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Mertens A, Bawin Y, Vanden Abeele S, Kallow S, Swennen R, Vu DT, Vu TD, Minh HT, Panis B, Vandelook F, Janssens SB. Phylogeography and conservation gaps of Musa balbisiana Colla genetic diversity revealed by microsatellite markers. GENETIC RESOURCES AND CROP EVOLUTION 2022; 69:2515-2534. [PMID: 36017134 PMCID: PMC9393128 DOI: 10.1007/s10722-022-01389-4] [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: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Collection and storage of crop wild relative (CWR) germplasm is crucial for preserving species genetic diversity and crop improvement. Nevertheless, much of the genetic variation of CWRs is absent in ex situ collections and detailed passport data are often lacking. Here, we focussed on Musa balbisiana, one of the two main progenitor species of many banana cultivars. We investigated the genetic structure of M. balbisiana across its distribution range using microsatellite markers. Accessions stored at the International Musa Germplasm Transit Centre (ITC) ex situ collection were compared with plant material collected from multiple countries and home gardens from Vietnam. Genetic structure analyses revealed that accessions could be divided into three main clusters. Vietnamese and Chinese populations were assigned to a first and second cluster respectively. A third cluster consisted of ITC and home garden accessions. Samples from Papua New Guinea were allocated to the cluster with Chinese populations but were assigned to a separate fourth cluster if the number of allowed clusters was set higher. Only one ITC accession grouped with native M. balbisiana populations and one group of ITC accessions was nearly genetically identical to home garden samples. This questioned their wild status, including accessions used as reference for wild M. balbisiana. Moreover, most ITC accessions and home garden samples were genetically distinct from wild populations. Our results highlight that additional germplasm should be collected from the native distribution range, especially from Northeast India, Myanmar, China, and the Philippines and stored for ex situ conservation at the ITC. The lack of passport data for many M. balbisiana accessions also complicates the interpretation of genetic information in relation to cultivation and historical dispersal routes. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10722-022-01389-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Mertens
- Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Tropical Crop Improvement, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Meise Botanic Garden, Meise, Belgium
| | - Yves Bawin
- Meise Botanic Garden, Meise, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Simon Kallow
- Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Tropical Crop Improvement, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Millennium Seed Bank, Ardingly, UK
| | - Rony Swennen
- Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Tropical Crop Improvement, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Dang Toan Vu
- Research Planning and International Cooperation Department, Plant Resources Center, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Faculty of Agronomy, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tuong Dang Vu
- Research Planning and International Cooperation Department, Plant Resources Center, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Ho Thi Minh
- Research Planning and International Cooperation Department, Plant Resources Center, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Bart Panis
- Bioversity International, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Steven B. Janssens
- Meise Botanic Garden, Meise, Belgium
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Tiloca G, Brundu G, Ballesteros D. Bryophyte Spores Tolerate High Desiccation Levels and Exposure to Cryogenic Temperatures but Contain Storage Lipids and Chlorophyll: Understanding the Essential Traits Needed for the Creation of Bryophyte Spore Banks. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:1262. [PMID: 35567263 PMCID: PMC9100633 DOI: 10.3390/plants11091262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the desiccation and freezing tolerance of bryophyte spores is vital to explain how plants conquered land and current species distribution patterns and help to develop efficient ex situ conservation methods. However, knowledge of these traits is scarce. We investigated tolerance to drying (at 15% relative humidity [RH] for two weeks) and freezing (1 h exposure to liquid nitrogen) on the spores of 12 bryophyte species (23 accessions) from the UK. The presence of storage lipids and their thermal fingerprint, and the levels of unfrozen water content, were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The presence of chlorophyll in dry spores was detected by fluorescence microscopy. All species and accessions tested tolerated the drying and freezing levels studied. DSC suggested that 4.1−29.3% of the dry mass is storage lipids, with crystallization and melting temperatures peaking at around −30 °C. Unfrozen water content was determined <0.147 g H2O g−1 dry weight (DW). Most of the spores investigated showed the presence of chlorophyll in the cytoplasm by red autofluorescence. Bryophyte spores can be stored dry at low temperatures, such as orthodox seeds, supporting the creation of bryophyte spore banks. However, the presence of storage lipids and chlorophyll in the cytoplasm may reduce spore longevity during conventional storage at −20 °C. Alternatively, cryogenic spore storage is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Tiloca
