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Ramírez Gonzales LY, Cannarozzi G, Jäggi L, Assefa K, Chanyalew S, Dell'Acqua M, Tadele Z. The role of omics in improving the orphan crop tef. Trends Genet 2024; 40:449-461. [PMID: 38599921 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2024.03.003] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Tef or teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a cereal crop indigenous to the Horn of Africa, where it is a staple food for a large population. The popularity of tef arises from its resilience to environmental stresses and its nutritional value. For many years, tef has been considered an orphan crop, but recent research initiatives from across the globe are helping to unravel its undisclosed potential. Advanced omics tools and techniques have been directed toward the exploration of tef's diversity with the aim of increasing its productivity. In this review, we report on the most recent advances in tef omics that brought the crop into the spotlight of international research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gina Cannarozzi
- University of Bern, Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lea Jäggi
- University of Bern, Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kebebew Assefa
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, PO Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Solomon Chanyalew
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, PO Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | | | - Zerihun Tadele
- University of Bern, Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, 3013 Bern, Switzerland.
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Haddadi BS, Fang R, Girija A, Kattupalli D, Widdowson E, Beckmann M, Yadav R, Mur LAJ. Metabolomics targets tissue-specific responses in alleviating the negative effects of salinity in tef ( Eragrostis tef) during germination. Planta 2023; 258:67. [PMID: 37597049 PMCID: PMC10439848 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04224-x] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION Salinity induced metabolite responses resulted in differential accumulation of flavonoids and antioxidant metabolites in shoots and roots suggesting improved antioxidant capacity in providing salt-adaptive phenotype of tef seedling. Tef [(Eragrostis tef) (Zucc.) Trotter] is an important 'cash crop' of Ethiopia grown mainly for human food, and development of elite tef cultivars with better performance is vital to Ethiopian farmers and breeders. Soil salinity is one of the key constraints that affects tef yield in the Ethiopian lowlands and Rift valley where cultivation of tef is limited. Being a minor crop, the responses of tef towards salinity is unknown. Salinity involves physiological and metabolite reprogramming that can have major impact on germination and seedling establishment. Here we evaluate the in vitro effect of NaCl on tef germination and associate this with metabolomic approaches to suggest salt tolerance mechanisms. In this study, 19 tef varieties were screened for NaCl tolerance and were investigated using untargeted metabolomics. Screened tef varieties showed differential germination rates with NaCl treatment varying from < 20 to 100%. Viable seedlings exposed to NaCl exhibited purple-red pigment accumulation in the roots except for Beten and Tullu nasy varieties. Metabolite comparisons between shoots and roots showed significant differences and, in particular, roots of salt tolerant tef varieties accumulated flavonoid derivatives as well as sugars and cell wall associated metabolites. These metabolic changes were correlated with patterns of antioxidant capacities and total flavonoid content in shoots and roots and suggested a mitigating response by tef to salinity. Our study highlights the role of flavonoid accumulation following salt stress on tef seedlings and further these findings could be used as targets for selective tef breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rui Fang
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, SY23 3DA, UK
| | - Aiswarya Girija
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, SY23 3DA, UK
- Institute of Biological Rural Environmental Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, SY23 3EE, UK
| | - Divya Kattupalli
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, SY23 3DA, UK
| | - Emma Widdowson
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, SY23 3DA, UK
| | - Manfred Beckmann
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, SY23 3DA, UK
| | - Rattan Yadav
- Institute of Biological Rural Environmental Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, SY23 3EE, UK
| | - Luis A J Mur
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, SY23 3DA, UK.
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Cotter CJ, Wright AJ, Romanov AV, Graf TN, Whisnant ED, Flores-Bocanegra L, Doldron MS, Oberlies NH, Jia Z, Ligaba-Osena A. Evaluating the Antioxidant Properties of the Ancient-Crop Tef ( Eragrostis tef) Grain Extracts in THP-1 Monocytes. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1561. [PMID: 37627557 PMCID: PMC10451390 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12081561] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Tef (Eragrostis tef) is an orphan crop that is widely grown in East Africa, primarily in Ethiopia as a staple crop. It is becoming popular in the Western world owing to its nutritious and gluten-free grains and the forage quality of its biomass. Tef is also considered to have a high antioxidant capacity based on cell-free studies. However, the antioxidant activity of tef has never been validated using a physiologically relevant cell model. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant capacity of tef grain extracts using a mammalian cell model. We hypothesized that the tef grain extracts are capable of modulating the cellular antioxidant response via the modulation of glutathione (GSH) biosynthetic pathways. Therefore, we evaluated the antioxidant activity of purified tef grain extracts in the human acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1) cell line. Our findings revealed that the organic fraction of grain extracts increased the cellular GSH level, which was more evident for brown-colored tef than the ivory variety. Moreover, a brown-tef fraction increased the expressions of GSH-pathway genes, including γ-glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) and modifier (GCLM) subunits and glutathione reductase (GR), an enzyme that plays a key role in GSH biosynthesis, suggesting that tef extracts may modulate GSH metabolism. Several compounds were uniquely identified via mass spectrometry (MS) in GSH-modulating brown-tef samples, including 4-oxo-β-apo-13-carotenone, γ-linolenic acid (methyl ester), 4,4'-(2,3-dimethyl-1,4-butanediyl)bis-phenol (also referred to as 8,8'-lignan-4,4'-diol), and (3β)-3-[[2-[4-(Acetylamino)phenoxy]acetyl]oxy]olean-12-en-28-oic acid. Tef possesses antioxidant activity due to the presence of phytochemicals that can act as direct antioxidants, as well as modulators of antioxidant-response genes, indicating its potential role in alleviating diseases triggered by oxidative stresses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report revealing the antioxidant ability of tef extracts in a physiologically relevant human cell model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Cotter
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Allison J. Wright
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Anastasia V. Romanov
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Tyler N. Graf
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Eric D. Whisnant
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Laura Flores-Bocanegra
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Megan S. Doldron
- Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Nicholas H. Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Zhenquan Jia
- Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
| | - Ayalew Ligaba-Osena
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
