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DeHaan LR, Anderson JA, Bajgain P, Basche A, Cattani DJ, Crain J, Crews TE, David C, Duchene O, Gutknecht J, Hayes RC, Hu F, Jungers JM, Knudsen S, Kong W, Larson S, Lundquist PO, Luo G, Miller AJ, Nabukalu P, Newell MT, Olsson L, Palmgren M, Paterson AH, Picasso VD, Poland JA, Sacks EJ, Wang S, Westerbergh A. Discussion: Prioritize perennial grain development for sustainable food production and environmental benefits. Sci Total Environ 2023; 895:164975. [PMID: 37336402 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Perennial grains have potential to contribute to ecological intensification of food production by enabling the direct harvest of human-edible crops without requiring annual cycles of disturbance and replanting. Studies of prototype perennial grains and other herbaceous perennials point to the ability of agroecosystems including these crops to protect water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, build soil quality, and sequester soil carbon. However, genetic improvement of perennial grain candidates has been hindered by limited investment due to uncertainty about whether the approach is viable. As efforts to develop perennial grain crops have expanded in past decades, critiques of the approach have arisen. With a recent report of perennial rice producing yields equivalent to those of annual rice over eight consecutive harvests, many theoretical concerns have been alleviated. Some valid questions remain over the timeline for new crop development, but we argue these may be mitigated by implementation of recent technological advances in crop breeding and genetics such as low-cost genotyping, genomic selection, and genome editing. With aggressive research investment in the development of new perennial grain crops, they can be developed and deployed to provide atmospheric greenhouse gas reductions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee R DeHaan
- The Land Institute, 2440 E. Water Well Rd, Salina, KS 67401, USA.
| | - James A Anderson
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Prabin Bajgain
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Andrea Basche
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1875 N. 38th St, 279 PLSH, Lincoln, NE 68583-0915, USA
| | - Douglas J Cattani
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, 66 Dafoe Rd, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Jared Crain
- Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, 1712 Claflin Rd, 4024 Throckmorton PSC, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Timothy E Crews
- The Land Institute, 2440 E. Water Well Rd, Salina, KS 67401, USA
| | - Christophe David
- ISARA, Agroecology and Environment Research Unit, 23 rue Jean Baldassini, 69364 Lyon, France
| | - Olivier Duchene
- ISARA, Agroecology and Environment Research Unit, 23 rue Jean Baldassini, 69364 Lyon, France
| | - Jessica Gutknecht
- Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Richard C Hayes
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Pine Gully Rd, NSW 2650, Australia
| | - Fengyi Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Research Center of Perennial Rice Engineering and Technology in Yunnan, School of Agriculture, Yunnan University, 2 Cuihu N Rd, Wuhua District, Kunming 650106, China
| | - Jacob M Jungers
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Søren Knudsen
- Carlsberg Research Laboratory, J. C. Jacobsens Gade 4, 1799, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Steve Larson
- USDA-ARS, Forage and Range Research, 696 North 1100 East, Logan, UT 84321, USA
| | - Per-Olof Lundquist
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Linnean Center for Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7080, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Guangbin Luo
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Allison J Miller
- Saint Louis University, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 N Warson Rd, Olivette, MO 63132, USA
| | - Pheonah Nabukalu
- NESPAL, University of Georgia, 2356 Rainwater Rd, Tifton, GA 31793, USA
| | - Matthew T Newell
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Cowra Agricultural Research Station, 296 Binni Creek Rd, Cowra, NSW 2794, Australia
| | - Lennart Olsson
- Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, P.O. Box 170, SE-221 Lund, Sweden
| | - Michael Palmgren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Jesse A Poland
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Shuwen Wang
- The Land Institute, 2440 E. Water Well Rd, Salina, KS 67401, USA
| | - Anna Westerbergh
