Simpson Conor J C, Sogbohossou Dêêdi E O, Reeves Gregory, Eric Schranz M, Singh Pallavi, Hibberd Julian M
University of Cambridge, Department of Plant Sciences, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Present Address: Karlsruhe Institute für Technologie Campus-Alpin IMKIFU, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
NPJ Sustain Agric. 2025;3(1):33. doi: 10.1038/s44264-025-00074-0. Epub 2025 Jun 6.
is a nutrient-rich, climate-resilient, C under-utilised crop with potential to enhance food security in low-input farming systems. To support its genetic improvement, we performed linkage mapping using two F populations (213 and 187 individuals) derived from Malaysian and Malawian founder lines. Under controlled greenhouse conditions, populations were phenotyped for agronomic traits (plant height, leaf area, flowering time), nutritional content (carotenoids, tocopherols), and anatomical features linked to C photosynthesis (vein density, bundle sheath size). High-density SNP genotyping enabled construction of linkage maps and identification of 15 QTL. Shared QTL for plant size and flowering time across both populations suggest stable genetic control suitable for marker-assisted selection. Additional QTL for vein density and vitamin content provide insights into the genetic basis of agronomic traits and C physiology. These results offer foundational tools for pre-breeding and reinforce its potential as a model for C photosynthesis research and sustainable agriculture.
是一种营养丰富、适应气候变化、未得到充分利用的作物，有潜力在低投入农业系统中增强粮食安全。为支持其遗传改良，我们使用了来自马来西亚和马拉维亲本系的两个F群体（分别为213和187个个体）进行连锁图谱构建。在可控的温室条件下，对群体的农艺性状（株高、叶面积、开花时间）、营养成分（类胡萝卜素、生育酚）以及与C4光合作用相关的解剖学特征（叶脉密度、维管束鞘大小）进行了表型分析。高密度SNP基因分型使得能够构建连锁图谱并鉴定出15个QTL。两个群体中关于植株大小和开花时间的共享QTL表明存在适合标记辅助选择的稳定遗传控制。叶脉密度和维生素含量的其他QTL为农艺性状和C4生理学的遗传基础提供了见解。这些结果为预育种提供了基础工具，并强化了其作为C4光合作用研究和可持续农业模型的潜力。
