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Lateral Root Inducible System in Arabidopsis and Maize
Published on: January 14, 2016
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The chickpea WIP2 gene underlying a major QTL contributes to lateral root development
Vikas Dwivedi1, Lalita Pal1, Shilpi Singh1
1National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India.
Journal of Experimental Botany
|May 9, 2023
Summary
Researchers identified the CaWIP2 gene, crucial for lateral root development in chickpea. This discovery offers a gene-based marker for developing drought-tolerant, high-yielding chickpea varieties.
Area of Science:
- Plant genetics
- Crop science
- Root development
Background:
- Lateral root count (LRC) is vital for chickpea yield, especially under drought conditions.
- Understanding the genetic basis of LRC is key to improving crop resilience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify genes regulating lateral root count (LRC) in chickpea.
- To develop a gene-based marker for marker-assisted selection.
Main Methods:
- Genotyping by sequencing and phenotyping of a biparental chickpea population.
- Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping to identify genomic regions associated with LRC.
- Gene identification and functional analysis, including heterologous expression in Arabidopsis.
Main Results:
- Four major QTLs for LRC were mapped, explaining 13-32% of trait variation.
- A single-nucleotide polymorphism in the CaWIP2 gene was tightly linked to the major LRC QTL.
- CaWIP2 expression in Arabidopsis rescued a rootless mutant and promoted lateral root formation.
Conclusions:
- The CaWIP2 gene is a key regulator of lateral root development in chickpea.
- A gene-based marker linked to CaWIP2 can facilitate breeding for improved drought tolerance and yield.
