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Agronomy
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Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses
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Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Breeding and Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2023) | Viewed by 39069

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Marcelo Carena

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
AgResearch Ltd., Tennent Drive, 11 Dairy Farm Road, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
Interests: adaptation of exotic germplasm; improvement of genetically broad-based germplasm; development of the next generation of cultivars adapted to climate change with less need of water and inputs; training of the next generation of sustainable plant breeders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues，

There is a strong need for research that will address future demands for cultivars with tolerance to climate change (Carena, 2011). Current commercial cultivars are vulnerable to abiotic stresses as they represent a very small sample of the genetic diversity of the species. In addition, these cultivars have become addicted to nutrients and water as they have been bred for performance under high input and high soil moisture conditions. Farm failures due to drought, heat, salinity, and metals, among others, are detrimental to any country’s economy while irrigation and nutrient needs affect the environment. Adapting crops and pastures to climate change can deliver sustainable agri-food systems. However, industry needs to adapt its business providing farmers options to improve farm sustainability. The primary industry sector currently does not have market options that enable compliance with environmental regulations and adaptation to climate change. Genetic diversity on farms and on reserve can provide the solutions needed. The exploitation of genetic diversity and heterosis can provide the next generation of successful drought-tolerant cultivars for the milk and meat industries.

Manuscripts are expected to provide solutions to develop the next generation of sustainable cultivars.

Dr. Marcelo Carena
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • climate change
  • abiotic stresses
  • genetic diversity
  • adaptation
  • breeding
  • farm sustainability
  • environment

Published Papers (17 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 9565 KiB  
Article
Effects of Photoperiod and Drought on Flowering and Growth Development of Protein-Rich Legumes under Atlantic Environments
by Ana M. González, Ana M. Pesqueira, Lucio García and Marta Santalla
Agronomy 2023, 13(4), 1025; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy13041025 - 30 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1579
Abstract
Legumes have an important role in European agriculture. They assimilate N2 to sustainably support maximum crop growth, in turn providing high-protein food for human consumption and livestock feed. However, the extent of the area for legume cultivation in Europe has declined due [...] Read more.
Legumes have an important role in European agriculture. They assimilate N2 to sustainably support maximum crop growth, in turn providing high-protein food for human consumption and livestock feed. However, the extent of the area for legume cultivation in Europe has declined due to the lower economic competitiveness of legumes in relation to other crops, particularly of cereals and oilseed. To increase yields, there is a need to increase the genetic diversity of legumes in terms of adaptation to environmental stresses. We attempted to address this by conducting field and controlled experiments under drought vs. nondrought and different photoperiod conditions. The current study identified the physiological and agronomic traits correlated with productivity and quality performance in five economically important grain legume species (Pisum sativum, Phaseolus vulgaris, Cicer arietinum, Lupinus spp., and Vicia faba). In all species, the days to flowering and seed yield were affected by temperature and photoperiod. For cool-season legume species, long-day photoperiods were favorable and days to flowering was negatively correlated with the average air temperature. For the warm-season legumes, short-day photoperiods and warm temperatures were favorable. Under drought stress, the C/N balance, leaf nutrient (Ca, Fe, and K) concentrations, and yield were significantly reduced, contrary to Zn accumulation, and this information may contribute to improving our understanding and ability to develop sustainable growth. Based on our results, we conclude that the drought-tolerant and photoperiod-insensitive legume genotypes identified in this study constitute valuable starting materials for future programs aimed at improvement of legume productivity at a global/regional scale, which helps to strengthen the competitiveness and economic growth of legumes for European farmers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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11 pages, 2398 KiB  
Article
Fine-Mapping Analysis of the Genes Associated with Pre-Harvest Sprouting Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
by Seong-Gyu Jang, Backki Kim, Insoo Choi, Joohyun Lee, Tae-Ho Ham and Soon-Wook Kwon
Agronomy 2023, 13(3), 818; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy13030818 - 10 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1283
Abstract
Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) of rice (Oryza sativa L.) causes severe economic problems due to reduced grain quality and yield. Fine mapping was carried out to identify genes associated with PHS; the detected quantitative trait locus (QTL) was narrowed down to 50 Kbp [...] Read more.
Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) of rice (Oryza sativa L.) causes severe economic problems due to reduced grain quality and yield. Fine mapping was carried out to identify genes associated with PHS; the detected quantitative trait locus (QTL) was narrowed down to 50 Kbp using F3:4 populations, four polymorphic insertion and deletion (InDel) markers, and two cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers. In one region, five candidate genes were detected, and the SNP and InDel in each gene (Os01g0111400 and Os01g0111600) were confirmed to show the differences and resulting amino acid changes between parent plants. Based on haplotype, expression, and co-segregation analysis, the InDel in Os01g0111600 was confirmed to be associated with the PHS trait. The results of this study could be applied to improve the PHS tolerance of Japonica rice varieties, and they also improved our understanding of the genetic basis underlying PHS tolerance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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27 pages, 1171 KiB  
Article
Response of African Sorghum Genotypes for Drought Tolerance under Variable Environments
by Muhammad Ahmad Yahaya, Hussein Shimelis, Baloua Nebié, Jacob Mashilo and Georgeta Pop
Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 557; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy13020557 - 15 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2257
Abstract
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is the main food staple for millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Asia. Sorghum is relatively drought tolerant and cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions under rain-fed production. However, severe drought stress often leads to [...] Read more.
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is the main food staple for millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Asia. Sorghum is relatively drought tolerant and cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions under rain-fed production. However, severe drought stress often leads to crop loss and declined productivity. The development and deployment of high-yielding and drought-adapted genotypes is a cost-effective strategy for sustainable sorghum production globally. The objective of this study was to determine drought tolerance and genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI) effects on grain yields of a population of African sorghum genotypes to identify high-yielding and drought-adapted genotypes for direct production and also for use in breeding programs. Two hundred and twenty-five sorghum genotypes were evaluated under non-stressed (NS), pre-anthesis drought stress (PreADS), and post-anthesis drought stress (PoADS) conditions under field and greenhouse environments using a 15 × 15 alpha lattice design in two replicates. The three water regimes and two environments resulted in six testing environments. Data were collected on grain yield and drought tolerance parameters, and additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis were computed. The mean grain yield under NS, PreADS, and PoADS were 3.70, 1.76, and 2.58 t/ha, in that order. The best genotypes adapted to non-stressed environments were G09, and G109, whereas G114 and G56 were suitable for non-stressed and stressed conditions. G72 and G75 displayed the best performance in PreADS conditions only, whereas genotypes G210 and G12 were identified as high performers under PoADS only. The AMMI analysis revealed that genotype (G), environment (E), and GEI were significant (p < 0.05), which accounted for 38.7, 44.6, and 16.6% of the total explained variation in grain yield. AMMI 4 was the best-fitting model for grain yield. Based on AMMI 4 and the Best Linear Unbiased Estimates (BLUPs) calculations, genotypes G119 and G127 with a grain yield of 5.6 t/ha and 6.3 t/ha were selected as being suitable for non-stressed conditions. Genotypes G8 and G71 with BLUPs of 2.5 t/ha and 2.6 t/ha were best-suited for pre-anthesis drought stress conditions, whereas genotypes G115 and G120 with BLUPs of 4.2 t/ha and 4.3 t/ha are recommended for post-anthesis drought-prone environments, respectively. The identified sorghum genotypes are recommended for production in dry agro-ecologies of sub-Saharan Africa characterized by pre-and-post anthesis drought stress. In addition, the identified genotypes are valuable genetic resources to develop novel drought-tolerance material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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18 pages, 2027 KiB  
Article
Genotype-by-Environment Interaction in Tepary Bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) for Seed Yield
by Saul Eric Mwale, Hussein Shimelis, Wilson Nkhata, Abel Sefasi, Isaac Fandika and Jacob Mashilo
Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 12; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy13010012 - 21 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1769
Abstract
Genotype-by-environment (GEI) analysis guides the recommendation of best-performing crop genotypes and production environments. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of GEI on seed yield in tepary bean for genotype recommendation and cultivation in drought-prone environments. Forty-five genetically diverse tepary [...] Read more.