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Jaroszewska A, Jedrejek D, Sobolewska M, Kowalska I, Dzięcioł M. Mineral, Nutritional, and Phytochemical Composition and Baking Properties of Teff and Watermelon Seed Flours. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28073255. [PMID: 37050018 PMCID: PMC10096663 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28073255] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Demonstrated limitations in the mineral and nutritional composition of refined flours have led to calls for the possibility of enriching them with health-promoting supplements, such as high-value non-cereal seeds. Teff and watermelon seeds have been found suitable for the production of gluten-free flour, but so far, their potential to enrich conventional baking flours has not been comprehensively studied. Hence, the present study aimed at farinographic evaluation of dough based on refined wheat flour with additions of whole white teff (TF) and watermelon seed (WSF) and pomace (DWSF) flours (tested levels 10%, 20%, and 30%), as well as possibly extensive chemical characterization of the plant material tested, including LC-MS/MS, GC-MS, total phenolics, flavonoids, melatonin, and antioxidant potential. Most of the rheological traits were improved in the flour mixtures compared to the base white flour: development time and quality number (above 1.6-fold increase), softening and stability time (up to 1.3-fold change), and water absorption (up to 6%). Overall, the best results were achieved after the addition of watermelon seed pomace. The DWSF material was characterized by the highest levels of P, Mg, Na (7.5, 1.7, 0.4 g/kg, respectively), and Fe and Zn (124 and 27 mg/kg), while TF was the richest in Ca (0.9 g/kg) and Mn (43 mg/kg). Protein and fat levels were significantly higher in watermelon seeds compared to teff (about double and up to 10-fold, respectively). Phytochemical analyses highlighted the abundance of phenolics, especially flavones, in TF, WSF and DWSF flours (244, 93, and 721 mg/kg, respectively). However, the value of total polyphenols was low in all materials (<2 mg GAE/g), which also correlates with the low antioxidant potential of the samples. Watermelon seed pomace was characterized by significantly higher melatonin concentration (60 µg/kg) than teff (3.5 µg/kg). This study provides new information on the chemical composition and application opportunities of teff and watermelon seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Jaroszewska
- Department of Agroengineering, Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Pawła VI Street, 71-459 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Dariusz Jedrejek
- Department of Biochemistry and Crop Quality, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation-State Research Institute, Czartoryskich 8 Street, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
| | - Magdalena Sobolewska
- Department of Agroengineering, Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Pawła VI Street, 71-459 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Iwona Kowalska
- Department of Biochemistry and Crop Quality, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation-State Research Institute, Czartoryskich 8 Street, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Dzięcioł
- Department of Chemical Organic Technology and Polymeric Materials, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Piastów Ave. 42, 71-065 Szczecin, Poland
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Woldeyohannes AB, Iohannes SD, Miculan M, Caproni L, Ahmed JS, de Sousa K, Desta EA, Fadda C, Pè ME, Dell'Acqua M. Data-driven, participatory characterization of farmer varieties discloses teff breeding potential under current and future climates. eLife 2022; 11:80009. [PMID: 36052993 PMCID: PMC9439699 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In smallholder farming systems, traditional farmer varieties of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) support the livelihoods of millions of growers and consumers. NUS combine cultural and agronomic value with local adaptation, and transdisciplinary methods are needed to fully evaluate their breeding potential. Here, we assembled and characterized the genetic diversity of a representative collection of 366 Ethiopian teff (Eragrostis tef) farmer varieties and breeding materials, describing their phylogenetic relations and local adaptation on the Ethiopian landscape. We phenotyped the collection for its agronomic performance, involving local teff farmers in a participatory variety evaluation. Our analyses revealed environmental patterns of teff genetic diversity and allowed us to identify 10 genetic clusters associated with climate variation and with uneven spatial distribution. A genome-wide association study was used to identify loci and candidate genes related to phenology, yield, local adaptation, and farmers’ appreciation. The estimated teff genomic offset under climate change scenarios highlighted an area around lake Tana where teff cropping may be most vulnerable to climate change. Our results show that transdisciplinary approaches may efficiently propel untapped NUS farmer varieties into modern breeding to foster more resilient and sustainable cropping systems. Small farms support the livelihoods of about two billion people worldwide. Smallholder farmers often rely on local varieties of crops and use less irrigation and fertilizer than large producers. But smallholdings can be vulnerable to weather events and climate change. Data-driven research approaches may help to identify the needs of farmers, taking into account traditional knowledge and cultural practices to enhance the sustainability of certain crops. Teff is a cereal crop that plays a critical role in the culture and diets of Ethiopian communities. It is also a super food appreciated on international markets for its nutritional value. Rural smallholder farmers in Ethiopia rely on the crop for subsistence and income and make up the bulk of the country’s agricultural system. Many grow local varieties with tremendous genetic diversity. Scientists, in collaboration with farmers, could tap that diversity to produce more productive or climate-resilient types of teff, both for national and international markets. Woldeyohannes, Iohannes et al. produced the first large-scale genetic, agronomic and climatic study of traditional teff varieties. In the experiments, Woldeyohannes and Iohannes et al. sequenced the genomes of 366 Ethiopian teff varieties and evaluated their agronomic value in common gardens. The team collaborated with 35 local farmers to understand their preference of varieties and traits. They then conducted a genome-wide association study to assess the crops’ productivity and their adaptations to local growing conditions and farmer preferences. Genetic changes that speed up teff maturation and flowering time could meet small farmers’ needs to secure teff harvest. Woldeyohannes, Iohannes et al. also identified a region in Ethiopia, where local teff varieties may struggle to adapt to climate change. Genetic modifications may help the crop to adapt to frequent droughts that may be a common characteristic of future climates. The experiments reveal the importance of incorporating traditional knowledge from smallholder farmers into data-driven crop improvement efforts considering genetics and climate science. This multidisciplinary approach may help to improve food security and protect local genetic diversity on small farms. It may also help to ensure that agricultural advances fairly and equitably benefit small farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aemiro Bezabih Woldeyohannes
- Center of Plant Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy.,Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | | | - Mara Miculan
- Center of Plant Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Leonardo Caproni
- Center of Plant Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jemal Seid Ahmed
- Center of Plant Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Kauê de Sousa
- Digital Inclusion, Bioversity International, Montpellier, France.,Department of Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Hamar, Norway
| | | | - Carlo Fadda
- Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture, Bioversity International, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mario Enrico Pè
- Center of Plant Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
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Numan M, Guo W, Choi S, Wang X, Du B, Jin W, Bhandari RK, Ligaba‐Osena A. Analysis of miRNAs responsive to long-term calcium deficiency in tef ( Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter). Plant Direct 2022; 6:e400. [PMID: 35582629 PMCID: PMC9090557 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.400] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in growth, development, stress resilience, and epigenetic modifications of plants. However, the effect of calcium (Ca2+) deficiency on miRNA expression in the orphan crop tef (Eragrostis tef) remains unknown. In this study, we analyzed expression of miRNAs in roots and shoots of tef in response to Ca2+ treatment. miRNA-seq followed by bioinformatic analysis allowed us to identify a large number of small RNAs (sRNAs) ranging from 17 to 35 nt in length. A total of 1380 miRNAs were identified in tef experiencing long-term Ca2+ deficiency while 1495 miRNAs were detected in control plants. Among the miRNAs identified in this study, 161 miRNAs were similar with those previously characterized in other plant species and 348 miRNAs were novel, while the remaining miRNAs were uncharacterized. Putative target genes and their functions were predicted for all the known and novel miRNAs that we identified. Based on gene ontology (GO) analysis, the predicted target genes are known to have various biological and molecular functions including calcium uptake and transport. Pairwise comparison of differentially expressed miRNAs revealed that some miRNAs were specifically enriched in roots or shoots of low Ca2+-treated plants. Further characterization of the miRNAs and their targets identified in this study may help in understanding Ca2+ deficiency responses in tef and related orphan crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Numan
- Present address:
Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of BiologyUniversity of North Carolina GreensboroGreensboroNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Wanli Guo
- Present address:
Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of BiologyUniversity of North Carolina GreensboroGreensboroNorth CarolinaUSA
- Present address:
Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Sang‐Chul Choi
- Present address:
Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of BiologyUniversity of North Carolina GreensboroGreensboroNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Xuegeng Wang
- Laboratory of Environmental Epigenetics, Department of BiologyUniversity of North Carolina GreensboroGreensboroNorth CarolinaUSA
- Institute of Modern Aquaculture Science and Engineering, College of Life SciencesSouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhouP. R. China
| | - Boxuan Du
- Present address:
Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Weibo Jin
- Present address:
Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Ramji Kumar Bhandari
- Laboratory of Environmental Epigenetics, Department of BiologyUniversity of North Carolina GreensboroGreensboroNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Ayalew Ligaba‐Osena
- Present address:
Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of BiologyUniversity of North Carolina GreensboroGreensboroNorth CarolinaUSA
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Sukhoverkov KV, Mylne JS. Systematic, small-scale screening with Arabidopsis reveals herbicides synergies that extend to lettuce. Pest Manag Sci 2021; 77:4930-4941. [PMID: 34184403 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Combining herbicides into a mixture is a common approach used to overcome the potential for herbicide resistance in weeds. Many herbicide mixtures can be antagonistic and they are rarely synergistic. Here, 24 commercial herbicides, each representing a different mode of action were used to create a matrix of all 276 unique combinations to search for new synergies in agar using Arabidopsis thaliana. RESULTS Herbicides were used at an appropriate sublethal dose such that any synergies gave visible growth inhibition. We found five synergies including three new ones, namely mesotrione-norflurazon, mesotrione-clethodim and clomazone-paraquat. All three were reproducible in soil-grown conditions. Interestingly, the three new combinations all included a bleaching herbicide, suggesting that synergy might be a class-specific phenomenon. We also found that mesotrione-norflurazon and mesotrione-clethodim combinations were also synergistic against lettuce (Lactuca sativa), but not tef (Eragrostis tef). CONCLUSION Our study shows that screening herbicide mixtures against A. thaliana is an efficient approach for finding rare herbicide synergies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill V Sukhoverkov
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Joshua S Mylne
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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Saylor BA, Min D, Bradford BJ. Effects of cultivar and harvest days after planting on dry matter yield and nutritive value of teff. J Anim Sci Technol 2021; 63:510-519. [PMID: 34189501 PMCID: PMC8204008 DOI: 10.5187/jast.2021.e56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
One of the most pressing issues facing the dairy industry is drought. In areas
where annual precipitation is low, irrigation for growing feed presents the
greatest water-utilization challenge for dairy producers. Here, we investigated
the effects of cultivar and harvest days after planting (DAP) on dry matter (DM)
yield and nutritive value of teff (Eragrostis tef), a
warm-season annual grass native to Ethiopia that is well adapted to drought
conditions. Eighty pots were blocked by location in a greenhouse and randomly
assigned to four teff cultivars (Tiffany, Moxie, Corvallis, and Dessie) and to
five harvest times (40, 45, 50, 55, or 60 DAP). Cultivars had no effect on DM
yield and nutritive value. As harvest time increased from 40 to 60 DAP, DM yield
and ash-free neutral detergent fiber (aNDFom) concentrations increased, while
crude protein (CP) concentrations and in vitro NDF
digestibility decreased. To assess carryover effects of time of harvest on yield
and nutritive value, two additional cuttings were taken from each pot.
Increasing first-cutting harvest time decreased CP concentrations in the second
cutting and reduced DM yields in the second and third cutting. Harvesting teff
between 45 and 50 DAP best optimized forage yield and nutritive value in the
first and subsequent cuttings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Saylor
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Doohong Min
- Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Barry J Bradford
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
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Zewudie D, Ding W, Rong Z, Zhao C, Chang Y. Spatiotemporal dynamics of habitat suitability for the Ethiopian staple crop, Eragrostis tef (teff), under changing climate. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10965. [PMID: 33828911 PMCID: PMC7996070 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is a staple, ancient food crop in Ethiopia. Its growth is affected by climate change, so it is essential to understand climatic effects on its habitat suitability in order to design countermeasures to ensure food security. Based on the four Representative Concentration Pathway emission scenarios (i.e., RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0 and RCP8.5) set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we predicted the potential distribution of teff under current and future scenarios using a maximum entropy model (Maxent). Eleven variables were selected out of 19, according to correlation analysis combined with their contribution rates to the distribution. Simulated accuracy results validated by the area under the curve (AUC) had strong predictability with values of 0.83–0.85 for current and RCP scenarios. Our results demonstrated that mean temperature in the coldest season, precipitation seasonality, precipitation in the cold season and slope are the dominant factors driving potential teff distribution. Proportions of suitable teff area, relative to the total study area were 58% in current climate condition, 58.8% in RCP2.6, 57.6% in RCP4.5, 59.2% in RCP6.0, and 57.4% in RCP8.5, respectively. We found that warmer conditions are correlated with decreased land suitability. As expected, bioclimatic variables related to temperature and precipitation were the best predictors for teff suitability. Additionally, there were geographic shifts in land suitability, which need to be accounted for when assessing overall susceptibility to climate change. The ability to adapt to climate change will be critical for Ethiopia’s agricultural strategy and food security. A robust climate model is necessary for developing primary adaptive strategies and policy to minimize the harmful impact of climate change on teff.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinka Zewudie
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wenguang Ding
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhanlei Rong
- College of Geographical Science, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, China
| | - Chuanyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yapeng Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Numan M, Khan AL, Asaf S, Salehin M, Beyene G, Tadele Z, Ligaba-Osena A. From Traditional Breeding to Genome Editing for Boosting Productivity of the Ancient Grain Tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. Plants (Basel) 2021; 10:628. [PMID: 33806233 PMCID: PMC8066236 DOI: 10.3390/plants10040628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is a staple food crop for 70% of the Ethiopian population and is currently cultivated in several countries for grain and forage production. It is one of the most nutritious grains, and is also more resilient to marginal soil and climate conditions than major cereals such as maize, wheat and rice. However, tef is an extremely low-yielding crop, mainly due to lodging, which is when stalks fall on the ground irreversibly, and prolonged drought during the growing season. Climate change is triggering several biotic and abiotic stresses which are expected to cause severe food shortages in the foreseeable future. This has necessitated an alternative and robust approach in order to improve resilience to diverse types of stresses and increase crop yields. Traditional breeding has been extensively implemented to develop crop varieties with traits of interest, although the technique has several limitations. Currently, genome editing technologies are receiving increased interest among plant biologists as a means of improving key agronomic traits. In this review, the potential application of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) technology in improving stress resilience in tef is discussed. Several putative abiotic stress-resilient genes of the related monocot plant species have been discussed and proposed as target genes for editing in tef through the CRISPR-Cas system. This is expected to improve stress resilience and boost productivity, thereby ensuring food and nutrition security in the region where it is needed the most.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Numan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA; (M.N.); (M.S.)
