Genetic diversity for aluminum tolerance in sorghum

Tolerance mechanisms to aluminum in popcorn inbred lines involving aluminum compartmentalization and ascorbate-glutathione redox pathway

Inbred line 11-133 of popcorn showed the lowest apoplast Al and total Al concentrations and Al-lumogallion complex, associated with a more efficient antioxidant system, mainly due to glutathione metabolism. Popcorn (Zea mays L. var. everta) is largely intended for human consumption. About 40% of the world's arable soils are acidic. In soils acidic, aluminum (Al) ionizes producing the trivalent cation, which is highly toxic to plants. Hence, this work aimed to: (1) evaluate the Al toxicity sites and its effect on the structure of the root tips, (2) quantify Al concentrations in the apoplast and symplast of the roots, and (3) to elucidate the modulation on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and metabolites of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle in two popcorn inbred lines (ILs) 11-133 and 11-60, classified as tolerant and sensitive to this metal, respectively. Aluminum toxicity did not affect the shoot growth; however, there was a yellowing of the oldest leaf blade only in 11-60. The better performance of 11-133 is related to lower apoplastic and total Al concentrations and Al accumulation in the root associated with a lower fluorescence of Al-lumogallion complex at the root tip, indicating the presence of mechanisms of chelation with this metal. Consequently, this IL showed less change in root morphoanatomy and lower reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde content, which are associated with a more efficient enzymatic and non-enzymatic system, mainly due to the higher content of the glutathione metabolite and the higher activities of superoxide dismutase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, and glutathione peroxidase enzymes. Thus, these findings illustrated above indicate how internal mechanisms of detoxification respond to Al in popcorn, which can be used as tolerance biomarkers.

Circadian Rhythm Regulates Reactive Oxygen Species Production and Inhibits Al-Induced Programmed Cell Death in Peanut

Peanut is among the most important oil crops in the world. In the southern part of China, peanut is highly produced; however, the arable land is acidic. In acidic soils, aluminum (Al) inhibits plant growth and development by changing the properties of the cell wall and causing the disorder of the intracellular metabolic process. Circadian rhythm is an internal mechanism that occurs about every 24 h and enables plants to maintain internal biological processes with a daily cycle. To investigate the effect of photoperiod and Al stress on the Al-induced programmed cell death (PCD), two peanut varieties were treated with 100 μM AlCl₃ under three photoperiodic conditions (8/16, SD; 12/12, ND; 16/8 h, LD). The results show that Al toxicity was higher in ZH2 than in 99-1507 and higher under LD than under SD. Root length decreased by 30, 37.5, and 50% in ZH2 and decreased by 26.08, 34.78, and 47.82% in 99-1507 under SD, ND, and LD, respectively, under Al stress. Photoperiod and Al induced cell death and ROS production. MDA content, PME activity, and LOX activity increased under SD, ND, and LD, respectively, under Al stress both in ZH2 and 99-1507. APX, SOD, CAT, and POD activities were higher under SD, ND, and LD, respectively. Al stress increased the level of AhLHY expression under SD and ND but decreased it under LD in both ZH2 and 99-1507. Contrastingly, AhSTS expression levels increased exponentially and were higher under SD, LD, and ND, respectively, under Al stress. Our results will be a useful platform to research PCD induced by Al and gain new insights into the genetic manipulation of the circadian clock for plant stress response.

DNA methylation and histone modifications induced by abiotic stressors in plants

BACKGROUND

A review of research shows that methylation in plants is more complex and sophisticated than in microorganisms and animals. Overall, studies on the effects of abiotic stress on epigenetic modifications in plants are still scarce and limited to few species. Epigenetic regulation of plant responses to environmental stresses has not been elucidated. This study summarizes key effects of abiotic stressors on DNA methylation and histone modifications in plants.

DISCUSSION

Plant DNA methylation and histone modifications in responses to abiotic stressors varied and depended on the type and level of stress, plant tissues, age, and species. A critical analysis of the literature available revealed that 44% of the epigenetic modifications induced by abiotic stressors in plants involved DNA hypomethylation, 40% DNA hypermethylation, and 16% histone modification. The epigenetic changes in plants might be underestimated since most authors used methods such as methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP), High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and immunolabeling that are less sensitive compared to bisulfite sequencing and single-base resolution methylome analyses. More over, mechanisms underlying epigenetic changes in plants have not yet been determined since most reports showed only the level or/and distribution of DNA methylation and histone modifications.

CONCLUSIONS

Various epigenetic mechanisms are involved in response to abiotic stressors, and several of them are still unknown. Integrated analysis of the changes in the genome by omic approaches should help to identify novel components underlying mechanisms involved in DNA methylation and histone modifications associated with plant response to environmental stressors.