Genotype-by-environment (GEI) analysis guides the recommendation of best-performing crop genotypes and production environments. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of GEI on seed yield in tepary bean for genotype recommendation and cultivation in drought-prone environments. Forty-five genetically diverse tepary bean genotypes were evaluated under non-stressed and drought-stressed conditions for two seasons using a 9 × 5 alpha lattice design with three replications in four testing environments. Data were collected on seed yield (SY) and days to physiological maturity (DTM) and computed using a combined analysis of variance, the additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI), the best linear unbiased predictors (BLUPs), the yield stability index (YSI), the weighted average of absolute scores (WAASB) index, the multi-trait stability index (MTSI), and a superiority measure. AMMI analysis revealed a significant (p < 0.001) GEI, accounting for 13.82% of the total variation. Genotype performance was variable across the test environments, allowing the selection of best-suited candidates for the target production environment. The environment accounted for a substantial yield variation of 52.62%. The first and second interaction principal component axes accounted for 94.8 and 4.7% of the total variation in the AMMI-2 model, respectively, of surmountable variation due to GEI. The AMMI 2 model family was sufficient to guide the selection of high-yielding and stable genotypes. Based on best linear unbiased predictors (BLUPs), yield stability index (YSI), superiority measure (Pi), and broad adaptation, the following tepary bean genotypes were identified as high-yielding and suited for drought-prone environments: G40138, G40148, G40140, G40135, and G40158. The selected tepary bean genotypes are recommended for cultivation and breeding in Malawi or other related agroecologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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17 pages, 787 KiB  
Article
Screening Soybean Genotypes for High-Temperature Tolerance by Maximin-Minimax Method Based on Yield Potential and Loss
by Kanchan Jumrani, Virender Singh Bhatia, Sunita Kataria and Marco Landi
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2854; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12112854 - 15 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1378
Abstract
Temperature rise between 2.6 and 4.8 °C will impact the productivity of soybean at the turn of the twenty-first century. To predict differences in soybean genotypes to high temperatures, twelve soybean genotypes were grown in greenhouses maintained at a mean temperature of 26, [...] Read more.
Temperature rise between 2.6 and 4.8 °C will impact the productivity of soybean at the turn of the twenty-first century. To predict differences in soybean genotypes to high temperatures, twelve soybean genotypes were grown in greenhouses maintained at a mean temperature of 26, 29, 32, and 35 °C, respectively, with one set in natural conditions. The leaf area, total biomass, photosynthesis, Fv/Fm, pollen germination, and reproductive efficiency were significantly high under natural conditions, and a further increase in temperature to 26, 29, 32, and 35 °C resulted in a decline in these parameters. The average seed yield of 12 soybean genotypes was 13.2 g/plant under ambient temperature and there was mild reduction of 8% and 14% when genotypes were grown at 26 and 29 °C, respectively. Severe decline by 51% and 65% in yield was observed at 32 and 35 °C, respectively. The total stress response index in twelve genotypes ranged from −1068 (JS 95-60) to −333 (EC 538828). NRC7 and EC 538828 performed comparatively better than other genotypes. Screening for high-temperature tolerance in soybean is very constrained in breeding programs. This genetic variability among soybean genotypes to elevated temperature reveals that heat tolerance can be improved through plant breeding programs. Additionally, it emphasizes the significance of identifying efficient selection strategies in improving the productivity of soybean in future climate scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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14 pages, 2457 KiB  
Article
Effect of Light, Temperature, Salinity, and Halopriming on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Hibiscus sabdariffa under Salinity Stress
by Mansour Taghvaei, Atefeh Nasrolahizadehi and Andrea Mastinu
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2491; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12102491 - 13 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2314
Abstract
Salt stress is a serious and current global problem for crops. Due to climate change, the soil today has higher salinity levels than in past decades. Identifying temperature, light, and salinity that allow plants to germinate and grow is an ambitious challenge for [...] Read more.
Salt stress is a serious and current global problem for crops. Due to climate change, the soil today has higher salinity levels than in past decades. Identifying temperature, light, and salinity that allow plants to germinate and grow is an ambitious challenge for the future. Hibiscus sabdariffa (H. sabdariffa) is a plant that undergoes abiotic stress during all stages of growth. The aim of this work was to identify the best conditions in terms of light, temperature, and salinity during the germination and growth phases of H. sabdariffa. To improve the germination of H. sabdariffa seed, the effects of abiotic stress were investigated in three experiments. In the first experiment, the factors included light at two levels (light and dark cycles) and temperature at eight levels (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 °C). In the second experiment, the effect of salinity was examined at seven levels (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 mM NaCl). In the third experiment, the factors consisted of seed halopriming at two levels (0 and 180 mM NaCl for 24 h) and salinity at seven levels (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 mM NaCl). The highest germination rate (GR), seedling dry weight, and uniformity of germination were obtained at 30 °C in dark conditions, as reported by one-way Anova analysis. Germination was restricted by temperatures lower and higher than 5 and 30 °C, respectively. By increasing the salinity, all the germination characteristics were decreased, but these effects were less pronounced by halopriming. The most suitable planting date was in the spring, when the temperature was in the range of 25–35 °C. During the germination stage, Hibiscus tea is sensitive to low salinity soils. Halopriming can be performed for enhancing GR and emergence percentage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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11 pages, 1098 KiB  
Article
Genetic Variation in Responses to Salt Stress in Tunisian Populations of Medicago ciliaris
by Meriem Aloui, Asma Mahjoub, Najah Ben Cheikh, Ndiko Ludidi, Chedly Abdelly and Mounawer Badri
Agronomy 2022, 12(8), 1781; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12081781 - 28 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1157
Abstract
Soil salinity is one of the most serious environmental factors affecting crop productivity around the world. We used a morpho-physiological approach to investigate the salt responses of four Tunisian natural populations of Medicago ciliaris. Forty-six lines of M. ciliaris were grown under [...] Read more.
