Scientists unlock key to drought-resistant wheat plants with longer roots
UC Davis*
The photo shows roots containing different dosages of a family of genes that affect root architecture, allowing wheat plants to develop longer roots and absorb more water. Credit: Gilad Gabay / U.C. Davis
Growing wheat in drought conditions may be easier in the future, thanks to new genetic research from the University of California, Davis.
An international team of scientists has found that the right number of copies of a specific group of genes can stimulate longer root growth, allowing wheat plants to draw water from deeper reserves. According to an article published in the journal Nature Communicationsthe resulting plants have a higher biomass and produce a higher grain yield.
The research provides new tools to modify the root architecture of wheat to enable it to withstand low water conditions, said Gilad Gabay, postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Plant Sciences at theU.C. Davis and first author of the article.
Roots are the key to better yield in drought conditions
« Roots play a very important role in plants “, did he declare. ” The root absorbs water and nutrients necessary for plant growth. This discovery is a useful tool for designing root systems to improve wheat yield under drought conditions. »
Much has been done to improve wheat production, but losses due to water stress can erase other improvements. Plants that can adapt to low water conditions while having increased yield will be key to producing enough food for a growing population in the face of global warming.
Until now, little was known regarding the genes that affect the root structure of wheat. Finding the family of genes – known as OPRIII – and how different copies of these genes affect root length is an important step, said Emeritus Professor Jorge Dubcovsky, project leader in the lab where Gabay works.
« The duplication of the OPRIII genes results in increased production of a plant hormone called jasmonic acid which causes, among other things, the accelerated production of lateral roots “said Dubcovsky. ” Different dosages of these genes can be used to obtain different roots. »
From genomics to breeding
To achieve longer roots, the research team used CRISPR gene-editing technology to eliminate some of the OPRIII genes that were duplicated in the shorter-rooted wheat lines. In contrast, increasing the copy number of these genes resulted in shorter and more branching roots. But the insertion of a rye chromosome, which leads to a decrease in wheat’s OPRIII genes, caused longer roots.
« Fine-tuning the dosage of OPRIII genes can allow us to create root systems adapted to drought, normal conditions, different scenarios Gabay said.
By knowing the right combination of genes, researchers can search for wheat varieties that exhibit these natural variations and select them for distribution to growers who plant in low-moisture environments.
Junli Zhang, Germán Burguener and Tyson Howell from the Department of Plant Sciences contributed to the article, as did researchers from China Agricultural University, Fudan University of China, Howard Hughes Medical Institute of Maryland, the Karolinska Institute of Sweden, the National University of San Martin of Argentina, the Technological Institute of Chascomús of Argentina, the University of Berkeley, the University of Haifa of Israel and the UC Riverside Metabolomics Core Facility.
More information: Gilad Gabay et al., Dosage differences in 12-OXOPHYTODIENOATE REDUCTASE genes modulate wheat root growth, Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36248-y
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* Source : Scientists unlock key to drought-resistant wheat plants with longer roots (phys.org)