Tease out the future: How tea research might enable crop breeding for acid soil tolerance

Unlike most crops, in which soil acidity severely limits productivity, tea (Camellia sinensis) actually prefers acid soils (pH 4.0-5.5). Specifically, tea is very tolerant of acidity-promoted aluminum (Al) toxicity, a major factor that limits the yield of most other crops, and it even requires Al for optimum growth. Understanding tea Al tolerance and Al-stimulatory mechanisms could therefore be fundamental for the future development of crops adapted to acid soils. Here, we summarize the Al-tolerance mechanisms of tea plants, propose possible mechanistic explanations for the stimulation of tea growth by Al based on recent research, and put forward ideas for future crop breeding for acid soils.

Association mapping and genomic selection for sorghum adaptation to tropical soils of Brazil in a sorghum multiparental random mating population

A multiparental random mating population used in sorghum breeding is amenable for the detection of QTLs related to tropical soil adaptation, fine mapping of underlying genes and genomic selection approaches. Tropical soils where low phosphorus (P) and aluminum (Al) toxicity limit sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] production are widespread in the developing world. We report on BRP13R, a multiparental random mating population (MP-RMP), which is commonly used in sorghum recurrent selection targeting tropical soil adaptation. Recombination dissipated much of BRP13R's likely original population structure and average linkage disequilibrium (LD) persisted up to 2.5 Mb, establishing BRP13R as a middle ground between biparental populations and sorghum association panels. Genome-wide association mapping (GWAS) identified conserved QTL from previous studies, such as for root morphology and grain yield under low-P, and indicated the importance of dominance in the genetic architecture of grain yield. By overlapping consensus QTL regions, we mapped two candidate P efficiency genes to a ~ 5 Mb region on chromosomes 6 (ALMT) and 9 (PHO2). Remarkably, we find that only 200 progeny genotyped with ~ 45,000 markers in BRP13R can lead to GWAS-based positional cloning of naturally rare, subpopulation-specific alleles, such as for SbMATE-conditioned Al tolerance. Genomic selection was found to be useful in such MP-RMP, particularly if markers in LD with major genes are fitted as fixed effects into GBLUP models accommodating dominance. Shifts in allele frequencies in progeny contrasting for grain yield indicated that intermediate to minor-effect genes on P efficiency, such as SbPSTOL1 genes, can be employed in pre-breeding via allele mining in the base population. Therefore, MP-RMPs such as BRP13R emerge as multipurpose resources for efficient gene discovery and deployment for breeding sorghum cultivars adapted to tropical soils.

Transcriptomic and ionomic analysis provides new insight into the beneficial effect of Al on tea roots' growth and nutrient uptake

Transcriptome profiling of roots indicated that genes involved in cell wall modification, cytoskeleton, H⁺ exchange and K⁺ influx played important roles in tea root growth under Al addition. Tea (Camellia sinensis) is considered as an Al accumulator species. It can accumulate a high concentration of Al in mature leaves without any symptom of toxicity, even improve roots' growth and nutrient uptake. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this tolerance remain unclear. Here, we investigated the accumulation of elements and transcriptional profiles in tea roots treated with various Al doses. The results showed that the growth of tea plants was improved by a low dose of Al (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 1 mM); however, this beneficial effect disappeared when higher concentrations of Al were supplied (2, 4, 10 mM). Ionomic analysis suggested that accumulation of P and K increased under a low Al supply (< 1 mM), while Ca and Mg contents were negatively correlated with external Al doses. The RNA seq obtained 523,391 unigenes, among which 20,448 were annotated in all databases. In total, 1876 unigenes were expressed significantly different in any Al treatment. A large number of DEGs involved in cell growth and division, such as those linked to cell wall-modifying enzymes, actin cytoskeleton, cyclin and H⁺-ATPase were identified, suggesting that these pathways were involved in root growth under different Al supply. Furthermore, expression of transporters significantly changed in roots supplied with Al. Among them, HAK5, which is involved in K uptake by plants, had a significant positive correlation with the K content.

Repeat variants for the SbMATE transporter protect sorghum roots from aluminum toxicity by transcriptional interplay in cis and trans

Acidic soils, where aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major agricultural constraint, are globally widespread and are prevalent in developing countries. In sorghum, the root citrate transporter SbMATE confers Al tolerance by protecting root apices from toxic Al³⁺, but can exhibit reduced expression when introgressed into different lines. We show that allele-specific SbMATE transactivation occurs and is caused by factors located away from SbMATE Using expression-QTL mapping and expression genome-wide association mapping, we establish that SbMATE transcription is controlled in a bipartite fashion, primarily in cis but also in trans Multiallelic promoter transactivation and ChIP analyses demonstrated that intermolecular effects on SbMATE expression arise from a WRKY and a zinc finger-DHHC transcription factor (TF) that bind to and trans-activate the SbMATE promoter. A haplotype analysis in sorghum RILs indicates that the TFs influence SbMATE expression and Al tolerance. Variation in SbMATE expression likely results from changes in tandemly repeated cis sequences flanking a transposable element (a miniature inverted repeat transposable element) insertion in the SbMATE promoter, which are recognized by the Al³⁺-responsive TFs. According to our model, repeat expansion in Al-tolerant genotypes increases TF recruitment and, hence, SbMATE expression, which is, in turn, lower in Al-sensitive genetic backgrounds as a result of lower TF expression and fewer binding sites. We thus show that even dominant cis regulation of an agronomically important gene can be subjected to precise intermolecular fine-tuning. These concerted cis/trans interactions, which allow the plant to sense and respond to environmental cues, such as Al³⁺ toxicity, can now be used to increase yields and food security on acidic soils.

