Jul 2026· Journal of Experimental Botany· 0 citations
Medicine
Abstract
Water deficit is a major constraint on pepper (Capsicum annuum) yield, yet the genetic architecture of reproductive-stage drought tolerance remains poorly resolved. We phenotyped a Balkan C. annuum diversity panel (n = 133) and an interspecific backcross inbred line (BIL) population (n = 76) under well-watered (WW) and water-stress (WS) conditions. WS was applied from anthesis of the second truss as a stepwise reduction in irrigation volume relative to WW (30% for 7 days, then 60% thereafter), maintained for 90 days across the reproductive period. We assessed yield components, soluble solids, and stress-tolerance (STI) and stress-susceptibility (SSI) indices. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified 104 SNP-trait associations (P < 1×10-5), and QTL mapping detected 38 significant QTLs (1,000 permutations, α = 0.01), with the QTL intervals defined at LOD ≥ 8. Integrating GWAS and QTL mapping under WS revealed overlapping loci on chromosomes 5 and 6, harboring two consensus intergenic SNPs associated with yield components and soluble solids. Haplotype analysis linked chromosome 5 alleles to higher fruit number and soluble solids. At chromosome 6, the G allele at SNP 6_28348737 was enriched in tolerant lines for fruit number. These regions harbor candidate genes for reproductive development and stress response, including GREEN RIPE-LIKE1 (GRL1), CYP77A19, Endoglucanase-like, and FLOWERING PROMOTING FACTOR 1 (FPF1), possibly through cis-regulatory variation. Together, these results advance understanding of the genetic basis of pepper yield under drought and identify candidate breeding markers.
The first integrated phenotypic, genetic and molecular characterization of WUEL in octoploid strawberry is provided and candidate loci and pathways are identified, thereby establishing a foundation for improving WUEL-related traits.
Mario Ruiz-Velázquez, Cristina Castillejo, J. F. Sánchez-Sevilla et al.· Horticulture Research· 0 citations
Overall, transcription factors from the DREB, NAC, MYB, and WRKY families are still considered the primary regulatory targets, but CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing is now able to provide precise, multiplex gene modifications in polyploid wheat.
Amit Kumar, Shivani, R. Chaudhary et al.· Progressive Agriculture· 0 citations
The cultivated strawberry (
Fragaria
×
ananassa
Duch.) is an economically important fruit crop. Improvement of fruit quality is a major breeding objective. Although numerous quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been identified for fruit‐related traits, less information is available on quality attributes such as fruit mass, total soluble solids (TSS) and susceptibility to water soaking (WS). The objective of our study is to identify and validate genetic regions associated with fruit mass, TSS and WS susceptibility using a model population derived from an interspecific cross between
F
. ×
ananassa
and
Fragaria chiloensis
. Phenotyping was conducted in three seasons, and QTL analysis was performed using an already existing linkage map consisting of 2990 SNP markers. The introgression of the wild‐type
F. chiloensis
resulted in a decrease in fruit mass and an increase in fruit TSS. Annual broad‐sense heritabilities
H
2
indicated that the expression of all three traits is affected by genetic but also by environmental factors (
H
2
ranging from 0.27 to 0.68). Multiple QTLs for each trait were identified, with significant QTLs explaining up to 27% of the phenotypic variation. For TSS content, QTLs on linkage group 1C, 3A and 4A; and for WS susceptibility, QTLs on linkage group 1B, 1C, 4A and 6D were stable in at least two seasons. None of the QTLs was stable for fruit mass. This study confirmed the polygenic and complex nature of fruit mass, TSS and WS susceptibility. Some regions involved in these traits could be validated in our study, thus providing useful insights for breeding of cultivars with improved fruit mass, TSS content and tolerance against WS.
Diana Seidler, Grecia Hurtado, Moritz Knoche et al.· Plant Breeding· 0 citations
Transgenic evaluations confirmed that OsSLT1 acts as a positive regulator of salt tolerance at the seedling stage, and no significant changes in Na+ or K+ accumulation were observed in flag leaves under the tested salt-stress condition, suggesting that OsSLT1 may regulate salt tolerance through mechanisms beyond classical shoot ion accumulation.
Sheng-Chang Wang, Yan-Hong Zhang, Haifu Tu et al.· Molecular breeding· 0 citations
Drought during reproductive development and grain filling is a major constraint to bread wheat productivity in rainfed environments. In the present study, we employed genome-wide association analysis in an untapped diversity panel of wheat genotypes relevant to natural dryland conditions. A total of 186 genotypes were evaluated for drought-related physiological, biomass, and architectural traits under terminal rainfed stress in Azerbaijan. Relative water content, plant height, fresh weight, dry weight, flag leaf length, and flag leaf width were assessed at the milk ripening stage. These data were subjected to genome-wide association analysis using 19,737 SNP markers to identify loci and epistatic interactions involved in the determination of these traits. The panel showed broad phenotypic variation and significant genotypic effects for all traits, with broad-sense heritability ranging from 0.991 for plant height to 0.385 for flag leaf width. GWAS identified a major locus for relative water content on chromosome 2D at SNP marker AX-86184518, which explained 11.94% of the genotypic variation. Candidate-gene analysis highlighted the proximal WEB-family-like gene TraesCS2D03G1001000 as the main candidate gene. Plant height showed strong additive loci, mainly on chromosomes 2A and 4A, whereas biomass and flag leaf traits showed suggestive additive loci and epistatic interactions. These findings provide candidate loci and interaction patterns in the genetic make-up of essential traits, which may facilitate indirect selection in breeding new varieties.
S. Rustamova, A. Jahangirov, U. Gurbanova et al.· bioRxiv· 0 citations
Sweet corn is a globally important dual-purpose crop for both food and fresh vegetables. The plant architecture and ear-related traits directly determine its yield potential and field ecological adaptability. To elucidate the genetic architecture of these traits and identify superior alleles for breeding, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on 11 agronomic traits using 30,597 high-quality SNP markers in a panel of 101 elite sweet corn inbred lines. Population genetic structure was analyzed using sparse non-negative matrix factorization (sNMF) and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) algorithms, revealing three main clusters and six subpopulations. The clustering pattern was highly consistent with germplasm origin. Association mapping with the fixed and random Circulating Probability Unification (FarmCPU) model identified 16 significant marker–trait associations (MTAs), distributed across seven target agronomic traits. The phenotypic variance explained (PVE) by individual loci ranged from 8.0% to 16.0%. Among these, five stable MTAs across environments, a novel ERN locus (SNP25518) specific to sweet corn, and most association intervals overlapped with previously reported quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Within the ±0.15 Mb (defined by LD decay) flanking windows around the significant SNP loci, a total of 236 candidate genes were annotated, which are primarily involved in hormone signaling, carbon and nitrogen metabolism, cell division, and plant growth and development. In summary, this study dissected the genetic basis of key agronomic traits in sweet corn and provides a foundation for marker-assisted selection and functional validation.
Yan-Chao Du, Jing-Wen Xu, Huiming Li et al.· Plants· 0 citations
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