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Fiscus CJ, Herniter IA, Tchamba M, Paliwal R, Muñoz-Amatriaín M, Roberts PA, Abberton M, Alaba O, Close TJ, Oyatomi O, Koenig D. The pattern of genetic variability in a core collection of 2,021 cowpea accessions. G3 (Bethesda) 2024:jkae071. [PMID: 38708794 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Cowpea is a highly drought-adapted leguminous crop with great promise for improving agricultural sustainability and food security. Here, we report analyses derived from array-based genotyping of 2,021 accessions constituting a core subset of the world's largest cowpea collection, held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Nigeria. We used this dataset to examine genetic variation and population structure in worldwide cowpea. We confirm that the primary pattern of population structure is two geographically defined subpopulations originating in West and East Africa, respectively, and that population structure is associated with shifts in phenotypic distribution. Furthermore, we establish the cowpea core collection as a resource for genome-wide association studies by mapping the genetic basis of several phenotypes, with a focus on seed coat pigmentation patterning and color. We anticipate that the genotyped IITA Cowpea Core Collection will serve as a powerful tool for mapping complex traits, facilitating the acceleration of breeding programs to enhance the resilience of this crop in the face of rapid global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Fiscus
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Ira A Herniter
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Marimagne Tchamba
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan 200001, Nigeria
| | - Rajneesh Paliwal
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan 200001, Nigeria
| | | | - Philip A Roberts
- Department of Nematology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Michael Abberton
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan 200001, Nigeria
| | - Oluwafemi Alaba
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Timothy J Close
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Olaniyi Oyatomi
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan 200001, Nigeria
| | - Daniel Koenig
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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Xiong H, Chen Y, Ravelombola W, Mou B, Sun X, Zhang Q, Xiao Y, Tian Y, Luo Q, Alatawi I, Chiwina KE, Alkabkabi HM, Shi A. Genetic Dissection of Diverse Seed Coat Patterns in Cowpea through a Comprehensive GWAS Approach. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:1275. [PMID: 38732490 PMCID: PMC11085092 DOI: 10.3390/plants13091275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
This study investigates the genetic determinants of seed coat color and pattern variations in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), employing a genome-wide association approach. Analyzing a mapping panel of 296 cowpea varieties with 110,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we focused on eight unique coat patterns: (1) Red and (2) Cream seed; (3) White and (4) Brown/Tan seed coat; (5) Pink, (6) Black, (7) Browneye and (8) Red/Brown Holstein. Across six GWAS models (GLM, SRM, MLM, MLMM, FarmCPU from GAPIT3, and TASSEL5), 13 significant SNP markers were identified and led to the discovery of 23 candidate genes. Among these, four specific genes may play a direct role in determining seed coat pigment. These findings lay a foundational basis for future breeding programs aimed at creating cowpea varieties aligned with consumer preferences and market requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haizheng Xiong
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
| | - Yilin Chen
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
| | | | - Beiquan Mou
- Sam Farr U.S. Crop Improvement and Protection Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Salinas, CA 93905, USA
| | - Xiaolun Sun
- Department of Poultry Science & The Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Qingyang Zhang
- Mathematical Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Yiting Xiao
- Biological Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Yang Tian
- Program of Material Science and Engineering, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Qun Luo
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
| | - Ibtisam Alatawi
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
| | - Kenani Edward Chiwina
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
| | | | - Ainong Shi
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
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Lazaridi E, Kapazoglou A, Gerakari M, Kleftogianni K, Passa K, Sarri E, Papasotiropoulos V, Tani E, Bebeli PJ. Crop Landraces and Indigenous Varieties: A Valuable Source of Genes for Plant Breeding. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:758. [PMID: 38592762 PMCID: PMC10975389 DOI: 10.3390/plants13060758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Landraces and indigenous varieties comprise valuable sources of crop species diversity. Their utilization in plant breeding may lead to increased yield and enhanced quality traits, as well as resilience to various abiotic and biotic stresses. Recently, new approaches based on the rapid advancement of genomic technologies such as deciphering of pangenomes, multi-omics tools, marker-assisted selection (MAS), genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing greatly facilitated the exploitation of landraces in modern plant breeding. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of the implementation of new genomic technologies and highlight their importance in pinpointing the genetic basis of desirable traits in landraces and indigenous varieties of annual, perennial herbaceous, and woody crop species cultivated in the Mediterranean region. The need for further employment of advanced -omic technologies to unravel the full potential of landraces and indigenous varieties underutilized genetic diversity is also indicated. Ultimately, the large amount of genomic data emerging from the investigation of landraces and indigenous varieties reveals their potential as a source of valuable genes and traits for breeding. The role of landraces and indigenous varieties in mitigating the ongoing risks posed by climate change in agriculture and food security is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efstathia Lazaridi
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.L.); (M.G.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (V.P.); (E.T.)
| | - Aliki Kapazoglou
- Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture (IOSV), Department of Vitis, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-Dimitra (ELGO-Dimitra), Sofokli Venizelou 1, Lykovrysi, 14123 Athens, Greece;
| | - Maria Gerakari
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.L.); (M.G.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (V.P.); (E.T.)
| | - Konstantina Kleftogianni
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.L.); (M.G.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (V.P.); (E.T.)
| | - Kondylia Passa
- Department of Agriculture, University of Patras, Nea Ktiria, 30200 Messolonghi, Greece;
| | - Efi Sarri
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.L.); (M.G.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (V.P.); (E.T.)
| | - Vasileios Papasotiropoulos
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.L.); (M.G.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (V.P.); (E.T.)
| | - Eleni Tani
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.L.); (M.G.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (V.P.); (E.T.)
| | - Penelope J. Bebeli
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.L.); (M.G.); (K.K.); (E.S.); (V.P.); (E.T.)