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Linnean Center for Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7080, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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Chapman EA, Thomsen HC, Tulloch S, Correia PMP, Luo G, Najafi J, DeHaan LR, Crews TE, Olsson L, Lundquist PO, Westerbergh A, Pedas PR, Knudsen S, Palmgren M. Perennials as Future Grain Crops: Opportunities and Challenges. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:898769. [PMID: 35968139 PMCID: PMC9372509 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.898769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Perennial grain crops could make a valuable addition to sustainable agriculture, potentially even as an alternative to their annual counterparts. The ability of perennials to grow year after year significantly reduces the number of agricultural inputs required, in terms of both planting and weed control, while reduced tillage improves soil health and on-farm biodiversity. Presently, perennial grain crops are not grown at large scale, mainly due to their early stages of domestication and current low yields. Narrowing the yield gap between perennial and annual grain crops will depend on characterizing differences in their life cycles, resource allocation, and reproductive strategies and understanding the trade-offs between annualism, perennialism, and yield. The genetic and biochemical pathways controlling plant growth, physiology, and senescence should be analyzed in perennial crop plants. This information could then be used to facilitate tailored genetic improvement of selected perennial grain crops to improve agronomic traits and enhance yield, while maintaining the benefits associated with perennialism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sophia Tulloch
- Department of Raw Materials, Carlsberg Research Laboratory, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pedro M. P. Correia
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Guangbin Luo
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Javad Najafi
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | | | | | - Lennart Olsson
- Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, Lund, Sweden
| | - Per-Olof Lundquist
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Linnean Centre for Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Westerbergh
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Linnean Centre for Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pai Rosager Pedas
- Department of Raw Materials, Carlsberg Research Laboratory, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Søren Knudsen
- Department of Raw Materials, Carlsberg Research Laboratory, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Palmgren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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Bharadwaj DP, Alström S, Lundquist PO. Interactions among Glomus irregulare, arbuscular mycorrhizal spore-associated bacteria, and plant pathogens under in vitro conditions. Mycorrhiza 2012; 22:437-447. [PMID: 22081167 DOI: 10.1007/s00572-011-0418-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2011] [Accepted: 10/17/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi interact with bacteria (AM fungi-associated bacteria, AMB) in the mycorrhizosphere. We previously identified a set of AMB that enhance AM fungal colonization, plant growth, and inhibit pathogens. Here, we used transformed carrot root cultures in a two-compartment plate system for further in vitro studies on interactions taking place among Glomus irregulare (syn.Glomus intraradices), AMB, and plant pathogens. We found that exudates of G. irregulare stimulated growth of all ten AMB isolates tested in multi-well plates. AMB growth stimulation was observed also during co-cultivation of three of these AMB with G. irregulare in the hyphal compartment. In addition, co-cultivation stimulated growth of G. irregulare hyphae and spore production, as well as G. irregulare root colonization. GC/MS analysis in a preliminary screening of metabolites revealed differences in concentrations of several identified but also unidentified compounds in G. irregulare hyphal exudates. Exudates in presence of three different AMB isolates co-cultivated with G. irregulare contained several additional compounds that differed in amount compared with G. irregulare alone. The results indicate that G. irregulare exudates contain carbohydrates, amino acids, and unidentified compounds that could serve as a substrate to stimulate AMB growth. With regard to effects on plant pathogens, growth inhibition of Rhizoctonia solani, Verticillium dahliae, and Pectobacterium carotovorum ssp. carotovorum was evident in the presence of the AMB isolates tested together with the G. irregulare exudates. These in vitro studies suggest that G. irregulare and AMB stimulate growth of each other and that they together seem to provide an additive effect against growth of both fungal and bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharam Parkash Bharadwaj
- Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7026, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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Lundberg P, Lundquist PO. Primary metabolism in N2-fixing Alnus incana-Frankia symbiotic root nodules studied with 15N and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Planta 2004; 219:661-672. [PMID: 15179512 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-004-1271-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2003] [Accepted: 03/17/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The primary nitrogen metabolism of the N2-fixing root nodule symbiosis Alnus incana (L.)