- Seed and Stress Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly RH17 6TN, West Sussex, UK;
- Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Sardinia, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Brundu
- Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Sardinia, Italy;
| | - Daniel Ballesteros
- Seed and Stress Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly RH17 6TN, West Sussex, UK;
- Departamento de Botànica y geología, Universitat de València, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
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Kallow S, Garcia Zuluaga M, Fanega Sleziak N, Nugraha B, Mertens A, Janssens SB, Gueco L, Valle-Descalsota ML, Dang Vu T, Toan Vu D, Thi Li L, Vandelook F, Dickie JB, Verboven P, Swennen R, Panis B. Drying banana seeds for ex situ conservation. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 10:coab099. [PMID: 35492425 PMCID: PMC9041424 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab099] [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: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The ability of seeds to withstand drying is fundamental to ex situ seed conservation but drying responses are not well known for most wild species including crop wild relatives. We look at drying responses of seeds of Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana, the two primary wild relatives of bananas and plantains, using the following four experimental approaches: (i) We equilibrated seeds to a range of relative humidity (RH) levels using non-saturated lithium chloride solutions and subsequently measured moisture content (MC) and viability. At each humidity level we tested viability using embryo rescue (ER), tetrazolium chloride staining and germination in an incubator. We found that seed viability was not reduced when seeds were dried to 4% equilibrium relative humidity (eRH; equating to 2.5% MC). (ii) We assessed viability of mature and less mature seeds using ER and germination in the soil and tested responses to drying. Findings showed that seeds must be fully mature to germinate and immature seeds had negligible viability. (iii) We dried seeds extracted from ripe/unripe fruit to 35-40% eRH at different rates and tested viability with germination tests in the soil. Seeds from unripe fruit lost viability when dried and especially when dried faster; seeds from ripe fruit only lost viability when fast dried. (iv) Finally, we dried and re-imbibed mature and less mature seeds and measured embryo shrinkage and volume change using X-ray computer tomography. Embryos of less mature seeds shrank significantly when dried to 15% eRH from 0.468 to 0.262 mm3, but embryos of mature seeds did not. Based on our results, mature seeds from ripe fruit are desiccation tolerant to moisture levels required for seed genebanking but embryos from immature seeds are mechanistically less able to withstand desiccation, especially when water potential gradients are high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Kallow
- Corresponding author: Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Millennium Seed Bank, Wakehurst, Ardingly, Sussex, RH17 6TN, UK.
| | - Manuela Garcia Zuluaga
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Natalia Fanega Sleziak
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bayu Nugraha
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Flora No. 1, Sleman, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
| | - Arne Mertens
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, 1860 Meise, Belgium
| | - Steven B Janssens
- Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, 1860 Meise, Belgium
- Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lavernee Gueco
- National Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory, Institute of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture and Food Science, University of the Philippines, Los Baños, 4031 Laguna, Philippines
| | - Michelle Lyka Valle-Descalsota
- National Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory, Institute of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture and Food Science, University of the Philippines, Los Baños, 4031 Laguna, Philippines
| | - Tuong Dang Vu
- Research Planning and International Cooperation Department, Plant Resources Center, VAAS, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Dang Toan Vu
- Research Planning and International Cooperation Department, Plant Resources Center, VAAS, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Loan Thi Li
- Genebank Management Division, Plant Resources Center, VAAS, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | | | - John B Dickie
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Millennium Seed Bank, Wakehurst, Ardingly, Sussex, RH17 6TN, UK
| | - Pieter Verboven
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rony Swennen
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Plot 15B Naguru East Road, Upper Naguru, Box 7878, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Bart Panis
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Bioversity International, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
