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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Cereal Crops Improvement Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #415376
Research Project: Improvement of Disease and Pest Resistance in Barley, Durum, Oat, and Wheat Using Genetics and Genomics

Location: Cereal Crops Improvement Research

Title: Hyper-resolution phenomics facilitates the genomic characterization of seedling growth in response to drought in the Oat Landrace Diversity (OLD) Panel

Author
item Carlson, Craig
item RAHMAN, AFRINA - North Dakota State University
item Sapkota, Suraj
item Esvelt Klos, Kathy
item EVERSHED, DAVID - Aberystwyth University
item LU, CHAN - Aberystwyth University
item CORKE, FIONA - Aberystwyth University
item SLAVOV, GANCHO - Aberystwyth University
item DOONAN, JOHN - Aberystwyth University
item WILLIAMS, KEVIN - Aberystwyth University
item HOWARTH, CATHERINE - Aberystwyth University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2024
Publication Date: 7/22/2024
Citation: Carlson, C.H., Rahman, A., Sapkota, S., Esvelt Klos, K.L., Evershed, D., Lu, C., Corke, F., Slavov, G., Doonan, J., Williams, K., Howarth, C. 2024. Hyper-resolution phenomics facilitates the genomic characterization of seedling growth in response to drought in the Oat Landrace Diversity (OLD) Panel. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Greater agricultural productivity and sustainability is critical to meet the global challenges of food security in the presence of climate change. Renewed interest in diversifying our crop resources has developed as the world focuses on food security and the environment. Oat is a globally significant component of temperate cereal cultivation. Requiring fewer inputs than other cereal crops, oat can grow on more marginal land, which expands cropping options for arable production and mixed farming systems. The demand for oat as food has dramatically risen in the past 10 years due to its proven health benefits. This has driven research into understanding yield and quality traits under a wide range of environmental conditions and developing superior germplasm using innovative breeding methods. To successfully develop varieties that can withstand a rapidly changing climate, it is imperative we focus our attention to improving genetic variation in bio-diversity collections and breeding populations, including knowledge of a variety’s optimal usage, which depends on a range of environmental aspects. Here, we have developed AI/ML techniques to measure and quantify variation in crop emergence metrics using high-throughput sensor data. As proof-of-concept, a replicated drought stress trial, consisting of an assembly of landrace oat accessions, dubbed the Oat Landrace Diversity (OLD) Panel, was conducted at the National Plant Phenomics Centre (NPPC, Aberystwyth University, UK). Exploiting both high-resolution genotype and phenotype data for GWAS, we discuss new genomic loci of high-effect associated with variation in oat seedling growth at four levels of water availability and response to drought. We expect that this research will have impact in diverse areas, such as enhancing food security in vulnerable regions, contributing to a more sustainable agricultural landscape, and increasing agricultural productivity. This research benefits farmers, the agricultural sector, policy makers, governments, consumers, and the public. Importantly, this technology can be easily transferable to any grass-like crop, enhancing its overall impact.