Exploiting sorghum genetic diversity for enhanced aluminum tolerance: Allele mining based on the AltSB locus

Root damage due to aluminum (Al) toxicity restricts crop production on acidic soils, which are extensive in the tropics. The sorghum root Al-activated citrate transporter, SbMATE, underlies the Al tolerance locus, Alt_SB, and increases grain yield under Al toxicity. Here, Alt_SB loci associated with Al tolerance were converted into Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS) markers, which are cost effective and easy to use. A DNA pooling strategy allowed us to identify accessions harboring rare favorable Alt_SB alleles in three germplasm sets while greatly reducing genotyping needs. Population structure analysis revealed that favorable Alt_SB alleles are predominantly found in subpopulations enriched with guinea sorghums, supporting a possible Western African origin of Alt_SB. The efficiency of allele mining in recovering Al tolerance accessions was the highest in the largest and highly diverse germplasm set, with a 10-fold reduction in the number of accessions that would need to be phenotyped in the absence of marker information. Finally, Al tolerant accessions were found to rely on SbMATE to exclude Al³⁺ from sensitive sites in the root apex. This study emphasizes gene-specific markers as important tools for efficiently mining useful rare alleles in diverse germplasm, bridging genetic resource conservation efforts and pre-breeding for Al tolerance.

Genome-wide association mapping of aluminum toxicity tolerance and fine mapping of a candidate gene for Nrat1 in rice

Aluminum (Al) stress is becoming the major limiting factor in crop production in acidic soils. Rice has been reported as the most Al-tolerant crop and the capacity of Al toxicity tolerance is generally evaluated by comparing root growth under Al stress. Here, we performed an association mapping of Al toxicity tolerance using a core collection of 211 indica rice accessions with 700 K high quality SNP data. A total of 21 putative QTL affecting shoot height (SH), root length (RL), shoot fresh weight (SFW), shoot dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW) and shoot water content (SWC) were identified at seedling stage, including three QTL detected only under control condition, eight detected only under Al stress condition, ten simultaneously detected in both control and Al stress conditions, and seven were identified by stress tolerance index of their corresponding traits. Total of 21 candidate genes for 7 important QTL regions associated with Al toxicity tolerance were identified based on combined haplotype analysis and functional annotation, and the most likely candidate gene(s) for each important QTL were also discussed. Also a candidate gene Nrat1 on chromosome 2 was further fine-mapped using BSA-seq and linkage analysis in the F2 population derived from the cross of Al tolerant accession CC105 and super susceptible accession CC180. A new non-synonymous SNP variation was observed at Nrat1 between CC105 and CC180, which resulted in an amino-acid substitution from Ala (A) in CC105 to Asp (D) in CC180. Haplotype analysis of Nrat1 using 327 3K RGP accessions indicated that minor allele variations in aus and indica subpopulations decreased Al toxicity tolerance in rice. The candidate genes identified in this study provide valuable information for improvement of Al toxicity tolerance in rice. Our research indicated that minor alleles are important for QTL mapping and its application in rice breeding when natural gene resources are used.

Molecular markers associated with aluminium tolerance in Sorghum bicolor

Background

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, L. Moench) production in many agro-ecologies is constrained by a variety of stresses, including high levels of aluminium (Al) commonly found in acid soils. Therefore, for such soils, growing Al tolerant cultivars is imperative for high productivity.

Methods

In this study, molecular markers associated with Al tolerance were identified using a mapping population developed by crossing two contrasting genotypes for this trait.

Results

Four SSR (Xtxp34, Sb5_236, Sb6_34, and Sb6_342), one STS (CTG29_3b) and three ISSR (811_1400, 835_200 and 884_200) markers produced alleles that showed significant association with Al tolerance. CTG29_3b, 811_1400, Xtxp34 and Sb5_236 are located on chromosome 3 with the first two markers located close to Alt_SB, a locus that underlie the Al tolerance gene (SbMATE) implying that their association with Al tolerance is due to their linkage to this gene. Although CTG29_3b and 811_1400 are located closer to Alt_SB, Xtxp34 and Sb5_236 explained higher phenotypic variance of Al tolerance indices. Markers 835_200, 884_200, Sb6_34 and Sb6_342 are located on different chromosomes, which implies the presence of several genes involved in Al tolerance in addition to SbMATE in sorghum.

