1
|
Vicentin L, Canales J, Calderini DF. The trade-off between grain weight and grain number in wheat is explained by the overlapping of the key phases determining these major yield components. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1380429. [PMID: 38919825 PMCID: PMC11196766 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1380429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Enhancing grain yield is a primary goal in the cultivation of major staple crops, including wheat. Recent research has focused on identifying the physiological and molecular factors that influence grain weight, a critical determinant of crop yield. However, a bottleneck has arisen due to the trade-off between grain weight and grain number, whose underlying causes remain elusive. In a novel approach, a wheat expansin gene, TaExpA6, known for its expression in root tissues, was engineered to express in the grains of the spring wheat cultivar Fielder. This modification led to increases in both grain weight and yield without adversely affecting grain number. Conversely, a triple mutant line targeting the gene TaGW2, a known negative regulator of grain weight, resulted in increased grain weight but decreased grain number, potentially offsetting yield gains. This study aimed to evaluate the two aforementioned modified wheat genotypes (TaExpA6 and TaGW2) alongside their respective wild-type counterparts. Conducted in southern Chile, the study employed a Complete Randomized Block Design with four replications, under well-managed field conditions. The primary metrics assessed were grain yield, grain number, and average grain weight per spike, along with detailed measurements of grain weight and dimensions across the spike, ovary weight at pollination (Waddington's scale 10), and post-anthesis expression levels of TaExpA6 and TaGW2. Results indicated that both the TaExpA6 and the triple mutant lines achieved significantly higher average grain weights compared to their respective wild types. Notably, the TaExpA6 line did not exhibit a reduction in grain number, thereby enhancing grain yield per spike. By contrast, the triple mutant line showed a reduced grain number per spike, with no significant change in overall yield. TaExpA6 expression peaked at 10 days after anthesis (DAA), and its effect on grain weight over the WT became apparent after 15 DAA. In contrast, TaGW2 gene disruption in the triple mutant line increased ovary size at anthesis, leading to improved grain weight above the WT from the onset of grain filling. These findings suggest that the trade-off between grain weight and number could be attributed to the overlapping of the critical periods for the determination of these traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Vicentin
- Graduate School, Faculty of Agricultural Science, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Institute of Plant Production and Protection, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Javier Canales
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- National Agency for Research and Development of Chile-Millennium Science Initiative Program-Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel F. Calderini
- Institute of Plant Production and Protection, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chang-Brahim I, Koppensteiner LJ, Beltrame L, Bodner G, Saranti A, Salzinger J, Fanta-Jende P, Sulzbachner C, Bruckmüller F, Trognitz F, Samad-Zamini M, Zechner E, Holzinger A, Molin EM. Reviewing the essential roles of remote phenotyping, GWAS and explainable AI in practical marker-assisted selection for drought-tolerant winter wheat breeding. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1319938. [PMID: 38699541 PMCID: PMC11064034 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1319938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Marker-assisted selection (MAS) plays a crucial role in crop breeding improving the speed and precision of conventional breeding programmes by quickly and reliably identifying and selecting plants with desired traits. However, the efficacy of MAS depends on several prerequisites, with precise phenotyping being a key aspect of any plant breeding programme. Recent advancements in high-throughput remote phenotyping, facilitated by unmanned aerial vehicles coupled to machine learning, offer a non-destructive and efficient alternative to traditional, time-consuming, and labour-intensive methods. Furthermore, MAS relies on knowledge of marker-trait associations, commonly obtained through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), to understand complex traits such as drought tolerance, including yield components and phenology. However, GWAS has limitations that artificial intelligence (AI) has been shown to partially overcome. Additionally, AI and its explainable variants, which ensure transparency and interpretability, are increasingly being used as recognised problem-solving tools throughout the breeding process. Given these rapid technological advancements, this review provides an overview of state-of-the-art methods and processes underlying each MAS, from phenotyping, genotyping and association analyses to the integration of explainable AI along the entire workflow. In this context, we specifically address the challenges and importance of breeding winter wheat for greater drought tolerance with stable yields, as regional droughts during critical developmental stages pose a threat to winter wheat production. Finally, we explore the transition from scientific progress to practical implementation and discuss ways to bridge the gap between cutting-edge developments and breeders, expediting MAS-based winter wheat breeding for drought tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Chang-Brahim
- Unit Bioresources, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Tulln, Austria
| | | | - Lorenzo Beltrame