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Sodedji KAF, Assogbadjo AE, Lee B, Kim HY. An Integrated Approach for Biofortification of Carotenoids in Cowpea for Human Nutrition and Health. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:412. [PMID: 38337945 PMCID: PMC10856932 DOI: 10.3390/plants13030412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Stress-resilient and highly nutritious legume crops can alleviate the burden of malnutrition and food security globally. Here, we focused on cowpea, a legume grain widely grown and consumed in regions at a high risk of micronutrient deficiencies, and we discussed the past and present research on carotenoid biosynthesis, highlighting different knowledge gaps and prospects for increasing this micronutrient in various edible parts of the crop. The literature survey revealed that, although carotenoids are important micronutrients for human health and nutrition, like in many other pulses, the potential of carotenoid biofortification in cowpea is still underexploited. We found that there is, to some extent, progress in the quantification of this micronutrient in cowpea; however, the diversity in content in the edible parts of the crop, namely, grains, pods, sprouts, and leaves, among the existing cowpea genetic resources was uncovered. Based on the description of the different factors that can influence carotenoid biosynthesis and accumulation in cowpea, we anticipated that an integrated use of omics in breeding coupled with mutagenesis and genetic engineering in a plant factory system would help to achieve a timely and efficient increase in carotenoid content in cowpea for use in the food systems in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kpedetin Ariel Frejus Sodedji
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Gangneung 25451, Republic of Korea;
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
- Non-Timber Forest Products and Orphan Crop Species Unit, Laboratory of Applied Ecology (LEA), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Cotonou 05 BP 1752, Benin;
| | - Achille Ephrem Assogbadjo
- Non-Timber Forest Products and Orphan Crop Species Unit, Laboratory of Applied Ecology (LEA), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Cotonou 05 BP 1752, Benin;
| | - Bokyung Lee
- Department of Health Sciences, The Graduate School of Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho-Youn Kim
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Gangneung 25451, Republic of Korea;
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
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Ongom PO, Fatokun C, Togola A, Garcia-Oliveira AL, Ng EH, Kilian A, Lonardi S, Close TJ, Boukar O. A Mid-Density Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Panel for Molecular Applications in Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp). Int J Genomics 2024; 2024:9912987. [PMID: 38235497 PMCID: PMC10791481 DOI: 10.1155/2024/9912987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Molecular markers are increasingly being deployed to accelerate genetic gain in crop plants. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of a mid-density genotyping panel for molecular applications in cowpea breeding. A core set of 2,602 targeted diversity array technology (DArTag) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was designed from an existing 51,128 Cowpea iSelect Consortium Array. The panel's usefulness was assessed using 376 genotypes from different populations of known genetic backgrounds. The panel was informative, with over 78% of SNPs exceeding a minor allele frequency of 0.20. The panel decoded three stratifications in the constituted population, as was expected. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay was correctly depicted as slower in a biparental subset than in other populations. A known flower and seed coat color gene region was located on chromosome Vu07, suggesting that the mid-density panel may be used to hypothesize genomic regions underlying target traits in cowpea. Unexpected heterozygosity was detected in some lines and highly among F1 progenies, divulging the panel's potential application in germplasm purity and hybridity verification. The study unveils the potential of an excellent genomic resource that can be tapped to enhance the development of improved cowpea cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Fatokun
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Abou Togola
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Kano, Nigeria
| | - Ana Luisa Garcia-Oliveira
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), ICRAF House, UN Avenue, PO Box, Nairobi 1041-00621, Kenya
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Biotechnology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India
| | - Eng Hwa Ng
- Excellence in Breeding Platform, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Los Baños, Laguna 4031, Philippines
| | - Andrzej Kilian
- Diversity Arrays Technology Pty Ltd., University of Canberra, Montana St., Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
| | - Stefano Lonardi
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Timothy J. Close
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Ousmane Boukar
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Kano, Nigeria
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Krylova EА, Mikhailova AS, Zinchenko YN, Perchuk IN, Razgonova MP, Khlestkina EK, Burlyaeva MO. The Content of Anthocyanins in Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) Seeds and Contribution of the MYB Gene Cluster to Their Coloration Pattern. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:3624. [PMID: 37896090 PMCID: PMC10609810 DOI: 10.3390/plants12203624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
The intensively pigmented legumes belonging to Phaseolus and Vigna spp. are valued as an essential component of healthy nutrition due to their high content of flavonoids. In this context, we used the accessions of Vigna unguiculata with different colors of seed coats from the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources collection as the main object of this research. We applied confocal laser scanning microscopy, biochemical analysis, and wide in silico and molecular genetic analyses to study the main candidate genes for anthocyanin pigmentation within the MYB cluster on chromosome 5. We performed statistical data processing. The anthocyanin content ranged from 2.96 mg/100 g DW in reddish-brown-seeded cowpea accessions to 175.16 mg/100 g DW in black-seeded ones. Laser microscopy showed that the autofluorescence in cowpea seeds was mainly caused by phenolic compounds. The maximum fluorescence was observed in the seed coat, while its dark color, due to the highest level of red fluorescence, pointed to the presence of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Genes of the MYB cluster on chromosome 5 demonstrated a high homology and were segregated into a separate clade. However, amplification products were not obtained for all genes because of the truncation of some genes. Statistical analysis showed a clear correlation between the high content of anthocyanins in cowpea seeds and the presence of PCR products with primers Vigun05g0393-300-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina А. Krylova
- N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, B. Morskaya 42-44, 190000 Saint-Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.M.); (Y.N.Z.); (I.N.P.); (M.P.R.); (E.K.K.)
| | - Aleksandra S. Mikhailova
- N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, B. Morskaya 42-44, 190000 Saint-Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.M.); (Y.N.Z.); (I.N.P.); (M.P.R.); (E.K.K.)
| | - Yulia N. Zinchenko
- N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, B. Morskaya 42-44, 190000 Saint-Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.M.); (Y.N.Z.); (I.N.P.); (M.P.R.); (E.K.K.)
| | - Irina N. Perchuk
- N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, B. Morskaya 42-44, 190000 Saint-Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.M.); (Y.N.Z.); (I.N.P.); (M.P.R.); (E.K.K.)
| | - Mayya P. Razgonova
- N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, B. Morskaya 42-44, 190000 Saint-Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.M.); (Y.N.Z.); (I.N.P.); (M.P.R.); (E.K.K.)