Conclusion

These molecular markers have a high potential for use in breeding for Al tolerance in sorghum.

Expression patterns and promoter analyses of aluminum-responsive NAC genes suggest a possible growth regulation of rice mediated by aluminum, hormones and NAC transcription factors

In acid soils, the solubilized form of aluminum, Al+3, decreases root growth and affects the development of most crops. However, like other toxic elements, Al can have hormetic effects on plant metabolism. Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most tolerant species to Al toxicity, and when this element is supplied at low doses, growth stimulation has been observed, which could be due to combined mechanisms that are partly triggered by NAC transcription factors. This protein family can regulate vital processes in plants, including growth, development, and response to environmental stimuli, whether biotic or abiotic. Under our experimental conditions, 200 μM Al stimulated root growth and the formation of tillers; it also caused differential expression of a set of NAC genes. The promoter regions of the genes regulated by Al were analyzed and the cis-acting elements that are potentially involved in the responses to different stimuli, including environmental stress, were identified. Through the Genevestigator platform, data on the expression of NAC genes were obtained by experimental condition, tissue, and vegetative stage. This is the first study on NAC genes where in vivo and in silico data are complementarily analyzed, relating the hormetic effect of Al on plant growth and gene expression with a possible interaction in the response to phytohormones in rice. These findings could help to elucidate the possible convergence between the signaling pathways mediated by phytohormones and the role of the NAC transcription factors in the regulation of growth mediated by low Al doses.

Back to Acid Soil Fields: The Citrate Transporter SbMATE Is a Major Asset for Sustainable Grain Yield for Sorghum Cultivated on Acid Soils

Aluminum (Al) toxicity damages plant roots and limits crop production on acid soils, which comprise up to 50% of the world’s arable lands. A major Al tolerance locus on chromosome 3, Alt_SB, controls aluminum tolerance in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] via SbMATE, an Al-activated plasma membrane transporter that mediates Al exclusion from sensitive regions in the root apex. As is the case with other known Al tolerance genes, SbMATE was cloned based on studies conducted under controlled environmental conditions, in nutrient solution. Therefore, its impact on grain yield on acid soils remains undetermined. To determine the real world impact of SbMATE, multi-trait quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping in hydroponics, and, in the field, revealed a large-effect QTL colocalized with the Al tolerance locus Alt_SB, where SbMATE lies, conferring a 0.6 ton ha^–1 grain yield increase on acid soils. A second QTL for Al tolerance in hydroponics, where the positive allele was also donated by the Al tolerant parent, SC283, was found on chromosome 9, indicating the presence of distinct Al tolerance genes in the sorghum genome, or genes acting in the SbMATE pathway leading to Al-activated citrate release. There was no yield penalty for Alt_SB, consistent with the highly localized Al regulated SbMATE expression in the root tip, and Al-dependent transport activity. A female effect of 0.5 ton ha^–1 independently demonstrated the effectiveness of Alt_SB in hybrids. Al tolerance conferred by Alt_SB is thus an indispensable asset for sorghum production and food security on acid soils, many of which are located in developing countries.

Elucidating the genetic basis of antioxidant status in lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

A diet rich in phytonutrients from fruit and vegetables has been acknowledged to afford protection against a range of human diseases, but many of the most popular vegetables are low in phytonutrients. Wild relatives of crops may contain allelic variation for genes determining the concentrations of these beneficial phytonutrients, and therefore understanding the genetic basis of this variation is important for breeding efforts to enhance nutritional quality. In this study, lettuce recombinant inbred lines, generated from a cross between wild and cultivated lettuce (Lactuca serriola and Lactuca sativa, respectively), were analysed for antioxidant (AO) potential and important phytonutrients including carotenoids, chlorophyll and phenolic compounds. When grown in two environments, 96 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified for these nutritional traits: 4 for AO potential, 2 for carotenoid content, 3 for total chlorophyll content and 87 for individual phenolic compounds (two per compound on average). Most often, the L. serriola alleles conferred an increase in total AOs and metabolites. Candidate genes underlying these QTL were identified by BLASTn searches; in several cases, these had functions suggesting involvement in phytonutrient biosynthetic pathways. Analysis of a QTL on linkage group 3, which accounted for >30% of the variation in AO potential, revealed several candidate genes encoding multiple MYB transcription factors which regulate flavonoid biosynthesis and flavanone 3-hydroxylase, an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol, which are known to have powerful AO activity. Follow-up quantitative RT-PCR of these candidates revealed that 5 out of 10 genes investigated were significantly differentially expressed between the wild and cultivated parents, providing further evidence of their potential involvement in determining the contrasting phenotypes. These results offer exciting opportunities to improve the nutritional content and health benefits of lettuce through marker-assisted breeding.