- Unit Assistive and Autonomous Systems, Center for Vision, Automation & Control, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gernot Bodner
- Department of Crop Sciences, Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Tulln, Austria
| | - Anna Saranti
- Human-Centered AI Lab, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, Institute of Forest Engineering, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jules Salzinger
- Unit Assistive and Autonomous Systems, Center for Vision, Automation & Control, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Phillipp Fanta-Jende
- Unit Assistive and Autonomous Systems, Center for Vision, Automation & Control, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Sulzbachner
- Unit Assistive and Autonomous Systems, Center for Vision, Automation & Control, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Felix Bruckmüller
- Unit Assistive and Autonomous Systems, Center for Vision, Automation & Control, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Friederike Trognitz
- Unit Bioresources, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Tulln, Austria
| | | | - Elisabeth Zechner
- Verein zur Förderung einer nachhaltigen und regionalen Pflanzenzüchtung, Zwettl, Austria
| | - Andreas Holzinger
- Human-Centered AI Lab, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, Institute of Forest Engineering, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva M. Molin
- Unit Bioresources, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Tulln, Austria
- Human-Centered AI Lab, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, Institute of Forest Engineering, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Koua AP, Siddiqui MN, Heß K, Klag N, Kambona CM, Duarte-Delgado D, Oyiga BC, Léon J, Ballvora A. Genome-wide dissection and haplotype analysis identified candidate loci for nitrogen use efficiency under drought conditions in winter wheat. THE PLANT GENOME 2024; 17:e20394. [PMID: 37880495 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Climate change causes extreme conditions like prolonged drought, which results in yield reductions due to its effects on nutrient balances such as nitrogen uptake and utilization by plants. Nitrogen (N) is a crucial nutrient element for plant growth and productivity. Understanding the mechanistic basis of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) under drought conditions is essential to improve wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield. Here, we evaluated the genetic variation of NUE-related traits and photosynthesis response in a diversity panel of 200 wheat genotypes under drought and nitrogen stress conditions to uncover the inherent genetic variation and identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying these traits. The results revealed significant genetic variations among the genotypes in response to drought stress and nitrogen deprivation. Drought impacted plant performance more than N deprivation due to its effect on water and nutrient uptake. GWAS identified a total of 27 QTLs with a significant main effect on the drought-related traits, while 10 QTLs were strongly associated with the NUE traits. Haplotype analysis revealed two different haplotype blocks within the associated region on chromosomes 1B and 5A. The two haplotypes showed contrasting effects on N uptake and use efficiency traits. The in silico and transcript analyses implicated candidate gene coding for cold shock protein. This gene was the most highly expressed gene under several stress conditions, including drought stress. Upon validation, these QTLs on 1B and 5A could be used as a diagnostic marker for NUE and drought tolerance screening in wheat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahossi Patrice Koua
- INRES Pflanzenzüchtung, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Md Nurealam Siddiqui
- INRES Pflanzenzüchtung, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
| | - Katrin Heß
- INRES Pflanzenzüchtung, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Nikko Klag
- INRES Pflanzenzüchtung, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Jens Léon
- INRES Pflanzenzüchtung, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
- Field Lab Campus Klein-Altendorf, University of Bonn, Rheinbach, Germany
| | - Agim Ballvora
- INRES Pflanzenzüchtung, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abbai R, Golan G, Longin CFH, Schnurbusch T. Grain yield trade-offs in spike-branching wheat can be mitigated by elite alleles affecting sink capacity and post-anthesis source activity. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:88-102. [PMID: 37739800 PMCID: PMC10735541 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Introducing variations in inflorescence architecture, such as the 'Miracle-Wheat' (Triticum turgidum convar. compositum (L.f.) Filat.) with a branching spike, has relevance for enhancing wheat grain yield. However, in the spike-branching genotypes, the increase in spikelet number is generally not translated into grain yield advantage because of reduced grains per spikelet and grain weight. Here, we investigated if such trade-offs might be a function of source-sink strength by using 385 recombinant inbred lines developed by intercrossing the spike-branching landrace TRI 984 and CIRNO C2008, an elite durum (T. durum L.) cultivar; they were genotyped using the 25K array. Various plant and spike architectural traits, including flag leaf, peduncle, and spike senescence rate, were phenotyped under field conditions for 2 consecutive years. On chromosome 5AL, we found a new modifier QTL for spike branching, branched headt3 (bht-A3), which was epistatic to the previously known bht-A1 locus. Besides, bht-A3 was associated with more grains per spikelet and a delay in flag leaf senescence rate. Importantly, favourable alleles, viz. bht-A3 and grain protein content (gpc-B1) that delayed senescence, are required to improve grain number and grain weight in the spike-branching genotypes. In summary, achieving a balanced source-sink relationship might minimize grain yield trade-offs in Miracle-Wheat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ragavendran Abbai
- Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, 06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Guy Golan
- Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, 06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - C Friedrich H Longin
- State Plant Breeding Institute, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 21, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Thorsten Schnurbusch
- Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, 06466 Seeland, Germany
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, 06120 Halle, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sabir K, Rose T, Wittkop B, Stahl A, Snowdon RJ, Ballvora A, Friedt W, Kage H, Léon J, Ordon F, Stützel H, Zetzsche H, Chen TW. Stage-specific genotype-by-environment interactions determine yield components in wheat. NATURE PLANTS 2023; 9:1688-1696. [PMID: 37735253 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01516-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
In cereal crops, environmental fluctuations affect different physiological processes during various developmental phases associated with the formation of yield components. Because these effects are coupled with cultivar-specific phenology, studies investigating environmental responses in different cultivars can give contradictory results regarding key phases impacting yield performance. To dissect how genotype-by-environment interactions affect grain yield in winter wheat, we estimated the sensitivities of yield components to variation in global radiation, temperature and precipitation in 220 cultivars across 81 time-windows ranging from double ridge to seed desiccation. Environmental sensitivity responses were prominent in the short-term physiological subphases of spike and kernel development, causing phenologically dependent, stage-specific genotype-by-environment interactions. Here we reconcile contradicting findings from previous studies and show previously undetected effects; for example, the positive impact of global radiation on kernel weight during canopy senescence. This deep insight into the three-way interactions between phenology, yield formation and environmental fluctuations provides comprehensive new information for breeding and modelling cereal crops.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khadija Sabir
- Institute of Horticultural Production Systems, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Till Rose
- Department of Agronomy and Crop Science, Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Benjamin Wittkop
- Department of Plant Breeding, IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Stahl
- Department of Plant Breeding, IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Julius Kuehn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Rod J Snowdon
- Department of Plant Breeding, IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Agim Ballvora
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Friedt
- Department of Plant Breeding, IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Henning Kage
- Department of Agronomy and Crop Science, Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Jens Léon
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Field Lab Campus Klein-Altendorf, University of Bonn, Rheinbach, Germany
| | - Frank Ordon
- Julius Kuehn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Hartmut Stützel
- Institute of Horticultural Production Systems, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Holger Zetzsche
- Julius Kuehn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Tsu-Wei Chen
- Group of Intensive Plant Food Systems, Albrecht Daniel Thaer Institut of Agricultural and Horticultural Science, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Golan G, Abbai R, Schnurbusch T. Exploring the trade-off between individual fitness and community performance of wheat crops using simulated canopy shade. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:3144-3157. [PMID: 36428231 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The genetic heritage of wheat (Triticum spp.) crops has been shaped by millions of years of predomestication natural selection, often driven by competition among individuals. However, genetic improvements in yield potential are thought to involve selection towards reduced competitiveness, thus enhancing adaptation to the crop environment. We investigated potential trade-offs between individual plant fitness and community performance using a population of introgression lines carrying chromosome segments of wild emmer (nondomesticated) in the background of an elite durum cultivar. We focused on light as a primary factor affecting plant-plant interactions and assessed morphological and biomass phenotypes of single plants grown in mixtures under sunlight and a simulated canopy shade, and the relevance of these phenotypes for the monoculture community in the field. We found that responses to canopy shade resemble responses to high density and contribute to both the individual and the community. Stepwise regressions suggested that grain number per spike and its persistence under shade are essential attributes of productive communities, advocating their use as a breeding target during early-generation selection. Overall, multiple phenotypes attained under shade could better explain community performance. Our novel, applicable, high-throughput set-up provides new prospects for studying and selecting single-plant phenotypes in a canopy-like environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guy Golan
- Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Ragavendran Abbai
- Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Thorsten Schnurbusch
- Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
- Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Li Z, Luo Q, Deng Y, Du K, Li X, Ren T. Identification and Validation of a Stable Major-Effect Quantitative Trait Locus for Kernel Number per Spike on Chromosome 2D in Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14289. [PMID: 37762591 PMCID: PMC10531874 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814289] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A recombinant inbred line population including 371 lines was developed by a high kernel number per spike (KNPS) genotype T1208 and a low KNPS genotype Chuannong18 (CN18). A genetic linkage map consisting of 11,583 markers was constructed by the Wheat55K SNP Array. The quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to KNPS were detected in three years. Eight, twenty-seven, and four QTLs were identified using the ICIM-BIP, ICIM-MET, and ICIM-EPI methods, respectively. One QTL, QKnps.sau-2D.1, which was mapped on chromosome 2D, can explain 18.10% of the phenotypic variation (PVE) on average and be considered a major and stable QTL for KNPS. This QTL was located in a 0.89 Mb interval on chromosome 2D and flanked by the markers AX-109283238 and AX-111606890. Moreover, KASP-AX-111462389, a Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) marker which closely linked to QKnps.sau-2D.1, was designed. The genetic effect of QKnps.sau-2D.1 on KNPS was successfully confirmed in two RIL populations. The results also showed that the significant increase of KNPS and 1000-kernel weight (TKW) was caused by QKnps.sau-2D.1 overcoming the disadvantage due to the decrease of spike number (SN) and finally lead to a significant increase of grain yield. In addition, within the interval in which QKnps.sau-2D.1 is located in Chinese Spring reference genomes, only fifteen genes were found, and two genes that might associate with KNPS were identified. QKnps.sau-2D.1 may provide a new resource for the high-yield breeding of wheat in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China;
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (Q.L.); (Y.D.); (K.D.); (X.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Plant Genetics and Breeding at Sichuan Agricultural University of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Qinyi Luo
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (Q.L.); (Y.D.); (K.D.); (X.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Plant Genetics and Breeding at Sichuan Agricultural University of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yawen Deng
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (Q.L.); (Y.D.); (K.D.); (X.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Plant Genetics and Breeding at Sichuan Agricultural University of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Ke Du
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (Q.L.); (Y.D.); (K.D.); (X.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Plant Genetics and Breeding at Sichuan Agricultural University of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Xinli Li
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (Q.L.); (Y.D.); (K.D.); (X.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Plant Genetics and Breeding at Sichuan Agricultural University of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Tianheng Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China;
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (Q.L.); (Y.D.); (K.D.); (X.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Plant Genetics and Breeding at Sichuan Agricultural University of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 611130, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wang TC, Casadebaig P, Chen TW. More than 1000 genotypes are required to derive robust relationships between yield, yield stability and physiological parameters: a computational study on wheat crop. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2023; 136:34. [PMID: 36897399 PMCID: PMC10006026 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-023-04264-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Using in silico experiment in crop model, we identified different physiological regulations of yield and yield stability, as well as quantify the genotype and environment numbers required for analysing yield stability convincingly. Identifying target traits for breeding stable and high-yielded cultivars simultaneously is difficult due to limited knowledge of physiological mechanisms behind yield stability. Besides, there is no consensus about the adequacy of a stability index (SI) and the minimal number of environments and genotypes required for evaluating yield stability. We studied this question using the crop model APSIM-Wheat to simulate 9100 virtual genotypes grown under 9000 environments. By analysing the simulated data, we showed that the shape of phenotype distributions affected the correlation between SI and mean yield and the genotypic superiority measure (Pi) was least affected among 11 SI. Pi was used as index to demonstrate that more than 150 environments were required to estimate yield stability of a genotype convincingly and more than 1000 genotypes were necessary to evaluate the contribution of a physiological parameter to yield stability. Network analyses suggested that a physiological parameter contributed preferentially to yield or Pi. For example, soil water absorption efficiency and potential grain filling rate explained better the variations in yield than in Pi; while light extinction coefficient and radiation use efficiency were more correlated with Pi than with yield. The high number of genotypes and environments required for studying Pi highlight the necessity and potential of in silico experiments to better understand the mechanisms behind yield stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tien-Cheng Wang
- Section of Intensive Plant Food Systems, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Institut für Gartenbauliche Produktionssysteme, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Pierre Casadebaig
