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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #419882
Research Project: Molecular and Genetic Approaches to Manage Cotton and Sorghum Diseases

Location: Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research

Title: Genome-wide association study of Nigerien and Senegalese sorghum genotypes for their response to downy mildew

Author
item Prom, Louis
item FALL, COUMBA - Texas A&M University
item ISAKEIT, THOMAS - Texas A&M Agricultural Experiment Station
item Ahn, Ezekiel
item Liu, Jinggao
item MAGILL, CLINT - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Studies
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/11/2024
Publication Date: 12/21/2024
Citation: Prom, L.K., Fall, C., Isakeit, T.S., Ahn, E.J.S., Liu, J., Magill, C.W. 2024. Genome-wide association study of Nigerien and Senegalese sorghum genotypes for their response to downy mildew. Journal of Plant Studies. 14(1):1-9. https://doi.org/10.5539/jps.v14n1p1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/jps.v14n1p1

Interpretive Summary: Downy mildew is an important disease in sorghum production areas where it occurs, resulting in yield losses of up to 78%. The development or identification of sorghum lines that are resistant to downy mildew is deemed the most practical solution for managing this disease. Consequently, the genomes of sorghum lines from Niger and Senegal were screened for genetic markers that are associated with downy mildew resistance. Several markers involved with resistance were identified on chromosomes 1 and 5, and an unknown one on chromosome 10. The work is significant because these markers may be used by breeders worldwide to identify and develop sorghum lines that are resistant to downy mildew.

Technical Abstract: Sorghum, a multipurpose and drought-tolerant crop, will play an integral role in future food security, especially in the drier tropics. In Niger and Senegal, sorghum supplies the daily caloric needs of millions of inhabitants. One of the major constraints to sorghum production is downy mildew incited by Peronosclerospora sorghi. In this communication, we report the results of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of accessions from Niger and Senegal for downy mildew response. The GWAS revealed several loci that have already been reported for their role in plant disease resistance response. Significant SNPs identified on chromosomes 1 and 5 traced back to genomic regions neighboring loci coding for transcription factors involved in biotic stress response. On chromosome 4, the SNP identified was less than 5 kb apart from a gene coding for an E3 ubiquitin ligase enzyme that regulates gene expression levels in relation to plant disease resistance. A membrane-bound protein involved in programmed cell death on chromosome 6 and a transposase on chromosome 8 were identified. Furthermore, a SNP locus that has not been reported previously for biotic stress response was also identified on chromosome 10. This SNP was 4.94 kb downstream of Sobic.010G172100, which encodes a protein similar to the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor. bHLHs are known for their role in abiotic stress responses. Further work to validate and confirm the activities of the identified SNPs in resistance response will be conducted.