- Advanced Engineering School, Institute of Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Food Systems, Far Eastern Federal University, 10 Ajax Settlement, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Elena K. Khlestkina
- N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, B. Morskaya 42-44, 190000 Saint-Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.M.); (Y.N.Z.); (I.N.P.); (M.P.R.); (E.K.K.)
| | - Marina O. Burlyaeva
- N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, B. Morskaya 42-44, 190000 Saint-Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.M.); (Y.N.Z.); (I.N.P.); (M.P.R.); (E.K.K.)
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Uba CU, Oselebe HO, Tesfaye AA, Abtew WG. Association mapping in bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.] reveals loci associated with agro-morphological traits. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:593. [PMID: 37803263 PMCID: PMC10557193 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09684-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are important for the acceleration of crop improvement through knowledge of marker-trait association (MTA). This report used DArT SNP markers to successfully perform GWAS on agro-morphological traits using 270 bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.] landraces sourced from diverse origins. The study aimed to identify marker traits association for nine agronomic traits using GWAS and their candidate genes. The experiment was conducted at two different locations laid out in alpha lattice design. The cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] reference genome (i.e. legume genome most closely related to bambara groundnut) assisted in the identification of candidate genes. RESULTS The analyses showed that linkage disequilibrium was found to decay rapidly with an average genetic distance of 148 kb. The broadsense heritability was relatively high and ranged from 48.39% (terminal leaf length) to 79.39% (number of pods per plant). The GWAS identified a total of 27 significant marker-trait associations (MTAs) for the nine studied traits explaining 5.27% to 24.86% of phenotypic variations. Among studied traits, the highest number of MTAs was obtained from seed coat colour (6) followed by days to flowering (5), while the least is days to maturity (1), explaining 5.76% to 11.03%, 14.5% to 19.49%, and 11.66% phenotypic variations, respectively. Also, a total of 17 candidate genes were identified, varying in number for different traits; seed coat colour (6), days to flowering (3), terminal leaf length (2), terminal leaf width (2), number of seed per pod (2), pod width (1) and days to maturity (1). CONCLUSION These results revealed the prospect of GWAS in identification of SNP variations associated with agronomic traits in bambara groundnut. Also, its present new opportunity to explore GWAS and marker assisted strategies in breeding of bambara groundnut for acceleration of the crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles U Uba
- Department of Horticulture and Plant Science, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
| | | | - Abush A Tesfaye
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Wosene G Abtew
- Department of Horticulture and Plant Science, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
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Sekiguchi Y, Ubi BE, Ishii T. Chemical emasculation in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) and dicotyledonous model species using trifluoromethanesulfonamide (TFMSA). Plant Reprod 2023:10.1007/s00497-023-00469-4. [PMID: 37227496 PMCID: PMC10363044 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-023-00469-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Hybridization plays an indispensable role in creating the diversity associated with plant evolution and genetic improvement of crops. Production of hybrids requires control of pollination and avoidance of self-pollination for species that are predominantly autogamous. Hand emasculation, male sterility genes or male gametocides have been used in several plant species to induce pollen sterility. However, in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp), a self-pollinated cleistogamous dryland crop, only hand emasculation is used, but it is tedious and time-consuming. In this study, male sterility was effectively induced in cowpea and two dicotyledonous model species (Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. and Nicotiana benthamiana Domin) using trifluoromethanesulfonamide (TFMSA). Pollen viability assays using Alexander staining showed that 30 ml of 1000 mg/l TFMSA with two-time treatments of one-week interval at the early stage of the reproductive phase under field or greenhouse conditions induced 99% pollen sterility in cowpea. TFMSA treatment induced non-functional pollen in diploid A. thaliana at two-time treatment of 10 ml of 125-250 mg/l per plant and N. benthamiana at two-time treatment of 10 ml of 250-1000 mg/l per plant. TFMSA-treated cowpea plants produced hybrid seeds when used as the female parent in crosses with non-treated plants used as male parents, suggesting that TFMSA had no effect on female functionality in cowpea. The ease of TFMSA treatment and its effectiveness to induce pollen sterility in a wide range of cowpea genotypes, and in the two model plant species tested in this study, may expand the scope of techniques for rapid pollination control in self-pollinated species, with potential applications in plant breeding and plant reproduction science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Sekiguchi
- Graduate School of Sustainability Science, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama Minami, Tottori, 680-8550, Japan
| | - Benjamin Ewa Ubi
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori, 680-0001, Japan
- Department of Biotechnology, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Takayoshi Ishii
- Graduate School of Sustainability Science, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama Minami, Tottori, 680-8550, Japan.
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori, 680-0001, Japan.
