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A Whole-Plant Screening Test to Select Freezing-Tolerant and Low-Dormant Genotypes.
Annick Bertrand1,2, Annie Claessens3, Josée Bourassa3
1Québec Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Québec, QC, Canada. Annick.bertrand@canada.ca.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|July 2, 2020
Summary
We developed an indoor assay to identify perennial genotypes with both high freezing tolerance and low dormancy for improved winter survival and yield. This method efficiently screens thousands of plants to find superior performers.
Area of Science:
- Plant science
- Agronomy
- Genetics
Background:
- Perennial crop persistence in northern climates depends on winter survival.
- High winter survival often correlates with early fall dormancy, leading to reduced crop yield.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate an indoor whole-plant assay for identifying low-dormancy genotypes with superior freezing tolerance.
- To improve perennial crop performance by balancing winter hardiness and yield potential.
Main Methods:
- Utilized growth chambers and walk-in freezers for controlled indoor plant trials.
- Applied three successive freezing stress cycles to screen 3000 genotypes.
- Progressively eliminated 97% of genotypes to retain the top 3% with enhanced winter survival traits.
Main Results:
- Successfully identified low-dormant genotypes exhibiting superior freezing tolerance.
- The assay effectively reduced a large population to a select group of high-performing individuals.
- Demonstrated the potential for recurrent selection of desirable traits in open-pollinated species.
Conclusions:
- The described indoor assay is an effective tool for selecting perennial genotypes with improved winter survival and yield potential.
- This methodology can be applied to various species for developing hardier crop varieties.
- Facilitates the development of populations with enhanced resilience for challenging climates.