- Frankia was investigated by 31P and 15N nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Perfusion of root nodules in a pulse-chase approach with 15N- or 14N-labeled NH4+ revealed the presence of the amino acids alanine (Ala), gamma-amino butyric acid, glutamine (Gln), glutamic acid (Glu), citrulline (Cit) and arginine (Arg). Labeling kinetics of the Gln amide-N and alpha-amino acids suggested that the glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2)-glutamate synthase (GOGAT; EC 1.4.1.13) pathway was active. Inhibition of the GS-catalyzed reaction by methionine sulphoximine abolished incorporation of 15N. Cit was labeled in all three N positions but most rapidly in the omega position, consistent with carbamoyl phosphate as the precursor to which Gln could be the amino donor catalyzed by carbamoyl phosphate synthase (CPS; EC 6.3.5.5). Ala biosynthesis occurred consistent with a flux of N in the sequence Gln-Glu-Ala. 31P NMR spectroscopy in vivo and of extracts revealed several metabolites and was used in connection with the 15N pulse-chase experiment to assess general metabolic status. Stable concentrations of ATP and UDP-glucose during extended perfusions showed that the overall root nodule metabolism appeared undisturbed throughout the experiments. The metabolic pathways suggested by the NMR results were confirmed by high activities of the enzymes GS, NADH-GOGAT and ornithine carbamoyltransferase (OCT; EC 2.1.3.3). We conclude that the primary pathway of NH4+ assimilation in A. incana root nodules occurs through the GS-GOGAT pathway. Biosynthesis of Cit through GS-CPS-OCT is important and is a link between the first amino acid Gln and this final transport and storage form of nitrogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Lundberg
- MR-unit, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital of Linköping, 581 85, Sweden
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Lundquist PO. Nitrogenase activity in Alnus incana root nodules. Responses to O(2) and short-term N(2) deprivation. Plant Physiol 2000; 122:553-62. [PMID: 10677448 PMCID: PMC58892 DOI: 10.1104/pp.122.2.553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/1999] [Accepted: 10/20/1999] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
O(2) and host-microsymbiont interactions are key factors affecting the physiology of N(2)-fixing symbioses. To determine the relationship among nitrogenase activity of Frankia-Alnus incana root nodules, O(2) concentration, and short-term N(2) deprivation, intact nodulated roots were exposed to various O(2) pressures (pO(2)) and Ar:O(2) in a continuous flow-through system. Nitrogenase activity (H(2) production) occurred at a maximal rate at 20% O(2). Exposure to short-term N(2) deprivation in Ar:O(2) carried out at either 17%, 21%, or 25% O(2) caused a decline in the nitrogenase activity at 21% and 25% O(2) by 12% and 25%, respectively. At 21% O(2), nitrogenase activity recovered to initial activity within 60 min. The decline rate was correlated with the degree of inhibition of N(2) fixation. Respiration (net CO(2) evolution) decreased in response to the N(2) deprivation at all pO(2) values and did not recover during the time in Ar:O(2). Increasing the pO(2) from 21% to 25% and decreasing the pO(2) from 21% to 17% during the decline further decreased rather than stimulated nitrogenase activity, showing that the decline was not due to O(2) limitation. The decline was possibly due to a temporary disturbance in the supply of reductant to nitrogenase with a partial O(2) inhibition of nitrogenase at 25% O(2). These results are consistent with a fixed O(2) diffusion barrier in A. incana root nodules, and show that A. incana nodules differ from legume nodules in the response of the nitrogenase activity to O(2) and N(2) deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- P O Lundquist
- Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7080, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
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Huss-Danell K, Lundquist PO, Ohlsson H. N2 fixation in a young Alnus incana stand, based on seasonal and diurnal variation in whole plant nitrogenase activity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1992. [DOI: 10.1139/b92-193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
N2 fixation by grey alder, Alnus incana (L.) Moench, was studied in the field during two growing seasons in northern Sweden. Alders were planted in a nitrogen-poor soil. Each alder had its root system enclosed in an open-ended cylinder that was closed with a gas-tight lid around the stem base to serve as cuvette during nitrogenase activity (acetylene reducing activity) measurements. To follow the seasonal variation, nitrogenase activity was measured at noon on 15 occasions for each alder in 1987 and on 15 occasions in 1988. Diurnal variation in nitrogenase activity was studied at six occasions, but no obvious pattern in the diurnal variation was found. Nitrogenase activity began shortly after leaf emergence at the very end of May, increased in June, stayed high although with some variation through July and August, declined during September, and was zero in early October. Cumulative nitrogenase activity over the season was converted to cumulative N2 fixation after determination of molar ratio nitrogenase activity to N2 fixation. This conversion was facilitated as the Frankia chosen as symbiont was lacking hydrogenase activity. Control experiments showed that the introduced symbiont was the only infective Frankia in the soil. N2 fixation was estimated to be 0.23 and 2.83 g N/(alder∙year) in the 1st and 2nd year, respectively. Despite its young age, A. incana was apparently capable of high N2 fixation rates at the high latitude studied. Key words: Alnus incana, hydrogenase, intact plants, N2 fixation, seasonal variation, spreading of Frankia.