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Joo KA, Muszynski MG, Kantar MB, Wang ML, He X, Del Valle Echevarria AR. Utilizing CRISPR-Cas in Tropical Crop Improvement: A Decision Process for Fitting Genome Engineering to Your Species. Front Genet 2021; 12:786140. [PMID: 34868276 PMCID: PMC8633396 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.786140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adopting modern gene-editing technologies for trait improvement in agriculture requires important workflow developments, yet these developments are not often discussed. Using tropical crop systems as a case study, we describe a workflow broken down into discrete processes with specific steps and decision points that allow for the practical application of the CRISPR-Cas gene editing platform in a crop of interest. While we present the steps of developing genome-edited plants as sequential, in practice parts can be done in parallel, which are discussed in this perspective. The main processes include 1) understanding the genetic basis of the trait along with having the crop’s genome sequence, 2) testing and optimization of the editing reagents, development of efficient 3) tissue culture and 4) transformation methods, and 5) screening methods to identify edited events with commercial potential. Our goal in this perspective is to help any lab that wishes to implement this powerful, easy-to-use tool in their pipeline, thus aiming to democratize the technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen A Joo
- Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Michael G Muszynski
- Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Michael B Kantar
- Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Ming-Li Wang
- Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Waipahu, HI, United States
| | - Xiaoling He
- Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Waipahu, HI, United States
| | - Angel R Del Valle Echevarria
- Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, United States.,Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Waipahu, HI, United States
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Kallow S, Mertens A, Janssens SB, Vandelook F, Dickie J, Swennen R, Panis B. Banana seed genetic resources for food security: Status, constraints, and future priorities. Food Energy Secur 2021; 11:e345. [PMID: 35866053 PMCID: PMC9285888 DOI: 10.1002/fes3.345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Storing seed collections of crop wild relatives, wild plant taxa genetically related to crops, is an essential component in global food security. Seed banking protects genetic resources from degradation and extinction and provides material for use by breeders. Despite being among the most important crops in the world, banana and plantain crop wild relatives are largely under‐represented in genebanks. Nevertheless, banana crop wild relative seed collections are in fact held in different countries, but these have not previously been part of reporting or analysis. To fill this gap, we firstly collated banana seed accession data from 13 institutions in 10 countries. These included 537 accessions containing an estimated 430,000 seeds of 56 species. We reviewed their taxonomic coverage and seed storage conditions including viability estimates. We found that seed accessions have low viability (25% mean) representing problems in seed storage and processing. Secondly, we surveyed 22 institutions involved in banana genetic resource conservation regarding the key constraints and knowledge gaps that institutions face related to banana seed conservation. Major constraints were identified including finding suitable material and populations to collect seeds from, lack of knowledge regarding optimal storage conditions and germination conditions. Thirdly, we carried out a conservation prioritization and gap analysis of Musaceae taxa, using established methods, to index representativeness. Overall, our conservation assessment showed that despite this extended data set banana crop wild relatives are inadequately conserved, with 51% of taxa not represented in seed collections at all; the average conservation assessment showing high priority for conservation according to the index. Finally, we provide recommendations for future collecting, research, and management, to conserve banana and plantain crop wild relatives in seed banks for future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Kallow
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Millennium Seed Bank Ardingly UK
- Department of Biosystems Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Meise Botanic Garden Meise Belgium
| | - Arne Mertens
- Department of Biosystems Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Meise Botanic Garden Meise Belgium
| | - Steven B. Janssens
- Meise Botanic Garden Meise Belgium
- Biology Department Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | | | - John Dickie
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Millennium Seed Bank Ardingly UK
| | - Rony Swennen
- Department of Biosystems Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven Belgium
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Kampala Uganda
| | - Bart Panis
- Department of Biosystems Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Bioversity International Leuven Belgium
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Kallow S, Quaghebeur K, Panis B, Janssens SB, Dickie J, Gueco L, Swennen R, Vandelook F. Using seminatural and simulated habitats for seed germination ecology of banana wild relatives. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:14644-14657. [PMID: 34765131 PMCID: PMC8571623 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecologically meaningful seed germination experiments are constrained by access to seeds and relevant environments for testing at the same time. This is particularly the case when research is carried out far from the native area of the studied species.Here, we demonstrate an alternative-the use of glasshouses in botanic gardens as simulated-natural habitats to extend the ecological interpretation of germination studies. Our focal taxa were banana crop wild relatives (Musa acuminata subsp. burmannica, Musa acuminata subsp. siamea, and Musa balbisiana), native to tropical and subtropical South-East Asia. Tests were carried out in Belgium, where we performed germination tests in relation to foliage-shading/exposure to solar radiation and seed burial depth, as well as seed survival and dormancy release in the soil. We calibrated the interpretation of these studies by also conducting an experiment in a seminatural habitat in a species native range (M. balbisiana-Los Baños, the Philippines), where we tested germination responses to exposure to sun/shade. Using temperature data loggers, we determined temperature dynamics suitable for germination in both these settings.In these seminatural and simulated-natural habitats, seeds germinated in response to exposure to direct solar radiation. Seed burial depth had a significant but marginal effect by comparison, even when seeds were buried to 7 cm in the soil. Temperatures at sun-exposed compared with shaded environments differed by only a few degrees Celsius. Maximum temperature of the period prior to germination was the most significant contributor to germination responses and germination increased linearly above a threshold of 23℃ to the maximum temperature in the soil (in simulated-natural habitats) of 35℃.Glasshouses can provide useful environments to aid interpretation of seed germination responses to environmental niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Kallow
- Royal Botanic Gardens KewMillennium Seed BankArdinglyUK
- Department of BiosystemsKatholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Meise Botanic GardenMeiseBelgium
| | - Katrijn Quaghebeur
- Department of BiosystemsKatholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Meise Botanic GardenMeiseBelgium
| | - Bart Panis
- Department of BiosystemsKatholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical AgricultureLeuvenBelgium
| | - Steven B. Janssens
- Meise Botanic GardenMeiseBelgium
- Biology DepartmentKatholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - John Dickie
- Royal Botanic Gardens KewMillennium Seed BankArdinglyUK
| | - Lavernee Gueco
- National Plant Genetic Resources LaboratoryInstitute of Plant BreedingCollege of Agriculture and Food ScienceUniversity of the PhilippinesLagunaPhilippines
| | - Rony Swennen
- Department of BiosystemsKatholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculturec/o Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and TechnologyArushaTanzania
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Kallow S, Panis B, Vu DT, Vu TD, Paofa J, Mertens A, Swennen R, Janssens SB. Maximizing genetic representation in seed collections from populations of self and cross-pollinated banana wild relatives. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:415. [PMID: 34503446 PMCID: PMC8431884 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03142-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conservation of plant genetic resources, including the wild relatives of crops, plays an important and well recognised role in addressing some of the key challenges faced by humanity and the planet including ending hunger and biodiversity loss. However, the genetic diversity and representativeness of ex situ collections, especially that contained in seed collections, is often unknown. This limits meaningful assessments against conservation targets, impairs targeting of future collecting and limits their use. We assessed genetic representation of seed collections compared to source populations for three wild relatives of bananas and plantains. Focal species and sampling regions were M. acuminata subsp. banksii (Papua New Guinea), M. balbisiana (Viet Nam) and M. maclayi s.l. (Bougainville, Papua New Guinea). We sequenced 445 samples using suites of 16-20 existing and newly developed taxon-specific polymorphic microsatellite markers. Samples of each species were from five populations in a region; 15 leaf samples from different individuals and 16 seed samples from one infructescence ('bunch') were analysed for each population. RESULTS Allelic richness of seeds compared to populations was 51, 81 and 93% (M. acuminata, M. balbisiana and M. maclayi respectively). Seed samples represented all common alleles in populations but omitted some rarer alleles. The number of collections required to achieve the 70% target of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation was species dependent, relating to mating systems. Musa acuminata populations had low heterozygosity and diversity, indicating self-fertilization; many bunches were needed (> 15) to represent regional alleles to 70%; over 90% of the alleles from a bunch are included in only two seeds. Musa maclayi was characteristically cross-fertilizing; only three bunches were needed to represent regional alleles; within a bunch, 16 seeds represent alleles. Musa balbisiana, considered cross-fertilized, had low genetic diversity; seeds of four bunches are needed to represent regional alleles; only two seeds represent alleles in a bunch. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate empirical measurement of representation of genetic material in seeds collections in ex situ conservation towards conservation targets. Species mating systems profoundly affected genetic representation in seed collections and therefore should be a primary consideration to maximize genetic representation. Results are applicable to sampling strategies for other wild species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Kallow
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.
- Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, 1860, Meise, Belgium.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Millennium Seed Bank, Wakehurst, Ardingly, Sussex, RH17 6TN, UK.