- INRAE, UMR AGIR, Université de Toulouse, 31320, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Tsu-Wei Chen
- Section of Intensive Plant Food Systems, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Flavell RB. A framework for improving wheat spike development and yield based on the master regulatory TOR and SnRK gene systems. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:755-768. [PMID: 36477879 PMCID: PMC9899413 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac469] [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: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The low rates of yield gain in wheat breeding programs create an ominous situation for the world. Amongst the reasons for this low rate are issues manifested in spike development that result in too few spikelets, fertile florets, and therefore grains being produced. Phases in spike development are particularly sensitive to stresses of various kinds and origins, and these are partly responsible for the deficiencies in grain production and slow rates of gain in yield. The diversity of developmental processes, stresses, and the large numbers of genes involved make it particularly difficult to prioritize approaches in breeding programs without an overarching, mechanistic framework. Such a framework, introduced here, is provided around the master regulator target of rapamycin and sucrose non-fermenting-1 (SNF1)-related protein kinase complexes and their control by trehalose-6-phosphate and other molecules. Being master regulators of the balance between growth and growth inhibition under stress, these provide genetic targets for creating breakthroughs in yield enhancement. Examples of potential targets and experimental approaches are described.
Collapse
|
10
|
Koua AP, Oyiga BC, Dadshani S, Benaouda S, Sadeqi MB, Rascher U, Léon J, Ballvora A. Chromosome 3A harbors several pleiotropic and stable drought-responsive alleles for photosynthetic efficiency selected through wheat breeding. PLANT DIRECT 2022; 6:e438. [PMID: 36091876 PMCID: PMC9440346 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.438] [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: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Water deficit is the most severe stress factor in crop production threatening global food security. In this study, we evaluated the genetic variation in photosynthetic traits among 200 wheat cultivars evaluated under drought and rainfed conditions. Significant genotypic, treatments, and their interaction effects were detected for chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. Drought stress reduced the effective quantum yield of photosystem II (YII) from the anthesis growth stage on. Leaf chlorophyll content measured at anthesis growth stages was significantly correlated with YII and non-photochemical quenching under drought conditions, suggesting that high throughput chlorophyll content screening can serve as a good indicator of plant drought tolerance status in wheat. Breeding significantly increased the photosynthetic efficiency as newer released genotypes had higher YII and chlorophyll content than the older ones. GWAS identified a stable drought-responsive QTL on chromosome 3A for YII, while under rainfed conditions, it detected another QTL on chromosome 7A for chlorophyll content across both growing seasons. Molecular analysis revealed that the associated alleles of AX-158576783 (515.889 Mbp) on 3A co-segregates with the NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (TraesCS3A02G287600) gene involved in ATP synthesis coupled electron transport and is proximal to WKRY transcription factor locus. This allele on 3A has been positively selected through breeding and has contributed to increasing the grain yield.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Said Dadshani
- INRES PflanzenzüchtungRheinische Friedrich Wilhelms UniversityBonnGermany
| | - Salma Benaouda
- INRES PflanzenzüchtungRheinische Friedrich Wilhelms UniversityBonnGermany
| | | | | | - Jens Léon
- INRES PflanzenzüchtungRheinische Friedrich Wilhelms UniversityBonnGermany
- Field Lab Campus Klein‐AltendorfUniversity of BonnRheinbachGermany
| | - Agim Ballvora
- INRES PflanzenzüchtungRheinische Friedrich Wilhelms UniversityBonnGermany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Reynolds MP, Slafer GA, Foulkes JM, Griffiths S, Murchie EH, Carmo-Silva E, Asseng S, Chapman SC, Sawkins M, Gwyn J, Flavell RB. A wiring diagram to integrate physiological traits of wheat yield potential. NATURE FOOD 2022; 3:318-324. [PMID: 37117579 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-022-00512-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
As crop yields are pushed closer to biophysical limits, achieving yield gains becomes increasingly challenging and will require more insight into deterministic pathways to yields. Here, we propose a wiring diagram as a platform to illustrate the interrelationships of the physiological traits that impact wheat yield potential and to serve as a decision support tool for crop scientists. The wiring diagram is based on the premise that crop yield is a function of photosynthesis (source), the investment of assimilates into reproductive organs (sinks) and the underlying processes that enable expression of both. By illustrating these linkages as coded wires, the wiring diagram can show connections among traits that may not have been apparent, and can inform new research hypotheses and guide crosses designed to accumulate beneficial traits and alleles in breeding. The wiring diagram can also serve to create an ever-richer common point of reference for refining crop models in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gustavo Ariel Slafer
- Catalonian Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
- Center for Research in Agrotechnology (AGROTECNIO), Lleida, Spain.