Plant Adaptation to Acid Soils: The Molecular Basis for Crop Aluminum Resistance

Aluminum (Al) toxicity in acid soils is a significant limitation to crop production worldwide, as approximately 50% of the world's potentially arable soil is acidic. Because acid soils are such an important constraint to agriculture, understanding the mechanisms and genes conferring resistance to Al toxicity has been a focus of intense research interest in the decade since the last article on crop acid soil tolerance was published in this journal. An impressive amount of progress has been made during that time that has greatly increased our understanding of the diversity of Al resistance genes and mechanisms, how resistance gene expression is regulated and triggered by Al and Al-induced signals, and how the proteins encoded by these genes function and are regulated. This review examines the state of our understanding of the physiological, genetic, and molecular bases for crop Al tolerance, looking at the novel Al resistance genes and mechanisms that have been identified over the past ten years. Additionally, it examines how the integration of molecular and genetic analyses of crop Al resistance is starting to be exploited for the improvement of crop plants grown on acid soils via both molecular-assisted breeding and biotechnology approaches.

Association mapping provides insights into the origin and the fine structure of the sorghum aluminum tolerance locus, AltSB

Root damage caused by aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major cause of grain yield reduction on acid soils, which are prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions of the world where food security is most tenuous. In sorghum, Al tolerance is conferred by SbMATE, an Al-activated root citrate efflux transporter that underlies the major Al tolerance locus, AltSB, on sorghum chromosome 3. We used association mapping to gain insights into the origin and evolution of Al tolerance in sorghum and to detect functional variants amenable to allele mining applications. Linkage disequilibrium across the AltSB locus decreased much faster than in previous reports in sorghum, and reached basal levels at approximately 1000 bp. Accordingly, intra-locus recombination events were found to be extensive. SNPs and indels highly associated with Al tolerance showed a narrow frequency range, between 0.06 and 0.1, suggesting a rather recent origin of Al tolerance mutations within AltSB. A haplotype network analysis suggested a single geographic and racial origin of causative mutations in primordial guinea domesticates in West Africa. Al tolerance assessment in accessions harboring recombinant haplotypes suggests that causative polymorphisms are localized to a ∼6 kb region including intronic polymorphisms and a transposon (MITE) insertion, whose size variation has been shown to be positively correlated with Al tolerance. The SNP with the strongest association signal, located in the second SbMATE intron, recovers 9 of the 14 highly Al tolerant accessions and 80% of all the Al tolerant and intermediately tolerant accessions in the association panel. Our results also demonstrate the pivotal importance of knowledge on the origin and evolution of Al tolerance mutations in molecular breeding applications. Allele mining strategies based on associated loci are expected to lead to the efficient identification, in diverse sorghum germplasm, of Al tolerant accessions able maintain grain yields under Al toxicity.

Assessment of genetic diversity in the sorghum reference set using EST-SSR markers

Selection and use of genetically diverse genotypes are key factors in any crop breeding program to develop cultivars with a broad genetic base. Molecular markers play a major role in selecting diverse genotypes. In the present study, a reference set representing a wide range of sorghum genetic diversity was screened with 40 EST-SSR markers to validate both the use of these markers for genetic structure analyses and the population structure of this set. Grouping of accessions is identical in distance-based and model-based clustering methods. Genotypes were grouped primarily based on race within the geographic origins. Accessions derived from the African continent contributed 88.6 % of alleles confirming the African origin of sorghum. In total, 360 alleles were detected in the reference set with an average of 9 alleles per marker. The average PIC value was 0.5230 with a range of 0.1379-0.9483. Sub-race, guinea margaritiferum (Gma) from West Africa formed a separate cluster in close proximity to wild accessions suggesting that the Gma group represents an independent domestication event. Guineas from India and Western Africa formed two distinct clusters. Accessions belongs to the kafir race formed the most homogeneous group as observed in earlier studies. This analysis suggests that the EST-SSR markers used in the present study have greater discriminating power than the genomic SSRs. Genetic variance within the subpopulations was very high (71.7 %) suggesting that the germplasm lines included in the set are more diverse. Thus, this reference set representing the global germplasm is an ideal material for the breeding community, serving as a community resource for trait-specific allele mining as well as genome-wide association mapping.