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Lazaridi E, Suso MJ, Ortiz-sánchez FJ, Bebeli PJ. Investigation of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.)–Insect Pollinator Interactions Aiming to Increase Cowpea Yield and Define New Breeding Tools. Ecologies 2023; 4:124-140. [DOI: 10.3390/ecologies4010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Impact of pollination on the agri-food sector is of paramount importance. Pollinators contribute to the maintenance of ecosystems, the reproduction and survival of many plants, and their presence usually leads to increased yield and quality of agricultural products. Breeding and selecting for plant traits for enhancing pollinator visits could therefore lead to more resilient farming systems. In stating the advantages of enhancing pollinators in agricultural systems, this study was designed aiming to assess six cowpea accessions for their flower traits and their effect on insect-pollinators. Pollinators species abundance and foraging activity was recorded and their impact on yield was investigated. Twenty-five of the twenty-seven flower traits studied differed statistically significantly among cowpea accessions. The main pollinators recorded belonged to the genus Xylocopa (Latreille, 1802). Seed and fresh pod yield was not affected by pollinators. The floral traits related to pollinators abundance and foraging activity were flower color, inflorescence position and the hours that the flowers per plant remained open during the day. However, they were not related linearly to pollinators abundance and foraging activity; therefore, they did not constitute safe traits for selection aiming to increase pollinators visitation. The findings suggested that other traits, such as pollen and nectar reward, probably perform a more important role in attracting pollinators compared to flower traits.
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Liang L, Zhang J, Xiao J, Li X, Xie Y, Tan H, Song X, Zhu L, Xue X, Xu L, Zhou P, Ran J, Sun B, Huang Z, Tang Y, Lin L, Sun G, Lai Y, Li H. Genome and pan-genome assembly of asparagus bean ( Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedialis) reveal the genetic basis of cold adaptation. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:1059804. [PMID: 36589110 PMCID: PMC9802904 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1059804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Asparagus bean (Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedialis) is an important cowpea subspecies. We assembled the genomes of Ningjiang 3 (NJ, 550.31 Mb) and Dubai bean (DB, 564.12 Mb) for comparative genomics analysis. The whole-genome duplication events of DB and NJ occurred at 64.55 and 64.81 Mya, respectively, while the divergence between soybean and Vigna occurred in the Paleogene period. NJ genes underwent positive selection and amplification in response to temperature and abiotic stress. In species-specific gene families, NJ is mainly enriched in response to abiotic stress, while DB is primarily enriched in respiration and photosynthesis. We established the pan-genomes of four accessions (NJ, DB, IT97K-499-35 and Xiabao II) and identified 20,336 (70.5%) core genes present in all the accessions, 6,507 (55.56%) variable genes in two individuals, and 2,004 (6.95%) unique genes. The final pan genome is 616.35 Mb, and the core genome is 399.78 Mb. The variable genes are manifested mainly in stress response functions, ABC transporters, seed storage, and dormancy control. In the pan-genome sequence variation analysis, genes affected by presence/absence variants were enriched in biological processes associated with defense responses, immune system processes, signal transduction, and agronomic traits. The results of the present study provide genetic data that could facilitate efficient asparagus bean genetic improvement, especially in producing cold-adapted asparagus bean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Liang
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jianwei Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiachang Xiao
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaomei Li
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Vegetable Germplasm Innovation and Variety Improvement Key Laboratory of Sichuan, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongdong Xie
- Institute for Processing and Storage of Agricultural Products, Chengdu Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Huaqiang Tan
- Horticulture Research Institute, Chengdu Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Xueping Song
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Li Zhu
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xinru Xue
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Linyu Xu
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Peihan Zhou
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jianzhao Ran
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bo Sun
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhi Huang
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Tang
- Institute of Pomology and Olericulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lijin Lin
- Institute of Pomology and Olericulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Guochao Sun
- College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yunsun Lai
- Institute of Pomology and Olericulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huanxiu Li
- Institute of Pomology and Olericulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Verma SK, Singh CK, Taunk J, Gayacharan, Chandra Joshi D, Kalia S, Dey N, Singh AK. Vignette of Vigna domestication: From archives to genomics. Front Genet 2022; 13:960200. [DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.960200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Vigna comprises fast-growing, diploid legumes, cultivated in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. It comprises more than 200 species among which Vigna angularis, Vigna radiata, Vigna mungo, Vigna aconitifolia, Vigna umbellata, Vigna unguiculata, and Vigna vexillata are of enormous agronomic importance. Human selection along with natural variability within these species encompasses a vital source for developing new varieties. The present review convokes the early domestication history of Vigna species based on archeological pieces of evidence and domestication-related traits (DRTs) together with genetics of domestication. Traces of early domestication of Vigna have been evidenced to spread across several temperate and tropical regions of Africa, Eastern Asia, and few parts of Europe. Several DRTs of Vigna species, such as pod shattering, pod and seed size, dormancy, seed coat, seed color, maturity, and pod dehiscence, can clearly differentiate wild species from their domesticates. With the advancement in next-generation high-throughput sequencing techniques, exploration of genetic variability using recently released reference genomes along with de novo sequencing of Vigna species have provided a framework to perform genome-wide association and functional studies to figure out different genes related to DRTs. In this review, genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to DRTs of different Vigna species have also been summarized. Information provided in this review will enhance the in-depth understanding of the selective pressures that causes crop domestication along with nature of evolutionary selection made in unexplored Vigna species. Furthermore, correlated archeological and domestication-related genetic evidence will facilitate Vigna species to be considered as suitable model plants.
