The power of model-to-crop translation illustrated by reducing seed loss from pod shatter in oilseed rape.

Abstract

Key message Elucidation of key regulators in Arabidopsis fruit patterning has facilitated knowledge-translation into crop species to address yield loss caused by premature seed dispersal (pod shatter). In the 1980s, plant scientists descended on a small weed Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress) and developed it into a powerful model system to study plant biology. The massive advances in genetics and genomics since then have allowed us to obtain incredibly detailed knowledge on specific biological processes of Arabidopsis growth and development, its genome sequence and the function of many of the individual genes. This wealth of information provides immense potential for translation into crops to improve their performance and address issues of global importance such as food security. Here, we describe how fundamental insight into the genetic mechanism by which seed dispersal occurs in members of the Brassicaceae family can be exploited to reduce seed loss in oilseed rape (Brassica napus). We demonstrate that by exploiting data on gene function in model species, it is possible to adjust the pod-opening process in oilseed rape, thereby significantly increasing yield. Specifically, we identified mutations in multiple paralogues of the INDEHISCENT and GA4 genes in B. napus and have overcome genetic redundancy by combining mutant alleles. Finally, we present novel software for the analysis of pod shatter data that is applicable to any crop for which seed dispersal is a serious problem. These findings highlight the tremendous potential of fundamental research in guiding strategies for crop improvement.

Plant phenotyping relevance

作物の莢裂開・種子散布という植物形質を解析する新規ソフトウェアを提示しており、単なる生物学的測定ではなく、再利用可能な表現型解析手法が明示されています。

Code and data availability

The paper describes podshatteR, authors' analysis software for RIT 50 pod-shatter data, but provides no public deposit, repository, or download URL for the code or the underlying RIT phenotype measurements; only a description/guide in the Online Resource and generic supplementary files are mentioned, without an authors

No evidence-backed public reproduction asset is currently recorded.