Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
Center of Excellence in Genomics & Systems Biology (CEGSB), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, Telangana, India.
J Exp Bot. 2018 Jun 6;69(13):3267-3277. doi: 10.1093/jxb/ery082.
Climate change has increased the occurrence of extreme weather patterns globally, causing significant reductions in crop production, and hence threatening food security. In order to meet the food demand of the growing world population, a faster rate of genetic gains leading to productivity enhancement for major crops is required. Grain legumes are an essential commodity in optimal human diets and animal feed because of their unique nutritional composition. Currently, limited water is a major constraint in grain legume production. Root system architecture (RSA) is an important developmental and agronomic trait, which plays vital roles in plant adaptation and productivity under water-limited environments. A deep and proliferative root system helps extract sufficient water and nutrients under these stress conditions. The integrated genetics and genomics approach to dissect molecular processes from genome to phenome is key to achieve increased water capture and use efficiency through developing better root systems. Success in crop improvement under drought depends on discovery and utilization of genetic variations existing in the germplasm. In this review, we summarize current progress in the genetic diversity in major legume crops, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with RSA, and the importance and applications of recent discoveries associated with the beneficial root traits towards better RSA for enhanced drought tolerance and yield.
气候变化增加了全球极端天气模式的发生频率，导致作物产量大幅减少，从而威胁到粮食安全。为了满足不断增长的世界人口的粮食需求，需要以更快的速度获得遗传增益，从而提高主要作物的生产力。豆科作物因其独特的营养成分，是最佳人类饮食和动物饲料的重要商品。目前，水资源有限是豆科作物生产的主要制约因素。根系结构（RSA）是一个重要的发育和农艺性状，在植物适应和在缺水环境下的生产力方面起着至关重要的作用。一个深而增殖的根系有助于在这些胁迫条件下提取足够的水和养分。从基因组到表型解析分子过程的综合遗传学和基因组学方法是通过开发更好的根系来提高水捕获和利用效率的关键。在干旱条件下实现作物改良的成功取决于在种质中发现和利用现有的遗传变异。在这篇综述中，我们总结了主要豆科作物遗传多样性、与 RSA 相关的数量性状位点（QTL）以及与有益根系性状相关的最新发现的重要性和应用，这些发现有助于改善 RSA，从而提高耐旱性和产量。
