Buckwheat heteromorphic self-incompatibility: genetics, genomics and application to breeding

Area of Science:

• Plant genetics
• Molecular biology
• Crop science

Background:

• Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) exhibits heteromorphic self-incompatibility due to distylous flowers (pin and thrum).
• This incompatibility is governed by the S locus, affecting flower morphology and reproduction.
• Self-incompatibility impedes pure line establishment and the fixation of desirable genes in buckwheat breeding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on buckwheat heterostyly.
• To summarize advances in understanding the molecular mechanism of self-incompatibility.
• To discuss the application of genetic and genomic findings to common buckwheat breeding.

Main Methods:

• Review of conventional genetics and molecular genetics studies.
• Analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data from next-generation sequencing.
• Identification of genes within the S locus genomic region.

Main Results:

• The genomic region of the buckwheat S locus has been determined.
• Novel genes located at the S locus have been identified.
• Advances in sequencing technologies have facilitated these discoveries.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the molecular basis of heterostylous self-incompatibility is progressing.
• Genomic and transcriptomic insights provide tools for common buckwheat breeding.
• Further research can leverage these findings for crop improvement.