| | - Abdul Latif Khan
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, Biotechnology and OMICs Laboratory, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman; (A.L.K.); (S.A.)
| | - Sajjad Asaf
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, Biotechnology and OMICs Laboratory, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman; (A.L.K.); (S.A.)
| | - Mohammad Salehin
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA; (M.N.); (M.S.)
| | - Getu Beyene
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA;
| | - Zerihun Tadele
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, CH-3013 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Ayalew Ligaba-Osena
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA; (M.N.); (M.S.)
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Ligaba-Osena A, Guo W, Choi SC, Limmer MA, Seyfferth AL, Hankoua BB. Silicon Enhances Biomass and Grain Yield in an Ancient Crop Tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. Front Plant Sci 2020; 11:608503. [PMID: 33329679 PMCID: PMC7732538 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.608503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Silicon (Si) is one of the beneficial plant mineral nutrients which is known to improve biotic and abiotic stress resilience and productivity in several crops. However, its beneficial role in underutilized or "orphan" crop such as tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] has never been studied before. In this study, we investigated the effect of Si application on tef plant performance. Plants were grown in soil with or without exogenous application of Na2SiO3 (0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 mM), and biomass and grain yield, mineral content, chlorophyll content, plant height, and expression patterns of putative Si transporter genes were studied. Silicon application significantly increased grain yield (100%) at 3.0 mM Si, and aboveground biomass yield by 45% at 5.0 mM Si, while it had no effect on plant height. The observed increase in grain yield appears to be due to enhanced stress resilience and increased total chlorophyll content. Increasing the level of Si increased shoot Si and Na content while it significantly decreased the content of other minerals including K, Ca, Mg, P, S, Fe, and Mn in the shoot, which is likely due to the use of Na containing Si amendment. A slight decrease in grain Ca, P, S, and Mn was also observed with increasing Si treatment. The increase in Si content with increasing Si levels prompted us to analyze the expression of Si transporter genes. The tef genome contains seven putative Si transporters which showed high homology with influx and efflux Lsi transporters reported in various plant species including rice. The tef Lsi homologs were deferentially expressed between tissues (roots, leaves, nodes, and inflorescences) and in response to Si, suggesting that they may play a role in Si uptake and/or translocation. Taken together, these results show that Si application improves stress resilience and yield and regulates the expression of putative Si transporter genes. However, further study is needed to determine the physiological function of the putative Si transporters, and to study the effect of field application of Si on tef productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayalew Ligaba-Osena
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Wanli Guo
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sang Chul Choi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Matthew Alan Limmer
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, The University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Angelia L. Seyfferth
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, The University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Bertrand B. Hankoua
- Plant Biotechnology Lab, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, Sciences and Technology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, United States
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12
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Dueñas M, Sánchez-Acevedo T, Alcalde-Eon C, Escribano-Bailón MT. Effects of different industrial processes on the phenolic composition of white and brown teff ( Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter). Food Chem 2020; 335:127331. [PMID: 32739802 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Teff is currently being incorporated into a range of foodstuffs, especially gluten-free flakes and extruded products. The main objective of this work was to assess the effects of different treatments (industrial milling, formation of flakes and extrusion) on the phenolic composition of two types of teff grains differing in their colour (white and brown). Fifty-nine phenolic compounds were detected by HPLC-DAD-MSn. C-glycosyl flavones accounted for more than 90% of the total phenolic contents in both teff types. White teff mostly contained apigenin-derived flavones (86-92%), whereas luteolin derivatives prevailed in brown teff (91-94%). The industrial processes, mainly flaking and extrusion, caused marked changes in the phenolic composition, some of which were dependent on the teff type. In both teff types, processing changed the phenolic profiles similarly by increasing C-monoglycosyl flavones and decreasing acylated derivatives. However, the total content was increased in flakes and extruded products made only from brown teff grains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Dueñas
- Grupo de Investigación de Polifenoles, Unidad de Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Tamara Sánchez-Acevedo
- Grupo de Investigación de Polifenoles, Unidad de Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Cristina Alcalde-Eon
- Grupo de Investigación de Polifenoles, Unidad de Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
| | - María Teresa Escribano-Bailón
- Grupo de Investigación de Polifenoles, Unidad de Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
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Teshome GE, Mekbib Y, Hu G, Li ZZ, Chen J. Comparative analyses of 32 complete plastomes of Tef ( Eragrostis tef ) accessions from Ethiopia: phylogenetic relationships and mutational hotspots. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9314. [PMID: 32596045 PMCID: PMC7307559 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9314] [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] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Eragrostis tef is an important cereal crop in Ethiopia with excellent storage properties, high–quality food, and the unique ability to thrive in extreme environmental conditions. However, the application of advanced molecular tools for breeding and conservation of these species is extremely limited. Therefore, developing chloroplast genome resources and high-resolution molecular markers are valuable to E. tef population and biogeographic studies. In the current study, we assembled and compared the complete plastomes of 32 E. tef accessions. The size of the plastomes ranged from 134,349 to 134,437 bp with similar GC content (∼38.3%). Genomes annotations revealed 112 individual genes, including 77 protein-coding, 31 tRNA, and 4 rRNA genes. Comparison of E. tef plastomes revealed a low degree of intraspecific sequence variations and no structural differentiations. Furthermore, we found 34 polymorphic sites (13 cpSSRs, 12 InDels, and 9 SNPs) that can be used as valuable DNA barcodes. Among them, the majority (88%) of the polymorphic sites were identified in the noncoding genomic regions. Nonsynonymous (ka) and synonymous (ks) substitution analysis showed that all PCGs were under purifying selection (ka/ks <1). The phylogenetic analyses of the whole plastomes and polymorphic region sequences were able to distinguish the accession from the southern population, indicating its potential to be used as a super-barcode. In conclusion, the newly generated plastomes and polymorphic markers developed here could be a useful genomic resource in molecular breeding, population genetics and the biogeographical study of E. tef.