| | - Bart Panis
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
- Bioversity International, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dang Toan Vu
- Plant Resources Center, Ankhanh, Hoaiduc, Hà Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Tuong Dang Vu
- Plant Resources Center, Ankhanh, Hoaiduc, Hà Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Janet Paofa
- National Agricultural Research Institute, Laloki, Port Moresby, 121, Papua New Guinea
| | - Arne Mertens
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
- Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, 1860, Meise, Belgium
- Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rony Swennen
- Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Plot 15B Naguru East Road, Upper Naguru, 7878, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Steven B Janssens
- Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, 1860, Meise, Belgium
- Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
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Hill R, Llewellyn T, Downes E, Oddy J, MacIntosh C, Kallow S, Panis B, Dickie JB, Gaya E. Seed Banks as Incidental Fungi Banks: Fungal Endophyte Diversity in Stored Seeds of Banana Wild Relatives. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:643731. [PMID: 33841366 PMCID: PMC8024981 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.643731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Seed banks were first established to conserve crop genetic diversity, but seed banking has more recently been extended to wild plants, particularly crop wild relatives (CWRs) (e.g., by the Millennium Seed Bank (MSB), Royal Botanic Gardens Kew). CWRs have been recognised as potential reservoirs of beneficial traits for our domesticated crops, and with mounting evidence of the importance of the microbiome to organismal health, it follows that the microbial communities of wild relatives could also be a valuable resource for crop resilience to environmental and pathogenic threats. Endophytic fungi reside asymptomatically inside all plant tissues and have been found to confer advantages to their plant host. Preserving the natural microbial diversity of plants could therefore represent an important secondary conservation role of seed banks. At the same time, species that are reported as endophytes may also be latent pathogens. We explored the potential of the MSB as an incidental fungal endophyte bank by assessing diversity of fungi inside stored seeds. Using banana CWRs in the genus Musa as a case-study, we sequenced an extended ITS-LSU fragment in order to delimit operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and used a similarity and phylogenetics approach for classification. Fungi were successfully detected inside just under one third of the seeds, with a few genera accounting for most of the OTUs-primarily Lasiodiplodia, Fusarium, and Aspergillus-while a large variety of rare OTUs from across the Ascomycota were isolated only once. Fusarium species were notably abundant-of significance in light of Fusarium wilt, a disease threatening global banana crops-and so were targeted for additional sequencing with the marker EF1α in order to delimit species and place them in a phylogeny of the genus. Endophyte community composition, diversity and abundance was significantly different across habitats, and we explored the relationship between community differences and seed germination/viability. Our results show that there is a previously neglected invisible fungal dimension to seed banking that could well have implications for the seed collection and storage procedures, and that collections such as the MSB are indeed a novel source of potentially useful fungal strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowena Hill
- Department of Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Theo Llewellyn
- Department of Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Downes
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Oddy
- Department of Plant Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, United Kingdom
| | - Catriona MacIntosh
- Department of Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom
- School of Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Kallow
- Collections Department, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Millennium Seed Bank, Ardingly, United Kingdom
- Division of Crop Biotechnics, Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Panis
- Bioversity International, Montpellier, France
| | - John B. Dickie
- Collections Department, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Millennium Seed Bank, Ardingly, United Kingdom
| | - Ester Gaya
- Department of Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom
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Ebert AW, Engels JMM. Plant Biodiversity and Genetic Resources Matter! PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 9:E1706. [PMID: 33291549 PMCID: PMC7761872 DOI: 10.3390/plants9121706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Plant biodiversity is the foundation of our present-day food supply (including functional food and medicine) and offers humankind multiple other benefits in terms of ecosystem functions and resilience to climate change, as well as other perturbations. This Special Issue on 'Plant Biodiversity and Genetic Resources' comprises 32 papers covering a wide array of aspects from the definition and identification of hotspots of wild and domesticated plant biodiversity to the specifics of conservation of genetic resources of crop genepools, including breeding and research materials, landraces and crop wild relatives which collectively are the pillars of modern plant breeding, as well as of localized breeding efforts by farmers and farming communities. The integration of genomics and phenomics into germplasm and genebank management enhances the value of crop germplasm conserved ex situ, and is likely to increase its utilization in plant breeding, but presents major challenges for data management and the sharing of this information with potential users. Furthermore, also a better integration of in situ and ex situ conservation efforts will contribute to a more effective conservation and certainly to a more sustainable and efficient utilization. Other aspects such as policy, access and benefit-sharing that directly impact the use of plant biodiversity and genetic resources, as well as balanced nutrition and enhanced resilience of production systems that depend on their increased use, are also being treated. The editorial concludes with six key messages on plant biodiversity, genetic erosion, genetic resources and plant breeding, agricultural diversification, conservation of agrobiodiversity, and the evolving role and importance of genebanks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas W. Ebert
- World Vegetable Center, 60 Yi-Min Liao, Shanhua, Tainan 74151, Taiwan
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