Getting to the roots of it: Genetic and hormonal control of root architecture

Root system architecture (RSA) - the spatial configuration of a root system - is an important developmental and agronomic trait, with implications for overall plant architecture, growth rate and yield, abiotic stress resistance, nutrient uptake, and developmental plasticity in response to environmental changes. Root architecture is modulated by intrinsic, hormone-mediated pathways, intersecting with pathways that perceive and respond to external, environmental signals. The recent development of several non-invasive 2D and 3D root imaging systems has enhanced our ability to accurately observe and quantify architectural traits on complex whole-root systems. Coupled with the powerful marker-based genotyping and sequencing platforms currently available, these root phenotyping technologies lend themselves to large-scale genome-wide association studies, and can speed the identification and characterization of the genes and pathways involved in root system development. This capability provides the foundation for examining the contribution of root architectural traits to the performance of crop varieties in diverse environments. This review focuses on our current understanding of the genes and pathways involved in determining RSA in response to both intrinsic and extrinsic (environmental) response pathways, and provides a brief overview of the latest root system phenotyping technologies and their potential impact on elucidating the genetic control of root development in plants.

Massive sorghum collection genotyped with SSR markers to enhance use of global genetic resources

Large ex situ collections require approaches for sampling manageable amounts of germplasm for in-depth characterization and use. We present here a large diversity survey in sorghum with 3367 accessions and 41 reference nuclear SSR markers. Of 19 alleles on average per locus, the largest numbers of alleles were concentrated in central and eastern Africa. Cultivated sorghum appeared structured according to geographic regions and race within region. A total of 13 groups of variable size were distinguished. The peripheral groups in western Africa, southern Africa and eastern Asia were the most homogeneous and clearly differentiated. Except for Kafir, there was little correspondence between races and marker-based groups. Bicolor, Caudatum, Durra and Guinea types were each dispersed in three groups or more. Races should therefore better be referred to as morphotypes. Wild and weedy accessions were very diverse and scattered among cultivated samples, reinforcing the idea that large gene-flow exists between the different compartments. Our study provides an entry to global sorghum germplasm collections. Our reference marker kit can serve to aggregate additional studies and enhance international collaboration. We propose a core reference set in order to facilitate integrated phenotyping experiments towards refined functional understanding of sorghum diversity.

Getting to the roots of it: Genetic and hormonal control of root architecture

Root system architecture (RSA) - the spatial configuration of a root system - is an important developmental and agronomic trait, with implications for overall plant architecture, growth rate and yield, abiotic stress resistance, nutrient uptake, and developmental plasticity in response to environmental changes. Root architecture is modulated by intrinsic, hormone-mediated pathways, intersecting with pathways that perceive and respond to external, environmental signals. The recent development of several non-invasive 2D and 3D root imaging systems has enhanced our ability to accurately observe and quantify architectural traits on complex whole-root systems. Coupled with the powerful marker-based genotyping and sequencing platforms currently available, these root phenotyping technologies lend themselves to large-scale genome-wide association studies, and can speed the identification and characterization of the genes and pathways involved in root system development. This capability provides the foundation for examining the contribution of root architectural traits to the performance of crop varieties in diverse environments. This review focuses on our current understanding of the genes and pathways involved in determining RSA in response to both intrinsic and extrinsic (environmental) response pathways, and provides a brief overview of the latest root system phenotyping technologies and their potential impact on elucidating the genetic control of root development in plants.

Getting to the roots of it: Genetic and hormonal control of root architecture

Root system architecture (RSA) - the spatial configuration of a root system - is an important developmental and agronomic trait, with implications for overall plant architecture, growth rate and yield, abiotic stress resistance, nutrient uptake, and developmental plasticity in response to environmental changes. Root architecture is modulated by intrinsic, hormone-mediated pathways, intersecting with pathways that perceive and respond to external, environmental signals. The recent development of several non-invasive 2D and 3D root imaging systems has enhanced our ability to accurately observe and quantify architectural traits on complex whole-root systems. Coupled with the powerful marker-based genotyping and sequencing platforms currently available, these root phenotyping technologies lend themselves to large-scale genome-wide association studies, and can speed the identification and characterization of the genes and pathways involved in root system development. This capability provides the foundation for examining the contribution of root architectural traits to the performance of crop varieties in diverse environments. This review focuses on our current understanding of the genes and pathways involved in determining RSA in response to both intrinsic and extrinsic (environmental) response pathways, and provides a brief overview of the latest root system phenotyping technologies and their potential impact on elucidating the genetic control of root development in plants.

Incomplete transfer of accessory loci influencing SbMATE expression underlies genetic background effects for aluminum tolerance in sorghum