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Affiliation(s)
- Girma Eshetu Teshome
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yeshitila Mekbib
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guangwan Hu
- Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhi-Zhong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinming Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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14
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Wojas O, Krzych-Fałta E, Samel-Kowalik P, Żalikowska-Gardocka M, Majsiak E, Mari A, Samoliński B. A case of allergy to Silybum marianum ( milk thistle) and Eragrostis tef ( teff). Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol 2020; 16:23. [PMID: 32322285 PMCID: PMC7161110 DOI: 10.1186/s13223-020-00421-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This paper presents a peculiar first case of an allergy to Silybum marianum (milk thistle) and Eragrostis tef (teff). Both teff and milk thistle have been presented in the literature (both domestic and foreign) in a positive light, the former as a new part of gluten-free diet, and the latter as a treatment for a number of conditions, particularly those of the liver. Case presentation A 29-year-old male presented at our clinic due to an episode of itching and burning in his mouth, swollen tongue, and difficulty swallowing following ingestion of teff flakes. He also reported sneezing, runny nose, watering and burning eyes, and wheezing following inhalation exposure to ground milk thistle. The patient’s occupation is associated with exposure to these allergens. The patient underwent comprehensive allergy diagnostic assessments (including skin-prick testing, serum specific IgE levels, Faber test, spirometry, and acoustic rhinometry) and gastroenterological assessments. The diagnosis was established on skin tests with native allergens (milk thistle 16/35, teff flour 22/60, negative control 0/0, histamine 3/5) provided by the patient. There are no commercially available (standardized) tests for milk thistle or teff either in Poland or anywhere else in the world. Conclusions Milk thistle is available in the form of dry, finely-ground preparations (which are used as additives to bread, soups, and yoghurts) and extracts (which are used as ingredients in over-the-counter herbal remedies). Teff is a gluten-free cereal whose grains are rich in methionine, calcium, iron, folic acid, and antioxidants. This case report presents milk thistle and teff as potentially new allergens. A literature review revealed no similar allergy cases in Poland or elsewhere in the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Wojas
- 1Deprtament of Environmental Hazard Prevention and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - E Krzych-Fałta
- 1Deprtament of Environmental Hazard Prevention and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - P Samel-Kowalik
- 1Deprtament of Environmental Hazard Prevention and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M Żalikowska-Gardocka
- 2Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - E Majsiak
- Polish-Ukrainian Foundation for the Development of Medicine, Lublin, Poland
| | - A Mari
- Clinician and Scientist in Allergy and Immunology Centri Associati di Allergologia Molecolare (CAAM), Rome, Italy
| | - B Samoliński
- 1Deprtament of Environmental Hazard Prevention and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Blösch R, Plaza-Wüthrich S, Barbier de Reuille P, Weichert A, Routier-Kierzkowska AL, Cannarozzi G, Robinson S, Tadele Z. Panicle Angle is an Important Factor in Tef Lodging Tolerance. Front Plant Sci 2020; 11:61. [PMID: 32117397 PMCID: PMC7031273 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is an important crop in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, where it is a staple food for over 60 million people. However, the productivity of tef remains extremely low in part due to its susceptibility to lodging. Lodging is the displacement of the plant from the upright position, and it is exacerbated by rain, wind and the application of fertilizer. In order to address the issue of global food security, especially in the Horn of Africa, greater insight into the causes of tef lodging is needed. In this study, we combine modeling and biomechanical measurements to compare the properties relating to lodging tolerance in high yielding, improved tef genotypes, and lower yielding natural landraces. Our results indicate that the angle of the panicle contributes to the likelihood of lodging in tef. Varieties with compact panicles and reduced height had increased lodging resistance compared to the other varieties. By comparing different varieties, we found that overall, the landraces of tef lodged less than improved varieties. We constructed a model of stem bending and found that panicle angle was an important determinant of the amount of lodging. The findings from this study provide key information to those involved in tef improvement, especially those interested in lodging tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regula Blösch
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Annett Weichert
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Lise Routier-Kierzkowska
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Gina Cannarozzi
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Robinson
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- The Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Zerihun Tadele
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Chanyalew S, Ferede S, Damte T, Fikre T, Genet Y, Kebede W, Tolossa K, Tadele Z, Assefa K. Significance and prospects of an orphan crop tef. Planta 2019; 250:753-767. [PMID: 31222492 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-019-03209-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Tef is a resilient crop from the Horn of Africa with significant importance in food and nutrition security, and currently gaining global popularity as health and performance food. Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is the most important cereal of Ethiopia in terms of production, consumption and cash crop value. In Ethiopia, tef is annually grown on about 3 million ha with total grain production of over 5 million tons. As such, it accounts for about 30% of the total cultivated area and one-fifth of the gross grain production of all cereals cultivated in the country. In spite of its supreme economic and agricultural significance in Ethiopia, its productivity is relatively low with national average yield of about 1.7 t/ha. This has primarily been due to the very little scientific improvement done on the crop. Tef has still been an "orphan crop" since it is globally a very much under-researched crop owing to its localized importance. Scientific research on tef in Ethiopia began in the late 1950s. The main objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the significance and major production constraints of tef, and the major achievements made to date in various tef research aspects including breeding, agronomy, crop protection, and agricultural economics and extension. Based on these reviews, the paper eventually concludes with remarks on the way forward by emphasizing on the identification of the major gaps and the improvement efforts required for realizing the ever-needed breakthrough in the productivity and production of the crop. The major focal areas of future efforts include increasing productivity of both grain and biomass, systematic conservation and mining of the genetic resources, tackling the lodging malady, mechanization of the crop's husbandry, understanding the overall physiology of the crop especially with respect to stress tolerance, unraveling the nutritional qualities, and development of recipes and value-added products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solomon Chanyalew
- Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Setotaw Ferede
- Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Tebkew Damte
- Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Tsion Fikre
- Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Yazachew Genet
- Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Worku Kebede
- Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Kidist Tolossa
- Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Zerihun Tadele
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kebebew Assefa
- Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia.