Soil salinity is one of the most serious environmental factors affecting crop productivity around the world. We used a morpho-physiological approach to investigate the salt responses of four Tunisian natural populations of Medicago ciliaris. Forty-six lines of M. ciliaris were grown under a control treatment and 100 mM NaCl. We measured 11 quantitative traits of shoot and root growth during harvest. An analysis of variance showed that the variations in salt response can be explained by the effects of the population, line, treatment, and interactions between the population and treatment and the line and treatment. Most of the measured traits showed significant differences between the studied populations under the control treatment and salt stress. High to moderate broad-sense heritabilities (H2) were noted for most of the parameters under the control treatment and salt stress, implying that salt tolerance is highly heritable. Most correlations between the measured traits under the two treatments were positive, of which the strongest correlations were recorded between characteristics related to development. The 46 studied lines formed three groups in both conditions, while their genetic structure was dependent on the treatment factor. The results from this study can provide a basis for identifying and breeding salt-tolerant lines of M. ciliaris. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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15 pages, 3796 KiB  
Article
DNA Methylation Correlates with the Expression of Drought-Responsive Genes and Drought Resistance in Rice
by Guohua Ding, Liangzi Cao, Jinsong Zhou, Zhugang Li, Yongcai Lai, Kai Liu, Yu Luo, Liangming Bai, Xueyang Wang, Tongtong Wang, Rongsheng Wang, Guang Yang and Shichen Sun
Agronomy 2022, 12(6), 1445; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12061445 - 16 Jun 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1571
Abstract
The δ13C value is regarded as an important indicator for tolerance to drought stress (DS), which is a severe abiotic stress that influences rice productivity. However, exploration of drought-responsive genes (DRGs) related to δ13C regulation is less reported. In [...] Read more.
The δ13C value is regarded as an important indicator for tolerance to drought stress (DS), which is a severe abiotic stress that influences rice productivity. However, exploration of drought-responsive genes (DRGs) related to δ13C regulation is less reported. In this study, we investigated the natural variation in δ13C values in 102 japonica rice accessions. Among them, two rice accessions with contrasting δ13C values, Longdao 10 (LD10, DS-tolerant) and Binxu (BX, DS-sensitive), were used for further analysis. LD10 possesses better drought resistance with 2% lower δ13C values, 35% lower stomatal length and density, 33% lower water loss, and 11% lower stomatal conductance in comparison to BX. Transcriptome analysis shows that there are 2325 and 1378 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by DS in LD10 and BX at the tillering stage, respectively, while there are 1076 and 492 DEGs in LD10 and BX at the graining stage, respectively. In total, 21 overlapped DEGs (defined as DRGs) were identified due to DS effects across two rice accessions over two stages. Among them, the expression levels of six genes, including chloride transporter (CLT1) and photosystem II polypeptide (PSBP), were further tested using qRT-PCR. Furthermore, we found that four methyltransferase genes were upregulated in BX compared to LD10 under DS. Consistently, the methylation levels of CLT1 and PSBP were higher along both promoter and CDS regions for CG, CHG, and CHH types. This study highlights the importance of the expression of these DRGs in response to DS and provides deep insights into DNA methylation-driven gene expression conferring different drought responses in rice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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11 pages, 1283 KiB  
Article
Responses of Cell Wall Components to Low Nitrogen in Rapeseed Roots
by Hui Tian, Haixing Song, Xiuwen Wu and Zhenhua Zhang
Agronomy 2022, 12(5), 1044; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12051044 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2222
Abstract
Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is a major oil crop in China, with the world’s largest planted area and total yield. Rapeseed has a high demand for nitrogen (N), and nitrogen deficiency in soil is an important limiting factor for rapeseed production. However, [...] Read more.
Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is a major oil crop in China, with the world’s largest planted area and total yield. Rapeseed has a high demand for nitrogen (N), and nitrogen deficiency in soil is an important limiting factor for rapeseed production. However, rapeseed responds to N deprivation by regulating its own morphology, structure, and physiology. We carried out the current experiment by utilizing low N (LN: 0.3 mM NO3−) and normal N (CK: 6.0 mM NO3−) treatments using Brassica napus as the experimental material. The study results showed that low N induced root elongation in rapeseed, and the root length of LN treatment was 2.37 times that of HN treatment. The dry matter of roots also significantly increased due to low N treatment. Meanwhile, low N treatment decreased photosynthetic pigment (including chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids) contents and dry mass accumulation of leaves. A higher root/shoot ratio and N physiological efficiency were observed under low N treatment. The changes in cell wall components (pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin), related enzymes, and genes’ transcription levels in roots were determined and the results suggested that low N promoted the demethylation of ion-bound pectin (ISP) and covalently bound pectin (CSP), the content of CSP and cellulose. The promoted pectin methylesterase (PME) activity, inhibited pectin and cellulose degradation enzymes, and up/downregulation of related genes also confirming the results of cell wall components. The low N-increased demethylation degree of pectin and content of pectin and cellulose in cell walls was conducive to cell wall loosening and cell wall synthesis during cell division and elongation, ultimately promoting root-adaptive elongation. The study revealed a possible mechanism in which the alteration of cell wall component content and structure participates in cell elongation and expansion, which directly induces root elongation under N deficiency. The successful implementation of this research may be conducive to facilitating the development of rapeseed cultivars with high N use efficiency through root-based genetic improvements and improving plant adaptability to low N. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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26 pages, 2298 KiB  
Article
Agronomic Performance of Chickpea Affected by Drought Stress at Different Growth Stages
by Supriya Sachdeva, Chellapilla Bharadwaj, Basavanagouda Siddanagouda Patil, Madan Pal, Manish Roorkiwal and Rajeev K. Varshney
Agronomy 2022, 12(5), 995; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12050995 - 21 Apr 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3412
Abstract
Susceptibility to drought stress has restrained chickpea productivity at a global level, and the development of drought-tolerant varieties is essential to maintain its productivity. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate genetic divergence in selected genotypes of chickpea and their morpho-physiological responses [...] Read more.
Susceptibility to drought stress has restrained chickpea productivity at a global level, and the development of drought-tolerant varieties is essential to maintain its productivity. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate genetic divergence in selected genotypes of chickpea and their morpho-physiological responses under irrigated and stressed conditions to identify the traits that account for the better performance of these genotypes under stressed conditions, as well as genotypes with improved drought tolerance. The genotypes were evaluated for two years under irrigated and drought stressed conditions, and significant variation was found amongst the genotypes for different morpho-physiological and yield traits. The maximum reduction was observed for plant yield (33.23%) under stressed conditions. Principle component analysis (PCA)-based biplots and correlation studies established its strong positive correlation with relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI), chlorophyll index (CI), secondary branches (SB) and yield traits and negative correlations with drought susceptibility index (DSI), days to maturity (DM) and 100 seed weight (100 SW) under drought stress, suggesting their use in selecting drought-tolerant germplasm. Ten genotypes with high values of RWC, MSI, CI, SB, yield traits and lower DSI were identified as drought-tolerant and might serve as ideal donors in the forthcoming breeding of elite chickpea cultivars. The seed-filling stage began earlier in these genotypes, with significantly reduced days to maturity under stressed conditions. Our results indicate selection for earliness offers a promising strategy for the development of drought-tolerant chickpea cultivars. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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15 pages, 460 KiB  
Article
Response in Physiological Traits and Antioxidant Capacity of Two Cotton Cultivars under Water Limitations
by Mohamed A. M. Eid, Mohamed A. Abd El-hady, Mohamed A. Abdelkader, Yasser M. Abd-Elkrem, Yasser A. El-Gabry, Mohamed E. El-temsah, Sherif R. M. El-Areed, Mostafa M. Rady, Khalid H. Alamer, Ahmad I. Alqubaie and Esmat F. Ali
Agronomy 2022, 12(4), 803; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12040803 - 26 Mar 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2283
Abstract
Deficit irrigation water (DW) is one of the main stress factors that negatively affect cotton cultivation. Hence, the identification of cotton cultivars tolerant to DW and sandy soil conditions is particularly needed. Understanding the response of cultivars to DW is essential for estimating [...] Read more.