- University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mark Sawkins
- International Wheat Yield Partnership (IWYP), College Station, TX, USA
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Weslaco, TX, USA
| | - Jeff Gwyn
- International Wheat Yield Partnership (IWYP), College Station, TX, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Fernie AR, Sonnewald U. Plant biotechnology for sustainable agriculture and food safety. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 261:153416. [PMID: 33872931 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2021.153416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
| | - Uwe Sonnewald
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Snowdon RJ, Wittkop B, Chen TW, Stahl A. Crop adaptation to climate change as a consequence of long-term breeding. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2021; 134:1613-1623. [PMID: 33221941 PMCID: PMC8205907 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-020-03729-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Major global crops in high-yielding, temperate cropping regions are facing increasing threats from the impact of climate change, particularly from drought and heat at critical developmental timepoints during the crop lifecycle. Research to address this concern is frequently focused on attempts to identify exotic genetic diversity showing pronounced stress tolerance or avoidance, to elucidate and introgress the responsible genetic factors or to discover underlying genes as a basis for targeted genetic modification. Although such approaches are occasionally successful in imparting a positive effect on performance in specific stress environments, for example through modulation of root depth, major-gene modifications of plant architecture or function tend to be highly context-dependent. In contrast, long-term genetic gain through conventional breeding has incrementally increased yields of modern crops through accumulation of beneficial, small-effect variants which also confer yield stability via stress adaptation. Here we reflect on retrospective breeding progress in major crops and the impact of long-term, conventional breeding on climate adaptation and yield stability under abiotic stress constraints. Looking forward, we outline how new approaches might complement conventional breeding to maintain and accelerate breeding progress, despite the challenges of climate change, as a prerequisite to sustainable future crop productivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rod J Snowdon
- Department of Plant Breeding, IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Benjamin Wittkop
- Department of Plant Breeding, IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tsu-Wei Chen
- Albrecht Daniel Thaer Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt University Berlin, Lentzeallee 75, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Stahl
- Department of Plant Breeding, IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392, Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Erwin-Baur-Strasse 27, 06484, Quedlinburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Dadshani S, Mathew B, Ballvora A, Mason AS, Léon J. Detection of breeding signatures in wheat using a linkage disequilibrium-corrected mapping approach. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5527. [PMID: 33750919 PMCID: PMC7970893 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85226-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Marker assisted breeding, facilitated by reference genome assemblies, can help to produce cultivars adapted to changing environmental conditions. However, anomalous linkage disequilibrium (LD), where single markers show high LD with markers on other chromosomes but low LD with adjacent markers, is a serious impediment for genetic studies. We used a LD-correction approach to overcome these drawbacks, correcting the physical position of markers derived from 15 and 135 K arrays in a diversity panel of bread wheat representing 50 years of breeding history. We detected putative mismapping of 11.7% markers and improved the physical alignment of 5.4% markers. Population analysis indicated reduced genetic diversity over time as a result of breeding efforts. By analysis of outlier loci and allele frequency change over time we traced back the 2NS/2AS translocation of Aegilops ventricosa to one cultivar, "Cardos" (registered in 1998) which was the first among the panel to contain this translocation. A "selective sweep" for this important translocation region on chromosome 2AS was found, putatively linked to plant response to biotic stress factors. Our approach helps in overcoming the drawbacks of incorrectly anchored markers on the wheat reference assembly and facilitates detection of selective sweeps for important agronomic traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Said Dadshani
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Plant Breeding, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Boby Mathew
- Bayer CropScience, Monheim am Rhein, Germany
| | - Agim Ballvora
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Plant Breeding, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Annaliese S Mason
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Plant Breeding, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jens Léon