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Mohammed SH, Taye H, Sissay TA, Larijani B, Esmaillzadeh A. Teff consumption and anemia in pregnant Ethiopian women: a case-control study. Eur J Nutr 2019; 58:2011-8. [PMID: 29936535 DOI: 10.1007/s00394-018-1759-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Teff, an iron-rich staple grain in Ethiopia, is consumed mainly in the form of teff injera (TI). Studies on the association of TI consumption with anemia are limited. We aimed to determine the association of frequencies of TI consumption with anemia, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS We conducted a hospital-based case-control study involving 592 pregnant women: 187 anemic cases, and 405 non-anemic controls. TI consumption was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Multiple logistic regression, adjusted for dietary and non-dietary covariates, was performed to determine the relation of TI consumption to anemia status. RESULTS We found that a decrease in frequency of TI consumption was significantly associated with an increase in the likelihood of anemia (p-trend = 0.009). Compared with everyday TI consumption, the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of anemia associated with the other frequencies of teff consumption were 1.50 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71, 3.23; p = 0.285] for every other day, 2.13 (95% CI 1.03, 4.41; p = 0.04) for 1-2 times a week, and 3.17 (95% CI 1.62, 6.22; p < 0.001) for once in 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS Teff consumption was associated with reduced odds of anemia in pregnant women. Further studies are warranted, including determining the feasibility and effectiveness of TI use for anemia prevention. REGISTRATION The study was registered as https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03251664 .
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Martinelli F, Cannarozzi G, Balan B, Siegrist F, Weichert A, Blösch R, Tadele Z. Identification of miRNAs linked with the drought response of tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. J Plant Physiol 2018; 224-225:163-172. [PMID: 29656008 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2018.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], a staple food crop in the Horn of Africa and particularly in Ethiopia, has several beneficial agronomical and nutritional properties, including waterlogging and drought tolerance. In this study, we performed microRNA profiling of tef using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform, analyzing both shoots and roots of two tef genotypes, one drought-tolerant (Tsedey) and one drought-susceptible (Alba). We obtained more than 10 million filtered reads for each of the 24 sequenced small cDNA libraries. Reads mapping to known miRNAs were more abundant in the root than shoot tissues. Thirteen and 35 miRNAs were significantly modulated in response to drought, in Alba and Tsedey roots, respectively. One miRNA was upregulated under drought conditions in both genotypes. In shoots, nine miRNAs were modulated in common between the two genotypes and all showed similar trends of expression. One-hundred and forty-seven new miRNA mature sequences were identified in silico, 22 of these were detected in all relevant samples and seven were differentially regulated when comparing drought with normal watering. Putative targets of the miRNA regulated under drought in root and shoot tissues were predicted. Among the targets were transcription factors such as CCAAT-HAP2, MADS and NAC. Verification with qRT-PCR revealed that five of six potential targets showed a pattern of expression that was consistent with the correspondent miRNA amount measured by RNA-Seq. In general, candidate miRNAs involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of the tef response to drought could be included in next-generation breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Martinelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie Alimentari Forestali, Università di Palermo, viale delle scienze Ed. 4., Palermo, Italy.
| | - Gina Cannarozzi
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Bipin Balan
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie Alimentari Forestali, Università di Palermo, viale delle scienze Ed. 4., Palermo, Italy.
| | - Fredy Siegrist
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Annett Weichert
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Regula Blösch
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Zerihun Tadele
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Koubová E, Sumczynski D, Šenkárová L, Orsavová J, Fišera M. Dietary Intakes of Minerals, Essential and Toxic Trace Elements for Adults from Eragrostis tef L.: A Nutritional Assessment. Nutrients 2018; 10:E479. [PMID: 29649158 DOI: 10.3390/nu10040479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This study analysed the contents of thirty-six mineral and trace elements in teff (Eragrostis tef L.) grains. What is more, dietary intakes were calculated. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to assess mineral and trace element contents. Consequently, the appropriate Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or adequate intake (AI), and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) or provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI) values for adults were determined according to the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) and Institute of Medicine (IOM) regulations. Teff is a significant contributor to RDAs and AIs for females in the following order: Mn > Cu > Zn ≥ Mg > Fe ≥ P and Ca. For males, teff contributes in the order, Mn > Cu > Fe > Zn ≥ P ≥ Mg > and Ca. The concentration of arsenic (65.9 µg/kg) in brown teff originating in Bolivia exceeded the average acceptable value set by Reg. No. 1881 of 6–50 µg/kg in cereals consumed in the EU. The PTWIs or PTMIs for Al, Cd, Sn and Hg were all under 7%, which is below the limits of toxic element intake related to the body weight of 65 kg for adult females and 80 kg for males, set by the FAO/WHO. Teff grains can be recommended as a valuable and safe source of minerals and trace elements.