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Lundquist PO, Huss-Danell K. Nitrogenase Activity and Amounts of Nitrogenase Proteins in a Frankia-Alnus incana Symbiosis Subjected to Darkness. Plant Physiol 1991; 95:808-13. [PMID: 16668058 PMCID: PMC1077610 DOI: 10.1104/pp.95.3.808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Effects of prolonged darkness on nitrogenase activity in vivo, nitrogenase activity in vitro, and the amounts of nitrogenase proteins were studied in symbiotic Frankia. Plants of Alnus incana (L.) Moench in symbiosis with a local source of Frankia were grown for 9 to 10 weeks in an 18/6 hour light/darkness cycle. After 12 hours of a light period, the plants were exposed to darkness for up to 40 hours. Nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction activity) of intact plants was measured repeatedly. Frankia vesicle clusters were prepared from the nodules with an anaerobic homogenization and filtration technique and were used for measurements of in vitro nitrogenase activity and for measurements of the amounts of nitrogenase proteins on Western blots. Antisera made against dinitrogenase reductase (Fe-protein) of Rhodospirillum rubrum and against dinitrogenase (MoFe-protein) of Azotobacter vinelandii were used. Western blots were made transparent and nitrogenase proteins were quantified spectrophotometrically. Nitrogenase activity both in vivo and in vitro decreased after about 23 hours of darkness and continued to decrease to about 25% and 16% of initial activity, respectively, after 40 hours. The amount of Fe-protein and MoFe-protein in Frankia of the same plants decreased to 60% and 35%, respectively, after 40 hours of darkness. Loss of nitrogenase activity thus appeared to be largely explained by loss of MoFe-protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- P O Lundquist
- Department of Plant Physiology, University of Umeå, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
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Vikman PÅ, Lundquist PO, Huss-Danell K. Respiratory capacity, nitrogenase activity and structural changes ofFrankia, in symbiosis withAlnus incana, in response to prolonged darkness. Planta 1990; 182:617-625. [PMID: 24197385 DOI: 10.1007/bf02341040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/30/1990] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Plants ofAlnus incana (L.) Moench in symbiosis with a local source ofFrankia were exposed to prolonged darkness under controlled climate conditions.Frankia vesicle clusters were prepared from the root nodules, and the condition ofFrankia was measured as respiratory capacity by supplying the preparation with saturating amounts of four different substrates. During darkness, nitrogenase (EC 1.7.99.2) activity decreased in intact plants and in the vesicle-cluster preparations. The respiratory capacity ofFrankia also decreased. After 4 d in darkness most respiration was lost, though all nitrogenase activity was already lost after 3 d. When the dark treatment was ended after 2 d and normal light/dark conditions restored, nitrogenase activity immediately started to recover. The respiratory capacity continued to decrease and no recovery was observed until the third day after the end of the dark treatment. Whole-plant nitrogenase activity slowly increased at a rate similar to the rate of increase observed in untreated plants. Transmission electron micrographs of the root nodules showed that the cytoplasm of infected host cells and the cells ofFrankia were structurally degraded in response to dark treatment, while young vesicles were frequent during recovery. Growth and differentiation ofFrankia cells were apparently important for recovery of the enzyme activities studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Å Vikman
- Department of Plant Physiology, University of Umeå, S-901 87, Umeå, Sweden
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