Root system architecture phenotyping of durum wheat reveals differential selection for a major QTL in contrasting environments

This study reports the characterization of 183 elite durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum Desf.) for RSA and shoot developmental traits. Plants were grown in controlled conditions up to the 7th leaf appearance (late tillering) using the phenotyping platform GROWSCREEN-Rhizo at the Institut f\ufcr Bio und Geowissenschaften Pflanzenwissenschaften

Catching Element Formation In The Act

Gamma-ray astronomy explores the most energetic photons in nature to address some of the most pressing puzzles in contemporary astrophysics. It encompasses a wide range of objects and phenomena: stars, supernovae, novae, neutron stars, stellar-mass black holes, nucleosynthesis, the interstellar medium, cosmic rays and relativistic-particle acceleration, and the evolution of galaxies. MeV gamma-rays provide a unique probe of nuclear processes in astronomy, directly measuring radioactive decay, nuclear de-excitation, and positron annihilation. The substantial information carried by gamma-ray photons allows us to see deeper into these objects, the bulk of the power is often emitted at gamma-ray energies, and radioactivity provides a natural physical clock that adds unique information. New science will be driven by time-domain population studies at gamma-ray energies. This science is enabled by next-generation gamma-ray instruments with one to two orders of magnitude better sensitivity, larger sky coverage, and faster cadence than all previous gamma-ray instruments. This transformative capability permits: (a) the accurate identification of the gamma-ray emitting objects and correlations with observations taken at other wavelengths and with other messengers; (b) construction of new gamma-ray maps of the Milky Way and other nearby galaxies where extended regions are distinguished from point sources; and (c) considerable serendipitous science of scarce events -- nearby neutron star mergers, for example. Advances in technology push the performance of new gamma-ray instruments to address a wide set of astrophysical questions.Comment: 14 pages including 3 figure

Islet Endothelial Activation and Oxidative Stress Gene Expression Is Reduced by IL-1Ra Treatment in the Type 2 Diabetic GK Rat

Inflammation followed by fibrosis is a component of islet dysfunction in both rodent and human type 2 diabetes. Because islet inflammation may originate from endothelial cells, we assessed the expression of selected genes involved in endothelial cell activation in islets from a spontaneous model of type 2 diabetes, the Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat. We also examined islet endotheliuml/oxidative stress (OS)/inflammation-related gene expression, islet vascularization and fibrosis after treatment with the interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra)

GWAS Reveals the QTLome Complexity Governing Different Root Types in Adult Durum Wheat Plants

This study reports the high-throughput phenotyping and genetic dissection of 189 elite durum wheat for root system architecture (RSA) and shoot traits at an unprecedented level of details. Plants were grown up to the 7th leaf appearance (late tillering) using the GROWSCREEN-Rhizo platform (1-m deep rhizo-boxes) integrated with automatic root RGB imaging. The following primary RSA traits were measured: seminal, nodal and lateral total root length, root system convex hull, and root system width and depth distribution (twice/week). Measurements of leaf area, leaf number and tiller number were measured twice/week and SPAD was measured twice during the experiment. Root dry biomass and shoot fresh and dry biomass were collected at the end of the experiment. The time-course measurements of the above-mentioned traits allowed us to model root and shoot growth and thus to identify QTL describing the dynamic root growth, including the root/shoot. GWAS analysis was based upon the Illumina Infinium 90K SNP profiles and the Maccaferri et al. (2016) consensus map. The accessions are structured into five sub-groups representing the main breeding lineages worldwide, namely (i) ICARDA_dry, with accessions bred for dryland areas, (ii) ICARDA_temp, with accessions bred for temperate areas, (iii) ITALIAN, with accessions derived from crosses of Italian accessions with CIMMYT and Southwestern US accessions (Desert Durum\uae), (iv) CIMMYT_70, with accessions adapted from CIMMYT germplasm introduced to Mediterranean countries, and (v) CIMMYT_80, with accessions selected under irrigated conditions during the past three decades. In total, the 35 traits measured directly or computed as ratios, allowed for the identification of 75 significant QTL peaks, 13 of which affected both root and shoot traits, while 26 and 36 exclusively affected RSA or the shoot, respectively, hence indicating a limited functional overlap between the RSA and shoot QTLomes. Among the 39 QTL clusters shown to affect two or more traits, three were particularly noteworthy: (1) QCls3ubo on chr. 1B affected ten traits, with a marked effect on root growth rate and root length density at depth, (2) QCls25ubo on chr. 6A affected root system width and average leaf width, and (3) QCls32 on chr. 7A affected nine traits, in particular root depth. Notably, this QTL cluster revealed a strong, contrasting selection pattern between the accessions of the rainfed and the irrigated breeding programs conducted at ICARDA and CIMMYT. The accessions used in this experiment were previously tested for yield and its components in 15 environments across the Mediterranean Basin. The joint analysis of field and platform data provides valuable insights toward a better understanding and deployment of the RSA QTLome to enhance durum wheat yield in different environmental conditions. The selection signatures evidenced in contrasting environments for water regimes suggest the possible role of the RSA QTLome in wheat adaptation and breeding in such conditions. Fine mapping and candidate genes analysis are underway for the major root growth angle on chr. 6A QTL using in silico TILLING. Additionally, the QCls25ubo-6A haplotypes with contrasting effects on root growth angle are being introgressed in different genetic backgrounds

PROGReSs- Model hybrid performance and yield in oilseed rape

In order to obtain root phenotypes, a new method was developed. GrowScreen PaGe is a non-invasive, high-throughput root phenotyping system made from inexpensive and readily available materials. The method utilizes seedlings for studying root system architecture and growth dynamics of crop plants in high-throughput. It is an important tool in the concerted approach PROGReSs which aims to model hybrid performance and yield in oilseed rape

Variation in root system architecture in the parents of two MAGIC wheat populations for selection in breeding

Root system architecture is a target for modern breeding because of the need to develop crops with roots that use soil nutrients and water more effectively. Breeding for root traits requires phenotypic diversity in populations amenable to QTL identification to provide markers to large breeding programs that do not have direct root phenotyping platforms. Our collaboration with BASF aims to understand the dynamics of root growth in seventeen parents of two Multiparent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) wheat populations using the non-invasive, high throughput phenotyping platform, GrowScreen-PaGe. Seeds were pre-germinated on filter paper, and transferred to germination paper supplied with the nutrient solution. The system allows the development and quantification of roots on the paper over time. This system has been developed in house at Forschungzentrum Juelich. Root system architecture components such as lengths of seminal and lateral roots, seminal root angle, root system width and depth were analyzed. The data sets were completed by shoot traits, such as leaf lengths, and shoot biomass as well as root biomass. Substantial variation in root and shoot traits were recorded in both sets of MAGIC parent lines. Low to moderate heritability and repeatability were recorded for most traits. Our results indicate that GrowScreen-PaGe system is suitable to detect phenotyping variation in MAGIC wheat populations for characterizing early seedling root traits