Deficit irrigation water (DW) is one of the main stress factors that negatively affect cotton cultivation. Hence, the identification of cotton cultivars tolerant to DW and sandy soil conditions is particularly needed. Understanding the response of cultivars to DW is essential for estimating water needs. Besides, by understanding the physiological and antioxidant status, reflecting distinct growth, yield, and fiber quality traits under DW, the cultivar tolerant to DW can be identified in the early stage of plant growth. Therefore, two cotton cultivars (Giza 86 and Giza 92, selected for their suitability to the climatic conditions of the study area) were evaluated in this study under two DW regimes (80% or 60% of crop evapotranspiration; ETc) vs. complete irrigation water (CW; 100% of ETc as a control). These regimes amounted to 1228 or 922 vs. 1536 mm season−1, respectively, for field trials conducted during the 2019 and 2020 summer seasons. DW (80% or 60% of ETc) significantly decreased relative water content, membrane stability index, chlorophyll content, plant height, yield components, and fiber quality traits. Otherwise, phenolic compounds, proline contents, as well as antioxidant enzyme activities increased in concomitance with an increase in electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content. The harmful effects of the higher DW (60% of ETc) were more pronounced in both cultivars. However, compared to Giza 86, Giza 92 showed higher performance under both CW and DW regimes, accounting for higher values for all studied traits in the blooming stage. The correlation coefficient showed that most of the physiological traits and antioxidants under study were effective criteria in identifying a high-yielding cultivar under DW in the cotton blooming stage and therefore can be used to select the cotton cultivar more suitable for the conditions of the study area. Biplot analysis was used to study the relationship between DW and all evaluated traits, as it was found that the most prominent traits were elongation (%) with Giza 92 + 100% ETc, yellowness degree with Giza 86 + 100% ETc, and SOD with Giza 92 + 60% ETc. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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16 pages, 7570 KiB  
Article
Effects of Shading on the Internode Critical for Soybean (Glycine Max) Lodging
by Fuxin Shan, Kexin Sun, Shengdan Gong, Chang Wang, Chunmei Ma, Rui Zhang and Chao Yan
Agronomy 2022, 12(2), 492; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12020492 - 16 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4249
Abstract
Increasing planting density is among the most effective ways to increase soybean yield, but high planting density increases lodging risks in soybean plants. To examine the effects of shading on soybean plant lodging, the tall cultivar Heinong 48 (HN48) and dwarf cultivar Henong [...] Read more.
Increasing planting density is among the most effective ways to increase soybean yield, but high planting density increases lodging risks in soybean plants. To examine the effects of shading on soybean plant lodging, the tall cultivar Heinong 48 (HN48) and dwarf cultivar Henong 60 (HN60), two soybean cultivars with large plant height differences (approximately 40 cm), were selected, and their internode lengths were measured under different planting densities in 2019 to determine the key internode influencing lodging. In 2020, we treated soybean plants with different shading treatments to examine the morphology, anatomical structure and stem fiber composition of the fifth internode, changes in the GA3 (gibberellic acid) content, and relative expression of GA3-related enzyme genes in the stem under different shading conditions. The results showed that as the planting density increased, the lengths of the internodes changed significantly, starting from the fifth internode. Under different shading conditions, the length of the fifth internode increased for both cultivars, but the diameter and the diameter-to-length ratio decreased; the area of the xylem decreased, and the pith cells stretched more longitudinally and were more orderly; the lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose contents decreased; the GA3 content in the stem increased, and the expression levels of GmGA3ox6, GmGA20ox1-D, and GmGA2ox4 enzyme genes were all upregulated; and the change in PSN treatment was more significant than other treatments. Therefore, the fifth internode was the key internode that affected lodging in soybean plants, shading could increase the GA3 content significantly in soybean stems, and the increase in GA3 content was positively correlated with the shaded area. This study provides a new direction for future research on lodging resistance in densely planted or intercropped soybean plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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15 pages, 3874 KiB  
Article
Metabolomic Response to Drought Stress in Belosynapsis ciliata (Blume) ‘Qiuhong’
by Yongquan Li, Bipei Zhang, Runsheng Huang, Min Wen, Leying Huang, Yiting Su, Yanjun Sun, Ning Wang and Wei Guo
Agronomy 2022, 12(2), 466; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12020466 - 13 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2522
Abstract
The drought stress responses of plants are complex regulatory mechanisms that include various physiological responses reflected by the global metabolic status. Metabolomics is an effective, analytical, and instrumental technique for informatics/statistics for the acquisition of comprehensive information on metabolites. We investigate the effect [...] Read more.
