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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Plant Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #135071
Title: CONSERVATION OF GENES CONTROLLING POD SHATTER IN DIVERGENT MODEL PLANTS

Author
item Bilyeu, Kristin
item Beuselinck, Paul

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/2/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The effort put forth to identify and characterize genes and their functions in model species is proving to be particularly valuable. By focusing on relatively few species as models, the conservation of gene function in plants can be examined and those similarities and differences exploited for agronomic benefit in crops. Pod shatter remains a serious agricultural problem resulting in yield reduction. The dominant shattering trait of wild soybeans (Glycine soja Sieb & Zucc.) is a factor that hampers introgression of other positive agronomic traits by crossing into cultivated soybean (Glycine max L.) lines. In addition, pod shatter of the forage legume Lotus corniculatus severely limits its adoption due to high seed prices. Three genes have been identified which control shatter in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana: FUL, SHP1, and SHP2. The objective of this work was to identify and characterize the role of pod shatter for legume homologues of FUL, SHP1 and SHP2. We identified two SHP genes in the model legume Lotus japonicus which are expressed in pod walls. A FUL-like gene was also identified in Lotus japonicus, but it shared less similarity to its Arabidopsis counterpart. A FUL gene from soybean was identified and found to be expressed in immature pods walls. Current efforts are directed towards determining the role of the SHP and FUL homologues in legume pod shatter.