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Plant Breeding, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Keller I, Rodrigues CM, Neuhaus HE, Pommerrenig B. Improved resource allocation and stabilization of yield under abiotic stress. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 257:153336. [PMID: 33360492 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2020.153336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Sugars are the main building blocks for carbohydrate storage, but also serve as signaling molecules and protective compounds during abiotic stress responses. Accordingly, sugar transport proteins fulfill multiple roles as they mediate long distance sugar allocation, but also shape the subcellular and tissue-specific carbohydrate profiles by balancing the levels of these molecules in various compartments. Accordingly, transporter activity represents a target by classical or directed breeding approaches, to either, directly increase phloem loading or to increase sink strength in crop species. The relative subcellular distribution of sugars is critical for molecular signaling affecting yield-relevant processes like photosynthesis, onset of flowering and stress responses, while controlled long-distance sugar transport directly impacts development and productivity of plants. However, long-distance transport is prone to become unbalanced upon adverse environmental conditions. Therefore, we highlight the influence of stress stimuli on sucrose transport in the phloem and include the role of stress induced cellular carbohydrate sinks, like raffinose or fructans, which possess important roles to build up tolerance against challenging environmental conditions. In addition, we report on recent breeding approaches that resulted in altered source and sink capacities, leading to increased phloem sucrose shuttling in crops. Finally, we present strategies integrating the need of cellular stress-protection into the general picture of long-distance transport under abiotic stress, and point to possible approaches improving plant performance and resource allocation under adverse environmental conditions, leading to stabilized or even increased crop yield.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Keller
- Plant Physiology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | | | - H Ekkehard Neuhaus
- Plant Physiology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany.
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Koua AP, Oyiga BC, Baig MM, Léon J, Ballvora A. Breeding Driven Enrichment of Genetic Variation for Key Yield Components and Grain Starch Content Under Drought Stress in Winter Wheat. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:684205. [PMID: 34484257 PMCID: PMC8415485 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.684205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Drought is one of the major abiotic stress factors limiting wheat production worldwide, thus threatening food security. The dissection of the genetic footprint of drought stress response offers strong opportunities toward understanding and improving drought tolerance (DT) in wheat. In this study, we investigated the genotypic variability for drought response among 200 diverse wheat cultivars (genotypes) using agronomic, developmental, and grain quality traits (GQT), and conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to uncover the genetic architectures of these important traits. Results indicated significant effects of genotype, water regime and their interactions for all agronomic traits. Grain yield (GY) was the most drought-responsive trait and was highly correlated with kernels number per meter square (KN). Genome-wide association studies revealed 17 and 20 QTL regions under rainfed and drought conditions, respectively, and identified one LD block on chromosome 3A and two others on 5D associated with breeding progress (BP). The major haplotypes of these LD blocks have been positively selected through breeding and are associated with higher starch accumulation and GY under drought conditions. Upon validation, the identified QTL regions caring favorable alleles for high starch and yield will shed light on mechanisms of tolerance to drought and can be used to develop drought resistant cultivars.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahossi Patrice Koua
- Department of Plant Breeding, Institut für Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften und Ressourcenschutz (INRES), Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Benedict Chijioke Oyiga
- Department of Plant Breeding, Institut für Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften und Ressourcenschutz (INRES), Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Mirza Majid Baig
- Department of Plant Breeding, Institut für Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften und Ressourcenschutz (INRES), Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jens Léon
- Department of Plant Breeding, Institut für Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften und Ressourcenschutz (INRES), Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
- Field Lab Campus Klein-Altendorf, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Agim Ballvora
- Department of Plant Breeding, Institut für Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften und Ressourcenschutz (INRES), Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Bonn, Germany
- *Correspondence: Agim Ballvora
| |
Collapse
|