The drought stress responses of plants are complex regulatory mechanisms that include various physiological responses reflected by the global metabolic status. Metabolomics is an effective, analytical, and instrumental technique for informatics/statistics for the acquisition of comprehensive information on metabolites. We investigate the effect of drought stress on a Belosynapsis ciliata cultivar, ‘Qiuhong’ (a drought-tolerant cultivar), using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based on a widely targeted metabolomic approach. ‘Qiuhong’ leaves are subjected to 15- and 30-day drought treatments and are then compared to a control group without drought stress and a rehydration group. In total, 290 differentially accumulated metabolites were detected between drought and normal conditions through multivariate statistical analyses, of which 65 metabolites (36 upregulated and 29 downregulated) were highlighted for their significant contribution to drought tolerance, including an anthocyanin (peonidin 3-O-galactoside) that caused the purple-red hue in leaves under drought stress. In addition, we found that two significantly altered pathways (citrate cycle and purine metabolism) were related to enhanced drought tolerance in plants. Notably, the synthesis of three compounds (p-coumaroyl putrescine, apigenin 6-C-glucoside, and β-nicotinamide mononucleotide) was specifically induced in the drought-treated ‘Qiuhong’, indicating their critical roles in drought resistance. Our results provide a foundation for further research on drought-resistant mechanisms in B. ciliata. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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15 pages, 5440 KiB  
Article
Relationship between Grain Yield and Quality Traits under Optimum and Low-Nitrogen Stress Environments in Tropical Maize
by Berhanu Tadesse Ertiro, Biswanath Das, Titus Kosgei, Amsal Tarekegne Tesfaye, Maryke T. Labuschagne, Mosisa Worku, Michael S. Olsen, Vijay Chaikam and Manje Gowda
Agronomy 2022, 12(2), 438; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12020438 - 10 Feb 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2215
Abstract
Breeding for nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is important to deal with food insecurity and its effect on grain quality, particularly protein. A total of 1679 hybrids were evaluated in 16 different trials for grain yield (GY), grain quality traits (protein, starch and oil [...] Read more.
Breeding for nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is important to deal with food insecurity and its effect on grain quality, particularly protein. A total of 1679 hybrids were evaluated in 16 different trials for grain yield (GY), grain quality traits (protein, starch and oil content) and kernel weight (KW) under optimum and managed low soil nitrogen fields in Kiboko, Kenya, from 2011 to 2014. The objectives of our study were to understand (i) the effect of low soil N stress on GY and quality traits, (ii) the relationship between GY and quality traits under each soil management condition and (iii) the relationship of traits with low-N versus optimum conditions. From the results, we observed the negative effects of low N on GY, KW and the percentage of protein content, and a positive effect on the percentage of starch content. The correlation between GY and all quality traits was very weak under both soil N conditions. GY had a strong relationship with KW under both optimum and low soil N conditions. Protein and starch content was significantly negative under both optimum and low-N conditions. There was no clear relationship among quality traits under optimum and low N, except for oil content. Therefore, it seems feasible to simultaneously improve GY along with quality traits under both optimum and low-N conditions, except for oil content. However, the negative trend observed between GY (starch) and protein content suggests the need for the regular monitoring of protein and starch content to identify varieties that combine both high GY and acceptable quality. Finally, we recommend further research with a few tropical maize genotypes contrasting for NUE to understand the relationship between the change in grain quality and NUE under low-N conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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16 pages, 3148 KiB  
Article
Cause of Death: Phytophthora or Flood? Effects of Waterlogging on Phytophthora medicaginis and Resistance of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum)
by Nicole Dron, Steven Simpfendorfer, Tim Sutton, Georgina Pengilley and Kristy Hobson
Agronomy 2022, 12(1), 89; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12010089 - 30 Dec 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2159
Abstract
Chickpea production in Australia is constrained by both waterlogging and the root disease Phytophthora root rot (PRR). Soil saturation is an important pre-condition for significant disease development for many soil-borne Phytophthora spp. In wet years, water can pool in low lying areas within [...] Read more.