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Cannarozzi G, Weichert A, Schnell M, Ruiz C, Bossard S, Blösch R, Plaza‐Wüthrich S, Chanyalew S, Assefa K, Tadele Z. Waterlogging affects plant morphology and the expression of key genes in tef ( Eragrostis tef). Plant Direct 2018; 2:e00056. [PMID: 31245721 PMCID: PMC6508588 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [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: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], an allotetraploid cereal that is a staple food to over 60 million people in the Horn of Africa, has a high nutritional content and is resistant to many biotic and abiotic stresses such as waterlogging and drought. Three tef genotypes, Alba, Tsedey, and Quncho, were subjected to waterlogging conditions and their growth, physiology, and change in transcript expression were measured with the goal of identifying targets for breeding cultivars with improved waterlogging tolerance. Root and shoot growth and dry weight were observed over 22 days. Stomatal conductance and chlorophyll and carotenoid contents were quantified. Microscopy was used to monitor changes in the stem cross sections. Illumina RNA sequencing was used to obtain the expression profiles of tef under flooding and control conditions and was verified using qPCR. Results indicated differences in growth between the three genotypes. Waterlogged Tsedey plants grew higher and had more root biomass than normally watered Tsedey plants. Quncho and Alba genotypes were more susceptible to the excess moisture stress. The effects of these changes were observed on the plant physiology. Among the three tested tef genotypes, Tsedey formed more aerenchyma than Alba and had accelerated growth under waterlogging. Tsedey and Quncho had constitutive aerenchyma. Genes affecting carbohydrate metabolism, cell growth, response to reactive oxygen species, transport, signaling, and stress responses were found to change under excess moisture stress. In general, these results show the presence of substantial anatomical and physiological differences among tef genotypes when waterlogged during the early growth stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Cannarozzi
- Institute of Plant SciencesUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
- Swiss Institute of BioinformaticsLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Annett Weichert
- Institute of Plant SciencesUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Mirjam Schnell
- Institute of Plant SciencesUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Celia Ruiz
- Institute of Plant SciencesUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | | | - Regula Blösch
- Institute of Plant SciencesUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Sonia Plaza‐Wüthrich
- Institute of Plant SciencesUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
- Present address:
Département des Neurosciences CliniquesCentre Hospitalier Universitaire VaudoisLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Solomon Chanyalew
- Ethiopian Agricultural Research InstituteDebre Zeit Agricultural Research CenterDebre ZeitEthiopia
| | - Kebebew Assefa
- Ethiopian Agricultural Research InstituteDebre Zeit Agricultural Research CenterDebre ZeitEthiopia
| | - Zerihun Tadele
- Institute of Plant SciencesUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
- Institute of BiotechnologyAddis Ababa UniversityAddis AbabaEthiopia
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21
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Abstract
Teff (Eragrostis tef) is a cereal native to Ethiopia and Eritrea. It has an excellent adaptability to harsh environmental conditions and plays an important role in food security. In recent years, teff is becoming globally popular due to the attractive nutritional profile such as gluten free and high dietary fiber content. This review documents the recent advances in the genetic diversity, nutritional composition and food uses of teff grain. The attractive nutrients of teff include protein, dietary fiber, polyphenols, and certain minerals. Whole grain teff flour becomes increasingly important in healthy food market, and has been used to produce various gluten free food items such as pasta and bread. Efforts have been made to enhance the sensory quality of teff based products. There is great potential to adapt teff to the other parts of the world for healthy food and beverage production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Zhu
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
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Di Ghionno L, Marconi O, Lee EG, Rice CJ, Sileoni V, Perretti G. Gluten-Free Sources of Fermentable Extract: Effect of Temperature and Germination Time on Quality Attributes of Teff [ Eragrostis tef (zucc.) Trotter] Malt and Wort. J Agric Food Chem 2017; 65:4777-4785. [PMID: 28532148 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.7b01717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the behavior of a white teff variety called Witkop during malting by using different parameters (germination temperature and duration) and to identify the best malting program. Samples were evaluated for standard quality malt and wort attributes, pasting characteristics, β-glucan and arabinoxylan content, and sugar profile. It was concluded that malting teff at 24 °C for 6 days produced acceptable malt in terms of quality attributes and sugar profile for brewing. The main attributes were 80.4% extract, 80.9% fermentability, 1.53 mPa s viscosity, 7.4 EBC-U color, 129 mg/L FAN, and 72.1 g/L of total fermentable sugars. Statistical analysis showed that pasting characteristics of teff malt were negatively correlated with some malt quality attributes, such as extract and fermentability. Witkop teff appeared to be a promising raw material for malting and brewing. However, the small grain size may lead to difficulties in handling malting process, and a bespoke brewhouse plant should be developed for the production at industrial scale.
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Burrell T, Fozard S, Holroyd GH, French AP, Pound MP, Bigley CJ, James Taylor C, Forde BG. The Microphenotron: a robotic miniaturized plant phenotyping platform with diverse applications in chemical biology. Plant Methods 2017; 13:10. [PMID: 28265297 PMCID: PMC5333401 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-017-0158-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemical genetics provides a powerful alternative to conventional genetics for understanding gene function. However, its application to plants has been limited by the lack of a technology that allows detailed phenotyping of whole-seedling development in the context of a high-throughput chemical screen. We have therefore sought to develop an automated micro-phenotyping platform that would allow both root and shoot development to be monitored under conditions where the phenotypic effects of large numbers of small molecules can be assessed. RESULTS The 'Microphenotron' platform uses 96-well microtitre plates to deliver chemical treatments to seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana L. and is based around four components: (a) the 'Phytostrip', a novel seedling growth device that enables chemical treatments to be combined with the automated capture of images of developing roots and shoots; (b) an illuminated robotic platform that uses a commercially available robotic manipulator to capture images of developing shoots and roots; (c) software to control the sequence of robotic movements and integrate these with the image capture process; (d) purpose-made image analysis software for automated extraction of quantitative phenotypic data. Imaging of each plate (representing 80 separate assays) takes 4 min and can easily be performed daily for time-course studies. As currently configured, the Microphenotron has a capacity of 54 microtitre plates in a growth room footprint of 2.1 m2, giving a potential throughput of up to 4320 chemical treatments in a typical 10 days experiment. The Microphenotron has been validated by using it to screen a collection of 800 natural compounds for qualitative effects on root development and to perform a quantitative analysis of the effects of a range of concentrations of nitrate and ammonium on seedling development. CONCLUSIONS The Microphenotron is an automated screening platform that for the first time is able to combine large numbers of individual chemical treatments with a detailed analysis of whole-seedling development, and particularly root system development. The Microphenotron should provide a powerful new tool for chemical genetics and for wider chemical biology applications, including the development of natural and synthetic chemical products for improved agricultural sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Burrell
- Engineering Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YR UK
| | - Susan Fozard
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ UK
| | - Geoff H. Holroyd
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ UK
| | - Andrew P. French
- The Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, LE12 5RD UK
- School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham, NG8 1BB UK
| | - Michael P. Pound
- The Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, LE12 5RD UK
- School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham, NG8 1BB UK
| | | | - C. James Taylor
- Engineering Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YR UK
| | - Brian G. Forde
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ UK