Impaired root development caused by aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major cause of grain yield reduction in crops cultivated on acid soils, which are widespread worldwide. In sorghum, the major Al-tolerance locus, AltSB , is due to the function of SbMATE, which is an Al-activated root citrate transporter. Here we performed a molecular and physiological characterization of various AltSB donors and near-isogenic lines harboring various AltSB alleles. We observed a partial transfer of Al tolerance from the parents to the near-isogenic lines that was consistent across donor alleles, emphasizing the occurrence of strong genetic background effects related to AltSB . This reduction in tolerance was variable, with a 20% reduction being observed when highly Al-tolerant lines were the AltSB donors, and a reduction as great as 70% when other AltSB alleles were introgressed. This reduction in Al tolerance was closely correlated with a reduction in SbMATE expression in near-isogenic lines, suggesting incomplete transfer of loci acting in trans on SbMATE. Nevertheless, AltSB alleles from the highly Al-tolerant sources SC283 and SC566 were found to retain high SbMATE expression, presumably via elements present within or near the AltSB locus, resulting in significant transfer of the Al-tolerance phenotype to the derived near-isogenic lines. Allelic effects could not be explained by coding region polymorphisms, although occasional mutations may affect Al tolerance. Finally, we report on the extensive occurrence of alternative splicing for SbMATE, which may be an important component regulating SbMATE expression in sorghum by means of the nonsense-mediated RNA decay pathway.

A novel virus-like double-stranded RNA in an obligate biotroph arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus: a hidden player in mycorrhizal symbiosis

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form mutualistic associations with most land plants and enhance phosphorus uptake of the host plants. Fungal viruses (mycoviruses) that possess a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) genome often affect plant-fungal interactions via altering phenotypic expression of their host fungi. The present study demonstrates, for the first time, the presence of dsRNAs, which are highly likely to be mycoviruses, in AM fungi. dsRNA was extracted from mycelia of Glomus sp. strain RF1, purified, and subjected to electrophoresis. The fungus was found to harbor various dsRNA segments that differed in size. Among them, a 4.5-kbp segment was termed Glomus sp. strain RF1 virus-like medium dsRNA (GRF1V-M) and characterized in detail. The GRF1V-M genome segment was 4,557 nucleotides in length and encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and a structural protein. GRF1V-M was phylogenetically distinct and could not be assigned to known genera of mycovirus. The GRF1V-M-free culture line of Glomus sp. strain RF1, which was raised by single-spore isolation, produced twofold greater number of spores and promoted plant growth more efficiently than the GRF1V-M-positive lines. These observations suggest that mycoviruses in AM fungi, at least some of them, have evolved under unique selection pressures and are a biologically active component in the symbiosis.

Studying the genetic basis of drought tolerance in sorghum by managed stress trials and adjustments for phenological and plant height differences

Managed environments in the form of well watered and water stressed trials were performed to study the genetic basis of grain yield and stay green in sorghum with the objective of validating previously detected QTL. As variations in phenology and plant height may influence QTL detection for the target traits, QTL for flowering time and plant height were introduced as cofactors in QTL analyses for yield and stay green. All but one of the flowering time QTL were detected near yield and stay green QTL. Similar co-localization was observed for two plant height QTL. QTL analysis for yield, using flowering time/plant height cofactors, led to yield QTL on chromosomes 2, 3, 6, 8 and 10. For stay green, QTL on chromosomes 3, 4, 8 and 10 were not related to differences in flowering time/plant height. The physical positions for markers in QTL regions projected on the sorghum genome suggest that the previously detected plant height QTL, Sb-HT9-1, and Dw2, in addition to the maturity gene, Ma5, had a major confounding impact on the expression of yield and stay green QTL. Co-localization between an apparently novel stay green QTL and a yield QTL on chromosome 3 suggests there is potential for indirect selection based on stay green to improve drought tolerance in sorghum. Our QTL study was carried out with a moderately sized population and spanned a limited geographic range, but still the results strongly emphasize the necessity of corrections for phenology in QTL mapping for drought tolerance traits in sorghum.

Genetic architecture of aluminum tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa) determined through genome-wide association analysis and QTL mapping

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a primary limitation to crop productivity on acid soils, and rice has been demonstrated to be significantly more Al tolerant than other cereal crops. However, the mechanisms of rice Al tolerance are largely unknown, and no genes underlying natural variation have been reported. We screened 383 diverse rice accessions, conducted a genome-wide association (GWA) study, and conducted QTL mapping in two bi-parental populations using three estimates of Al tolerance based on root growth. Subpopulation structure explained 57% of the phenotypic variation, and the mean Al tolerance in Japonica was twice that of Indica. Forty-eight regions associated with Al tolerance were identified by GWA analysis, most of which were subpopulation-specific. Four of these regions co-localized with a priori candidate genes, and two highly significant regions co-localized with previously identified QTLs. Three regions corresponding to induced Al-sensitive rice mutants (ART1, STAR2, Nrat1) were identified through bi-parental QTL mapping or GWA to be involved in natural variation for Al tolerance. Haplotype analysis around the Nrat1 gene identified susceptible and tolerant haplotypes explaining 40% of the Al tolerance variation within the aus subpopulation, and sequence analysis of Nrat1 identified a trio of non-synonymous mutations predictive of Al sensitivity in our diversity panel. GWA analysis discovered more phenotype-genotype associations and provided higher resolution, but QTL mapping identified critical rare and/or subpopulation-specific alleles not detected by GWA analysis. Mapping using Indica/Japonica populations identified QTLs associated with transgressive variation where alleles from a susceptible aus or indica parent enhanced Al tolerance in a tolerant Japonica background. This work supports the hypothesis that selectively introgressing alleles across subpopulations is an efficient approach for trait enhancement in plant breeding programs and demonstrates the fundamental importance of subpopulation in interpreting and manipulating the genetics of complex traits in rice.

