as photosynthesis efficiency. It is noteworthy that these mechanisms act individually or co-operatively to minimize the salinity hazards and enhance acclimation in sorghum. We conclude, however, that although these responses contribute to sorghum tolerance to salinity stress, they seem to be not adequate at higher concentrations of salinity, which agrees with sorghum ranking as moderately salinity-tolerant crop. Also, some of these tolerance strategies reported in other crops are not well studied and documented in sorghum, but most probably have roles in sorghum. Further improvement in sorghum salinity tolerance using different approaches is definitely necessary to meet the requirements of its harsh production environments, and therefore, these approaches are addressed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Manal Mohamed Emam
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | | | - Amal Ahmed Morsy
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|