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Plaza-Wüthrich S, Blösch R, Rindisbacher A, Cannarozzi G, Tadele Z. Gibberellin Deficiency Confers Both Lodging and Drought Tolerance in Small Cereals. Front Plant Sci 2016; 7:643. [PMID: 27242844 PMCID: PMC4865506 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] and finger millet [Eleusine coracana Gaertn] are staple cereal crops in Africa and Asia with several desirable agronomic and nutritional properties. Tef is becoming a life-style crop as it is gluten-free while finger millet has a low glycemic index which makes it an ideal food for diabetic patients. However, both tef and finger millet have extremely low grain yields mainly due to moisture scarcity and susceptibility of the plants to lodging. In this study, the effects of gibberellic acid (GA) inhibitors particularly paclobutrazol (PBZ) on diverse physiological and yield-related parameters were investigated and compared to GA mutants in rice (Oryza sativa L.). The application of PBZ to tef and finger millet significantly reduced the plant height and increased lodging tolerance. Remarkably, PBZ also enhanced the tolerance of both tef and finger millet to moisture deficit. Under moisture scarcity, tef plants treated with PBZ did not exhibit drought-related symptoms and their stomatal conductance was unaltered, leading to higher shoot biomass and grain yield. Semi-dwarf rice mutants altered in GA biosynthesis, were also shown to have improved tolerance to dehydration. The combination of traits (drought tolerance, lodging tolerance and increased yield) that we found in plants with altered GA pathway is of importance to breeders who would otherwise rely on extensive crossing to introgress each trait individually. The key role played by PBZ in the tolerance to both lodging and drought calls for further studies using mutants in the GA biosynthesis pathway in order to obtain candidate lines which can be incorporated into crop-breeding programs to create lodging tolerant and climate-smart crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Regula Blösch
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of BernBern, Switzerland
| | | | - Gina Cannarozzi
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of BernBern, Switzerland
| | - Zerihun Tadele
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of BernBern, Switzerland
- Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa UniversityAddis Ababa, Ethiopia
- *Correspondence: Zerihun Tadele,
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Assefa K, Cannarozzi G, Girma D, Kamies R, Chanyalew S, Plaza-Wüthrich S, Blösch R, Rindisbacher A, Rafudeen S, Tadele Z. Genetic diversity in tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. Front Plant Sci 2015; 6:177. [PMID: 25859251 PMCID: PMC4374454 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a cereal crop resilient to adverse climatic and soil conditions, and possessing desirable storage properties. Although tef provides high quality food and grows under marginal conditions unsuitable for other cereals, it is considered to be an orphan crop because it has benefited little from genetic improvement. Hence, unlike other cereals such as maize and wheat, the productivity of tef is extremely low. In spite of the low productivity, tef is widely cultivated by over six million small-scale farmers in Ethiopia where it is annually grown on more than three million hectares of land, accounting for over 30% of the total cereal acreage. Tef, a tetraploid with 40 chromosomes (2n = 4x = 40), belongs to the family Poaceae and, together with finger millet (Eleusine coracana Gaerth.), to the subfamily Chloridoideae. It was originated and domesticated in Ethiopia. There are about 350 Eragrostis species of which E. tef is the only species cultivated for human consumption. At the present time, the gene bank in Ethiopia holds over five thousand tef accessions collected from geographical regions diverse in terms of climate and elevation. These germplasm accessions appear to have huge variability with regard to key agronomic and nutritional traits. In order to properly utilize the variability in developing new tef cultivars, various techniques have been implemented to catalog the extent and unravel the patterns of genetic diversity. In this review, we show some recent initiatives investigating the diversity of tef using genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics and discuss the prospect of these efforts in providing molecular resources that can aid modern tef breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kebebew Assefa
- National Tef Research Program, Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural ResearchDebre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Gina Cannarozzi
- Crop Breeding and Genomics, Institute of Plant Sciences, Department of Biology, University of BernBern, Switzerland
| | - Dejene Girma
- Crop Breeding and Genomics, Institute of Plant Sciences, Department of Biology, University of BernBern, Switzerland
- National Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, Holetta Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural ResearchHoletta, Ethiopia
| | - Rizqah Kamies
- Plant Stress Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape TownCape Town, South Africa
| | - Solomon Chanyalew
- National Tef Research Program, Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural ResearchDebre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Sonia Plaza-Wüthrich
- Crop Breeding and Genomics, Institute of Plant Sciences, Department of Biology, University of BernBern, Switzerland
| | - Regula Blösch
- Crop Breeding and Genomics, Institute of Plant Sciences, Department of Biology, University of BernBern, Switzerland
| | - Abiel Rindisbacher
- Crop Breeding and Genomics, Institute of Plant Sciences, Department of Biology, University of BernBern, Switzerland
| | - Suhail Rafudeen
- Plant Stress Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape TownCape Town, South Africa
| | - Zerihun Tadele
- Crop Breeding and Genomics, Institute of Plant Sciences, Department of Biology, University of BernBern, Switzerland
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26
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Girma D, Assefa K, Chanyalew S, Cannarozzi G, Kuhlemeier C, Tadele Z. The origins and progress of genomics research on Tef ( Eragrostis tef). Plant Biotechnol J 2014; 12:534-40. [PMID: 24891040 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12199] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Revised: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/10/2014] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Tef, Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter, is the most important cereal in Ethiopia. Tef is cultivated by more than five million small-scale farmers annually and constitutes the staple food for more than half of the population of 80 million. The crop is preferred by both farmers and consumers due to its beneficial traits associated with its agronomy and utilization. The genetic and phenotypic diversity of tef in Ethiopia is a national treasure of potentially global importance. In order for this diversity to be effectively conserved and utilized, a better understanding at the genomic level is necessary. In the recent years, tef has become the subject of genomic research in Ethiopia and abroad. Genomic-assisted tef improvement holds tremendous potential for improving productivity, thereby benefiting the smallholder farmers who have cultivated and relied on the crop for thousands of years. It is hoped that such research endeavours will provide solutions to some of the age-old problems of tef's husbandry. In this review, we provide a brief description of the genesis and progress of tef genomic research to date, suggest ways to utilize the genomic tools developed so far, discuss the potential of genomics to enable sustainable conservation and use of tef genetic diversity and suggest opportunities for the future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejene Girma
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Centre, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
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Solomon WK. Hydration kinetics of direct expanded tef flour breakfast cereals in water and milk. Food Sci Nutr 2014; 2:39-45. [PMID: 24804063 PMCID: PMC3951549 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Revised: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydration kinetics of tef flour breakfast cereals extruded at barrel temperatures of 110, 130, and 150°C was investigated by hydrating them in water and whole milk at 25°C (±1°C). The normalized Weibull model described the rehydration characteristics of the extrudates in water and milk adequately (R (2) = 0.98-0.99). Water absorption rate was significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by barrel temperature where extrudates processed at 150°C barrel temperature exhibited high water absorption rate followed by those extruded at 130 and 100°C, respectively. Hydration rate and equilibrium moisture content were higher for samples hydrated in water than those in milk. In view of the values of the shape parameter β, the hydration process is predominantly controlled by diffusion (β = 0.40-0.51) for samples extruded at 110°C whereas external resistance to mass transfer dominated (β = 0.60-0.73) those extruded using 150 and 130°C. Extrudates processed at 130 and 150°C exhibited better hydration characteristics. Thus, these temperature ranges could be used to produce extruded products from tef.
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Affiliation(s)
- W K Solomon
- Department of Food Technology and Process Engineering, Haramaya University Haramaya, Ethiopia ; Department of Consumer Sciences, University of Swaziland Luyengo, Swaziland
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