Chickpea production in Australia is constrained by both waterlogging and the root disease Phytophthora root rot (PRR). Soil saturation is an important pre-condition for significant disease development for many soil-borne Phytophthora spp. In wet years, water can pool in low lying areas within a field, resulting in waterlogging, which, in the presence of PRR, can result in a significant yield loss for Australian chickpea varieties. In these circumstances, the specific cause of death is often difficult to discern, as the damage is rapid and the spread of PRR can be explosive in nature. The present study describes the impact of soil waterlogging on oxygen availability and the ability of P. medicaginis to infect chickpea plants. Late waterlogging in combination with PRR reduced the total plant biomass by an average of 94%; however, waterlogging alone accounted for 88% of this loss across three reference genotypes. Additional experiments found that under hypoxic conditions associated with waterlogging, P. medicaganis did not proliferate as determined by zoospore counts and DNA detection using qPCR. Consequently, minimizing waterlogging damage through breeding and agronomic practices should be a key priority for integrated disease management, as waterlogging alone results in plant stunting, yield loss and a reduced resistance to PRR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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24 pages, 1986 KiB  
Article
Strategies for Selecting Early Maturing Maize Inbred Lines for Hybrid Production under Low Soil Nitrogen and Striga Infestation
by Gloria B. Adu, Baffour Badu-Apraku and Richard Akromah
Agronomy 2021, 11(7), 1309; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11071309 - 27 Jun 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2728
Abstract
Development, testing and selection of superior inbred lines is crucial for the success of a hybrid program targeting Striga-infested and low soil nitrogen (low-N) environments. The practical value of inbred lines is determined by multiple traits, most of which are inter-dependent. The [...] Read more.
Development, testing and selection of superior inbred lines is crucial for the success of a hybrid program targeting Striga-infested and low soil nitrogen (low-N) environments. The practical value of inbred lines is determined by multiple traits, most of which are inter-dependent. The main objective of this study was to identify early maturing inbred lines based on multiple traits under optimal, low-N and Striga-infested environments for hybrid development and population improvement. One hundred early maturing inbred lines were evaluated under artificial Striga-infestation, low-N and optimal growing environments for two years at Kwadaso and Nyankpala in Ghana. The inbred lines exhibited high levels of genetic variability for grain yield and other agronomic traits desirable for Striga resistance and low-N tolerance. Under optimal growing conditions, days to silking (DS), ears per plot (EHARV) and days to anthesis (DA) had high direct effects on grain yield (GYLD). Days to silking and ears per plant (EPP) had the highest positive direct effects on GYLD, while DA had the highest negative direct effect on grain yield in low-N environments. Under Striga-infestation, the highest negative direct effect on GYLD was obtained with EASP. All the measured traits previously identified to have direct influence on grain yield were associated with it and could be used for indirect selection for improved grain yield under the contrasting environments. Forty-eight of the 100 inbred lines studied were identified as low-N tolerant and forty-nine as Striga resistant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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22 pages, 2169 KiB  
Article
Confounding Factors in Container-Based Drought Tolerance Assessments in Solanum tuberosum
by Karin I. Köhl, Gedif Mulugeta Aneley, Manuela Haas and Rolf Peters
Agronomy 2021, 11(5), 865; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11050865 - 28 Apr 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2365
Abstract
Potato is an important food crop with high water-use-efficiency but low drought tolerance. The bottleneck in drought tolerance breeding is phenotyping in managed field environments. Fundamental research on drought tolerance is predominantly done in container-based test systems in controlled environments. However, the portability [...] Read more.
Potato is an important food crop with high water-use-efficiency but low drought tolerance. The bottleneck in drought tolerance breeding is phenotyping in managed field environments. Fundamental research on drought tolerance is predominantly done in container-based test systems in controlled environments. However, the portability of results from these systems to performance under field conditions is debated. Thus, we analyzed the effects of climate conditions, container size, starting material, and substrate on yield and drought tolerance assessment of potato genotypes compared to field trials. A leave one out assessment indicated a minimum of three field trials for stable tolerance prediction. The tolerance ranking was highly reproducible under controlled-conditions, but weakly correlated with field performance. Changing to variable climate conditions, increasing container size, and substituting cuttings by seed tubers did not improve the correlation. Substituting horticultural substrate by sandy soil resulted in yield and tuber size distributions similar to those under field conditions. However, as the effect of the treatment × genotype × substrate interaction on yield was low, drought tolerance indices that depend on relative yields can be assessed on horticultural substrate also. Realistic estimates of tuber yield and tuber size distribution, however, require the use of soil-based substrates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding for Climate Change Adaptation through Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses)
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