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Ambika, Aski MS, Gayacharan, Hamwieh A, Talukdar A, Kumar Gupta S, Sharma BB, Joshi R, Upadhyaya HD, Singh K, Kumar R. Unraveling Origin, History, Genetics, and Strategies for Accelerated Domestication and Diversification of Food Legumes. Front Genet 2022; 13:932430. [PMID: 35979429 PMCID: PMC9376740 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.932430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestication is a dynamic and ongoing process of transforming wild species into cultivated species by selecting desirable agricultural plant features to meet human needs such as taste, yield, storage, and cultivation practices. Human plant domestication began in the Fertile Crescent around 12,000 years ago and spread throughout the world, including China, Mesoamerica, the Andes and Near Oceania, Sub-Saharan Africa, and eastern North America. Indus valley civilizations have played a great role in the domestication of grain legumes. Crops, such as pigeon pea, black gram, green gram, lablab bean, moth bean, and horse gram, originated in the Indian subcontinent, and Neolithic archaeological records indicate that these crops were first domesticated by early civilizations in the region. The domestication and evolution of wild ancestors into today’s elite cultivars are important contributors to global food supply and agricultural crop improvement. In addition, food legumes contribute to food security by protecting human health and minimize climate change impacts. During the domestication process, legume crop species have undergone a severe genetic diversity loss, and only a very narrow range of variability is retained in the cultivars. Further reduction in genetic diversity occurred during seed dispersal and movement across the continents. In general, only a few traits, such as shattering resistance, seed dormancy loss, stem growth behavior, flowering–maturity period, and yield traits, have prominence in the domestication process across the species. Thus, identification and knowledge of domestication responsive loci were often useful in accelerating new species’ domestication. The genes and metabolic pathways responsible for the significant alterations that occurred as an outcome of domestication might aid in the quick domestication of novel crops. Further, recent advances in “omics” sciences, gene-editing technologies, and functional analysis will accelerate the domestication and crop improvement of new crop species without losing much genetic diversity. In this review, we have discussed about the origin, center of diversity, and seed movement of major food legumes, which will be useful in the exploration and utilization of genetic diversity in crop improvement. Further, we have discussed about the major genes/QTLs associated with the domestication syndrome in pulse crops and the future strategies to improve the food legume crops.
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Dong J, Song Y, Wang B, Wu X, Wang Y, Wang J, Lu Z, Zhang Y, Li G, Wu X, Wang H. Identification of Genomic Regions Associated with Fusarium Wilt Resistance in Cowpea. Applied Sciences 2022; 12:6889. [DOI: 10.3390/app12146889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Fusarium wilt (FW), caused by the soil-borne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Tracheiphilum, is a serious threat to cowpea production worldwide. Understanding the genetic architecture of FW resistance is a prerequisite to combatting this disease and developing FW resistance varieties. In the current study, a genetic diversity panel of 99 cowpea accessions was collected, and they were infected by a single strain, FW-HZ. The disease index (DI) based on the two indicators of leaf damage (LFD) and vascular discoloration (VD) varied highly across the population: most accessions were susceptible, and only seven accessions showed resistant phenotypes by both indicators. Through a genome-wide association study (GWAS), 3 and 7 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with LFD and VD were detected, respectively, which were distributed on chromosomes 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9, accounting for 0.68–13.92% of phenotypic variation. Based on the cowpea reference genome, 30 putative genes were identified and proposed as the likely candidates, including leucine-rich repeat protein kinase family protein, protein kinase superfamily protein and zinc finger family protein. These results provide novel insights into the genetic architecture of FW resistance and a basis for molecular breeding of FW resistant cultivars in cowpea.
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Mekonnen TW, Gerrano AS, Mbuma NW, Labuschagne MT. Breeding of Vegetable Cowpea for Nutrition and Climate Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa: Progress, Opportunities, and Challenges. Plants (Basel) 2022; 11:plants11121583. [PMID: 35736733 PMCID: PMC9230997 DOI: 10.3390/plants11121583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Currently, the world population is increasing, and humanity is facing food and nutritional scarcity. Climate change and variability are a major threat to global food and nutritional security, reducing crop productivity in the tropical and subtropical regions of the globe. Cowpea has the potential to make a significant contribution to global food and nutritional security. In addition, it can be part of a sustainable food system, being a genetic resource for future crop improvement, contributing to resilience and improving agricultural sustainability under climate change conditions. In malnutrition prone regions of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries, cowpea has become a strategic dryland legume crop for addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. Therefore, this review aims to assess the contribution of cowpea to SSA countries as a climate-resilient crop and the existing production challenges and perspectives. Cowpea leaves and immature pods are rich in diverse nutrients, with high levels of protein, vitamins, macro and micronutrients, minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates compared to its grain. In addition, cowpea is truly a multifunctional crop for maintaining good health and for reducing non-communicable human diseases. However, as a leafy vegetable, cowpea has not been researched and promoted sufficiently because it has not been promoted as a food security crop due to its low yield potential, susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses, quality assurance issues, policy regulation, and cultural beliefs (it is considered a livestock feed). The development of superior cowpea as a leafy vegetable can be approached in different ways, such as conventional breeding and gene stacking, speed breeding, mutation breeding, space breeding, demand-led breeding, a pan-omics approach, and local government policies. The successful breeding of cowpea genotypes that are high-yielding with a good nutritional value as well as having resistance to biotics and tolerant to abiotic stress could also be used to address food security and malnutrition-related challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tesfaye Walle Mekonnen
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa; (N.W.M.); (M.T.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +27-796540514
| | - Abe Shegro Gerrano
- Agricultural Research Council-Vegetable, Industrial and Medicinal Plants, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
| | - Ntombokulunga Wedy Mbuma
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa; (N.W.M.); (M.T.L.)
| | - Maryke Tine Labuschagne
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa; (N.W.M.); (M.T.L.)