The relationship between population structure and aluminum tolerance in cultivated sorghum

BACKGROUND

Acid soils comprise up to 50% of the world's arable lands and in these areas aluminum (Al) toxicity impairs root growth, strongly limiting crop yield. Food security is thereby compromised in many developing countries located in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In sorghum, SbMATE, an Al-activated citrate transporter, underlies the Alt(SB) locus on chromosome 3 and confers Al tolerance via Al-activated root citrate release.

METHODOLOGY

Population structure was studied in 254 sorghum accessions representative of the diversity present in cultivated sorghums. Al tolerance was assessed as the degree of root growth inhibition in nutrient solution containing Al. A genetic analysis based on markers flanking Alt(SB) and SbMATE expression was undertaken to assess a possible role for Alt(SB) in Al tolerant accessions. In addition, the mode of gene action was estimated concerning the Al tolerance trait. Comparisons between models that include population structure were applied to assess the importance of each subpopulation to Al tolerance.

CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE

Six subpopulations were revealed featuring specific racial and geographic origins. Al tolerance was found to be rather rare and present primarily in guinea and to lesser extent in caudatum subpopulations. Alt(SB) was found to play a role in Al tolerance in most of the Al tolerant accessions. A striking variation was observed in the mode of gene action for the Al tolerance trait, which ranged from almost complete recessivity to near complete dominance, with a higher frequency of partially recessive sources of Al tolerance. A possible interpretation of our results concerning the origin and evolution of Al tolerance in cultivated sorghum is discussed. This study demonstrates the importance of deeply exploring the crop diversity reservoir both for a comprehensive view of the dynamics underlying the distribution and function of Al tolerance genes and to design efficient molecular breeding strategies aimed at enhancing Al tolerance.

Development of a novel aluminum tolerance phenotyping platform used for comparisons of cereal aluminum tolerance and investigations into rice aluminum tolerance mechanisms

The genetic and physiological mechanisms of aluminum (Al) tolerance have been well studied in certain cereal crops, and Al tolerance genes have been identified in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and wheat (Triticum aestivum). Rice (Oryza sativa) has been reported to be highly Al tolerant; however, a direct comparison of rice and other cereals has not been reported, and the mechanisms of rice Al tolerance are poorly understood. To facilitate Al tolerance phenotyping in rice, a high-throughput imaging system and root quantification computer program was developed, permitting quantification of the entire root system, rather than just the longest root. Additionally, a novel hydroponic solution was developed and optimized for Al tolerance screening in rice and compared with the Yoshida's rice solution commonly used for rice Al tolerance studies. To gain a better understanding of Al tolerance in cereals, comparisons of Al tolerance across cereal species were conducted at four Al concentrations using seven to nine genetically diverse genotypes of wheat, maize (Zea mays), sorghum, and rice. Rice was significantly more tolerant than maize, wheat, and sorghum at all Al concentrations, with the mean Al tolerance level for rice found to be 2- to 6-fold greater than that in maize, wheat, and sorghum. Physiological experiments were conducted on a genetically diverse panel of more than 20 rice genotypes spanning the range of rice Al tolerance and compared with two maize genotypes to determine if rice utilizes the well-described Al tolerance mechanism of root tip Al exclusion mediated by organic acid exudation. These results clearly demonstrate that the extremely high levels of rice Al tolerance are mediated by a novel mechanism, which is independent of root tip Al exclusion.

A gene in the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family confers aluminum tolerance in sorghum

Crop yields are significantly reduced by aluminum toxicity on highly acidic soils, which comprise up to 50% of the world's arable land. Candidate aluminum tolerance proteins include organic acid efflux transporters, with the organic acids forming non-toxic complexes with rhizosphere aluminum. In this study, we used positional cloning to identify the gene encoding a member of the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family, an aluminum-activated citrate transporter, as responsible for the major sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) aluminum tolerance locus, Alt(SB). Polymorphisms in regulatory regions of Alt(SB) are likely to contribute to large allelic effects, acting to increase Alt(SB) expression in the root apex of tolerant genotypes. Furthermore, aluminum-inducible Alt(SB) expression is associated with induction of aluminum tolerance via enhanced root citrate exudation. These findings will allow us to identify superior Alt(SB) haplotypes that can be incorporated via molecular breeding and biotechnology into acid soil breeding programs, thus helping to increase crop yields in developing countries where acidic soils predominate.