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Raina A, Laskar RA, Wani MR, Jan BL, Ali S, Khan S. Gamma Rays and Sodium Azide Induced Genetic Variability in High-Yielding and Biofortified Mutant Lines in Cowpea [ Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:911049. [PMID: 35774825 PMCID: PMC9237497 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.911049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
With the twin pressures of high population growth and extreme weather events, developing countries are the worst hit in meeting the food demands of their people, with millions unable to access adequate and nutritionally balanced food. Crop production must be increased by 70% to keep up with the food demands of a rapidly growing population, which is expected to rise to 9.6 billion by 2050. Legumes are ideal food crops to increase agricultural productivity and achieve sustainable development goals. Cowpea, a warm-season grain legume, is often categorized as a neglected crop with immense scope for genetic improvement through proper breeding strategies. A multi-year field experiment of induced mutagenesis was conducted to increase seed yield and genetic variability in the agro-economic traits of two cowpea varieties treated with different doses of gamma (γ) rays and sodium azide (SA). The study was also aimed to optimize different doses of γ rays and SA employed individually and in combinations. Quantitative trait analysis revealed a maximum increase in seed yield from M2 to M3 generation. Among the 10 quantitative traits studied, seeds per pod and seed weight positively correlated with a major direct impact on yield. An extensive phenotypic selection cycle from M2-M4 generations resulted in isolating new high-yielding and nutrient-dense mutant lines. Such high-yielding biofortified mutant lines with enhanced genetic variability could serve as a donor of elite genes and represent a valuable genetic resource for improving low-yielding warm-season grain legumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aamir Raina
- Mutation Breeding Laboratory, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
- Botany Section, Women's College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | | | - Mohammad Rafiq Wani
- Department of Botany, Abdul Ahad Azad Memorial Degree College Bemina, Cluster University Srinagar, Srinagar, India
| | - Basit Latief Jan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sajad Ali
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
| | - Samiullah Khan
- Mutation Breeding Laboratory, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
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16
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Wu X, Cortés AJ, Blair MW. Genetic differentiation of grain, fodder and pod vegetable type cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata L.) identified through single nucleotide polymorphisms from genotyping-by-sequencing. Mol Hortic 2022; 2:8. [PMID: 37789473 PMCID: PMC10514946 DOI: 10.1186/s43897-022-00028-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The species Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp), commonly known as cowpea, is a multi-purpose legume that has been selected into three subspecies that are divided into grain, fodder and pod (yardlong bean) types. However, genetic bases for distinctions are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to apply genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) and current reference genome for V. unguiculata to distinguish three subspecies and identify signatures of divergence. The collection of 130 accessions included 128 cultivated from: 1) ssp. cylindrica, fodder type; 2) ssp. sesquipedalis, pod vegetable type; and 3) ssp. unguiculata, grain type. Two wilds genotypes from spp. dekindtiana and spp. pubescens, were used to anchor phylogeny. A total of 11,083 highly informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were discovered. Wild accessions showed distinct genetic fingerprints and were separated from cultivated subspecies. Principal component analysis showed closer relationship between ssp. unguiculata and ssp. cylindrica compared to ssp. sesquipedalis. Relative differentiation of cultivated subspecies (with Fixation Index, FST) indicated the existence of discrete signatures of selection. This work clarifies the population structure, phylogeny, and domestication of cultivated cowpeas. Furthermore, significant genetic differences between grain and pod vegetable types can provide valuable information for future breeding in three cowpea groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingbo Wu
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, 37209, USA
- Tropical Research and Education Center, Department of Environmental Horticultural, University of Florida, 18905 SW 280th St, Homestead, FL, 33031, USA
| | - Andrés J Cortés
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria AGROSAVIA, C.I. La Selva, Km 7 vía Rionegro - Las Palmas, Rionegro, Colombia
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Medellín, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias - Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Matthew W Blair
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, 37209, USA.
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Panzeri D, Guidi Nissim W, Labra M, Grassi F. Revisiting the Domestication Process of African Vigna Species (Fabaceae): Background, Perspectives and Challenges. Plants (Basel) 2022; 11:plants11040532. [PMID: 35214865 PMCID: PMC8879845 DOI: 10.3390/plants11040532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Legumes are one of the most economically important and biodiverse families in plants recognised as the basis to develop functional foods. Among these, the Vigna genus stands out as a good representative because of its relatively recent African origin as well as its outstanding potential. Africa is a great biodiversity centre in which a great number of species are spread, but only three of them, Vigna unguiculata, Vigna subterranea and Vigna vexillata, were successfully domesticated. This review aims at analysing and valorising these species by considering the perspective of human activity and what effects it exerts. For each species, we revised the origin history and gave a focus on where, when and how many times domestication occurred. We provided a brief summary of bioactive compounds naturally occurring in these species that are fundamental for human wellbeing. The great number of wild lineages is a key point to improve landraces since the domestication process caused a loss of gene diversity. Their genomes hide a precious gene pool yet mostly unexplored, and genes lost during human activity can be recovered from the wild lineages and reintroduced in cultivated forms through modern technologies. Finally, we describe how all this information is game-changing to the design of future crops by domesticating de novo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Panzeri
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milan-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy; (W.G.N.); (M.L.)
- Correspondence: (D.P.); (F.G.)
| | - Werther Guidi Nissim
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milan-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy; (W.G.N.); (M.L.)
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Viale delle Idee 30, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Massimo Labra
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milan-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy; (W.G.N.); (M.L.)
| | - Fabrizio Grassi
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milan-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy; (W.G.N.); (M.L.)
- Correspondence: (D.P.); (F.G.)
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Mishra S, Sahu G, Shaw BP. Insight into the cellular and physiological regulatory modulations of Class-I TCP9 to enhance drought and salinity stress tolerance in cowpea. Physiol Plant 2022; 174:e13542. [PMID: 34459503 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The Teosinte branched 1/Cycloidea/Proliferating cell factor (TCP) transcription factors are potent growth and developmental regulators in plants, also responsive to various hormonal and environmental stimuli. In this study, we primarily focused on the functional role of TCP9, a nuclear-localised Class-I TCP transcription factor in a drought and heat-tolerant legume crop, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). Under drought stress, a higher protein expression level of TCP9 was observed in the leaves of the drought-tolerant cowpea cultivar Pusa Komal as compared to the drought-sensitive cultivar TVu-7778. Further, overexpression of VuTCP9 resulted in reduced cell and stomata size, aperture length and width while cell and overall stomatal density in the 35S::VuTCP9 transgenic cowpea lines increased. Phenotypic alterations, such as reduced leaf size and vigour, altered seed coats displaying extension pattern similar to the 'Watson pattern' and delayed senescence were prominent in the transgenic lines. Under normal conditions, the gas exchange and fluorescence measurements indicated reduction in transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs ) and photosynthetic efficiency (Φ PSII). However, water usage efficiency (WUE) remained unaltered in the transgenic lines as compared to the wild-type (WT) plants. Furthermore, the transgenic lines displayed higher tolerance to oxidative, drought and salinity stress, maintained relatively higher relative water content and lower occurrence of H2 O2 , as compared to the WT plants. Genes related to the jasmonic acid biosynthesis, stomatal development and abiotic stress responsiveness, such as TTG1, NAC25, SPCH and GRP1, increased and LOX2 decreased significantly in the transgenic lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagarika Mishra
- Abiotic Stress and Agro-Biotechnology Lab, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Gyanasri Sahu
- Abiotic Stress and Agro-Biotechnology Lab, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Birendra Prasad Shaw
- Abiotic Stress and Agro-Biotechnology Lab, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
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Sodedji FAK, Agbahoungba S, Agoyi EE, Kafoutchoni MK, Choi J, Nguetta SPA, Assogbadjo AE, Kim HY. Diversity, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium among cowpea accessions. Plant Genome 2021; 14:e20113. [PMID: 34275189 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] is a globally important food security crop. However, it is susceptible to pest and disease; hence, constant breeding efforts based on its diversity are required for its improvement. The present study aims to investigate the genetic diversity, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium (LD) among 274 cowpea accessions from different origins. A total of 3,127 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers generated using diversity array technology (DArT) was used. Population structure, neighbor-joining clustering, and principal component analyses indicated three subpopulations within the germplasm. Results of STRUCTURE analysis and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) were complementary in assessing the structuration of the diversity among the germplasm, with the grouping of the accessions improved in DAPC. Genetic distances of 0.005-0.44 were observed among accessions. Accessions from western and central Africa, eastern and central Africa, and Asia were predominant and distributed across all subpopulations. The subpopulations had fixation indexes of 0.48-0.56. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that within subpopulation variation accounted for 81% of observed genetic variation in the germplasm. The subpopulations mainly consisted of inbred lines (inbreeding coefficient = 1) with common alleles, although they were from different geographical regions. This reflects considerable seed movement and germplasm exchange between regions. The LD was characterized by low decay for great physical distances between markers. The LD decay distance varied among chromosomes with the average distance of 80-100 kb across the genome. Thus, crop improvement is possible, and the LD will facilitate genome-wide association studies on quality attributes and critical agronomic traits in cowpea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frejus Ariel Kpedetin Sodedji
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Gangneung, Gangwon, 25451, Republic of Korea
- Non-timber Forest Products and Orphan Crop Species Unit, Laboratory of Applied Ecology (LEA), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), 01 BP: 526 Cotonou, Benin
- West Africa Center of Excellence in Climate Change Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture (CEA-CCBAD), Biosciences Research Unit, University Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Abidjan, Lagunes, 22 BP 461, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Symphorien Agbahoungba
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Gangneung, Gangwon, 25451, Republic of Korea
| | - Eric Echikintho Agoyi
- Non-timber Forest Products and Orphan Crop Species Unit, Laboratory of Applied Ecology (LEA), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), 01 BP: 526 Cotonou, Benin
| | - Médard Konoutan Kafoutchoni
- Non-timber Forest Products and Orphan Crop Species Unit, Laboratory of Applied Ecology (LEA), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), 01 BP: 526 Cotonou, Benin
| | - Jaeyoung Choi
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Gangneung, Gangwon, 25451, Republic of Korea
| | - Simon-Pierre Assanvo Nguetta
- West Africa Center of Excellence in Climate Change Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture (CEA-CCBAD), Biosciences Research Unit, University Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Abidjan, Lagunes, 22 BP 461, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Achille Ephrem Assogbadjo
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Gangneung, Gangwon, 25451, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho-Youn Kim
- Non-timber Forest Products and Orphan Crop Species Unit, Laboratory of Applied Ecology (LEA), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), 01 BP: 526 Cotonou, Benin
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Omomowo OI, Babalola OO. Constraints and Prospects of Improving Cowpea Productivity to Ensure Food, Nutritional Security and Environmental Sustainability. Front Plant Sci 2021; 12:751731. [PMID: 34745184 PMCID: PMC8570086 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.751731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Providing safe and secure food for an increasing number of people globally is challenging. Coping with such a human population by merely applying the conventional agricultural production system has not proved to be agro-ecologically friendly; nor is it sustainable. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) is a multi-purpose legume. It consists of high-quality protein for human consumption, and it is rich in protein for livestock fodder. It enriches the soil in that it recycles nutrients through the fixation of nitrogen in association with nodulating bacteria. However, the productivity of this multi-functional, indigenous legume that is of great value to African smallholder farmers and the rural populace, and also to urban consumers and entrepreneurs, is limited. Because cowpea is of strategic importance in Africa, there is a need to improve on its productivity. Such endeavors in Africa are wrought with challenges that include drought, salinity, the excessive demand among farmers for synthetic chemicals, the repercussions of climate change, declining soil nutrients, microbial infestations, pest issues, and so forth. Nevertheless, giant strides have already been made and there have already been improvements in adopting sustainable and smart biotechnological approaches that are favorably influencing the production costs of cowpea and its availability. As such, the prospects for a leap in cowpea productivity in Africa and in the enhancement of its genetic gain are good. Potential and viable means for overcoming some of the above-mentioned production constraints would be to focus on the key cowpea producer nations in Africa and to encourage them to embrace biotechnological techniques in an integrated approach to enhance for sustainable productivity. This review highlights the spectrum of constraints that limit the cowpea yield, but looks ahead of the constraints and seeks a way forward to improve cowpea productivity in Africa. More importantly, this review investigates applications and insights concerning mechanisms of action for implementing eco-friendly biotechnological techniques, such as the deployment of bio inoculants, applying climate-smart agricultural (CSA) practices, agricultural conservation techniques, and multi-omics smart technology in the spheres of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, for improving cowpea yields and productivity to achieve sustainable agro-ecosystems, and ensuring their stability.
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Zuluaga DL, Lioi L, Delvento C, Pavan S, Sonnante G. Genotyping-by-Sequencing in Vigna unguiculata Landraces and Its Utility for Assessing Taxonomic Relationships. Plants (Basel) 2021; 10:plants10030509. [PMID: 33803432 PMCID: PMC8001400 DOI: 10.3390/plants10030509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) was used to analyze relationships among cowpea and asparagus bean landraces from southern Italy and to assess the utility of this technology to study taxonomy in a wider panel, including V. unguiculata cultigroups, subspecies, and other Vigna species. The analysis of SNPs derived from GBS highlighted that, among the cowpea landraces, the African samples were separated from the other material, while, for the Italian landraces, a certain clustering depending on seed color/pattern was observed in the dendrogram. When examining the V. unguiculata species complex, a clear separation between the two groups of wild subspecies, i.e., the allogamous wild perennials and the perennial out/inbreds, could be observed, the former representing the more ancestral wild progenitors of V. unguiculata. The species V. vexillata appeared more closely related to V. unguiculata than to the other Vigna species analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Lucia Zuluaga
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.L.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Lucia Lioi
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.L.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Chiara Delvento
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy; (C.D.); (S.P.)
| | - Stefano Pavan
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy; (C.D.); (S.P.)
| | - Gabriella Sonnante
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.L.Z.); (L.L.)
- Correspondence:
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Li Y, Chen Q, Xie X, Cai Y, Li J, Feng Y, Zhang Y. Integrated Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Analyses Reveal the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Accumulation of Anthocyanins and Other Flavonoids in Cowpea Pod ( Vigna unguiculata L.). J Agric Food Chem 2020; 68:9260-9275. [PMID: 32709199 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c01851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
As an important vegetable crop of the legume family, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) is grown widely for its tender pod with good taste and nutrition. The purple cowpea pods attract more attention mainly for the eye-catching color and health-promoting ingredients. Initially, large quantities of two major anthocyanins (delphinidin 3-O-glucoside and cyanidin 3-O-glucoside) and nine kinds of flavonoids (most are quercetin-based flavonol glycosides) were separated and identified from purple cowpea pod by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. To study them systematically, two representative cowpea cultivars with a drastic difference in anthocyanin accumulation were further analyzed by the integration of metabolomics and transcriptomics. A total of 56 differentially accumulated metabolites and 4142 differentially expressed genes were identified, respectively. On the basis of the comprehensive analysis of multiomic data, it was shown that VuMYB90-1, VuMYB90-2, VuMYB90-3, VuCPC, VuMYB4, and endogenous bHLH and WD40 proteins coordinately control anthocyanin and flavonoid accumulation via transcriptional regulation of structural genes in purple cowpea pod.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Kexue Avenue 100, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiyan Chen
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Kexue Avenue 100, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaodong Xie
- Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, China Tobacco Gene Research Center, Fengyang Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Cai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Kexue Avenue 100, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiangfeng Li
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Kexue Avenue 100, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiling Feng
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Kexue Avenue 100, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanjie Zhang
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Kexue Avenue 100, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, People's Republic of China
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Paliwal R, Abberton M, Faloye B, Olaniyi O. Developing the role of legumes in West Africa under climate change. Curr Opin Plant Biol 2020; 56:242-258. [PMID: 32616362 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
West Africa is faced with significant challenges from climate change, including parts of the region becoming hotter with more variable rainfall. The Sahelian region in particular is already subject to severe droughts. To address this better adapted crop varieties (such as for cowpea) are clearly a central element, a complementary one is a greater use of resilient alternative crops especially underutilized legumes particularly Bambara groundnut, African yam bean, winged bean and Kersting's groundnut. Genetic diversity of these crops conserved in genebanks and farmer's field provides an opportunity to exploit climate resilient traits using cutting-edge genomic tools and to use genomics-assisted breeding to accelerate genetic gains in combination of rapid cycle breeding strategy to develop climate-resilient cultivars for sub-Saharan Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajneesh Paliwal
- Genetic Resources Center, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Michael Abberton
- Genetic Resources Center, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria.
| | - Benjamin Faloye
- Genetic Resources Center, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Oyatomi Olaniyi
- Genetic Resources Center, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria
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