Maximising yield potential of wheat
Lead Research Organisation:
Rothamsted Research
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
Yield potential is defined as the final grain yield of a genotype when grown under optimal conditions, in an environment to which it is adapted, free from competition and from biotic and abiotic stresses. Increasing yield potential is a major component of any crop improvement programme and decades of plant breeding have established that such increases in yield potential are also expressed across a wide range of more limiting environments. However, recent data suggests that genetic improvement of yield may be reaching a plateau; in particular, increases from improving harvest index are close to a theoretical maximum, and novel approaches through increasing biomass and manipulating resource use and architecture need to be considered. In this project we will address individual processes that limit biomass and yield potential by accessing existing genetic diversity in these characters and introducing novel diversity through transgenesis and TILLING where appropriate.
The traits to be addressed, partly in association with the other projects, include photosynthetic efficiency, carbon and nitrogen partitioning, canopy and spike architecture, canopy longevity, nutrient assimilation and fertility. The project will exploit bioinformatics approaches and crop modelling to explore the interdependence of different yield components and allow these to be investigated experimentally.
The overall aims are to:
1. To exploit natural and induced variation and biotechnology to increase biomass production by increasing both photosynthesis and nitrogen use efficiency.
2. To enhance yield components by manipulating yield traits under hormonal control.
The traits to be addressed, partly in association with the other projects, include photosynthetic efficiency, carbon and nitrogen partitioning, canopy and spike architecture, canopy longevity, nutrient assimilation and fertility. The project will exploit bioinformatics approaches and crop modelling to explore the interdependence of different yield components and allow these to be investigated experimentally.
The overall aims are to:
1. To exploit natural and induced variation and biotechnology to increase biomass production by increasing both photosynthesis and nitrogen use efficiency.
2. To enhance yield components by manipulating yield traits under hormonal control.
Planned Impact
unavailable
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Malcolm Hawkesford (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Lawlor D
(2014)
Source/sink interactions underpin crop yield: the case for trehalose 6-phosphate/SnRK1 in improvement of wheat
in Frontiers in Plant Science
Yang L
(2014)
Exogenous trehalose largely alleviates ionic unbalance, ROS burst, and PCD occurrence induced by high salinity in Arabidopsis seedlings.
in Frontiers in plant science
Heyneke E
(2017)
Characterization of the Wheat Leaf Metabolome during Grain Filling and under Varied N-Supply.
in Frontiers in plant science
Virlet N
(2017)
Field Scanalyzer: An automated robotic field phenotyping platform for detailed crop monitoring
in Functional Plant Biology
Hawkesford MJ
(2016)
Plant phenotyping: increasing throughput and precision at multiple scales.
in Functional plant biology : FPB
Andrade-Sanchez P
(2013)
Development and evaluation of a field-based high-throughput phenotyping platform.
in Functional plant biology : FPB
Studt L
(2012)
Segregation of secondary metabolite biosynthesis in hybrids of Fusarium fujikuroi and Fusarium proliferatum.
in Fungal genetics and biology : FG & B
Zentella R
(2016)
O -GlcNAcylation of master growth repressor DELLA by SECRET AGENT modulates multiple signaling pathways in Arabidopsis
in Genes & Development
Occhialini A
(2016)
Dimerization of the Vacuolar Receptors AtRMR1 and -2 from Arabidopsis thaliana Contributes to Their Localization in the trans-Golgi Network.
in International journal of molecular sciences
Stuiver CEE
(2014)
Zinc exposure has differential effects on uptake and metabolism of sulfur and nitrogen in Chinese cabbage
in J. Plant Nutr. Soil. Sci.
Chope GA
(2014)
Effects of genotype, season, and nitrogen nutrition on gene expression and protein accumulation in wheat grain.
in Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
Shewry PR
(2013)
Natural variation in grain composition of wheat and related cereals.
in Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
Muttucumaru N
(2013)
Effects of nitrogen and sulfur fertilization on free amino acids, sugars, and acrylamide-forming potential in potato.
in Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
Rossmann A
(2019)
Foliar N Application at Anthesis Stimulates Gene Expression of Grain Protein Fractions and Alters Protein Body Distribution in Winter Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.)
in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Curtis TY
(2016)
Effects of Fungicide Treatment on Free Amino Acid Concentration and Acrylamide-Forming Potential in Wheat.
in Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
Postles J
(2013)
Effects of variety and nutrient availability on the acrylamide-forming potential of rye grain.
in Journal of cereal science
Kondhare K
(2015)
Pre-maturity a-amylase in wheat: The role of abscisic acid and gibberellins
in Journal of Cereal Science
Gao R
(2016)
Food safety: Structure and expression of the asparagine synthetase gene family of wheat.
in Journal of cereal science
Kondhare K
(2013)
The role of sensitivity to abscisic acid and gibberellin in pre-maturity a-amylase formation in wheat grains
in Journal of Cereal Science
Chen Z
(2013)
Expression analysis of abscisic acid (ABA) and metabolic signalling factors in developing endosperm and embryo of barley.
in Journal of cereal science
Curtis TY
(2014)
Reducing the potential for processing contaminant formation in cereal products.
in Journal of cereal science
Campbell G
(2012)
Modelling wheat breakage during roller milling using the Double Normalised Kumaraswamy Breakage Function: Effects of kernel shape and hardness
in Journal of Cereal Science
Gebre E
(2012)
Gibberellin Biosynthesis Inhibitors Help Control Plant Height for Improving Lodging Resistance in E. Tef (Eragrostis tef)
in Journal of Crop Improvement
Prins A
(2016)
Rubisco catalytic properties of wild and domesticated relatives provide scope for improving wheat photosynthesis.
in Journal of experimental botany
Coello P
(2012)
Evidence that abscisic acid promotes degradation of SNF1-related protein kinase (SnRK) 1 in wheat and activation of a putative calcium-dependent SnRK2.
in Journal of experimental botany
Buchner P
(2014)
Complex phylogeny and gene expression patterns of members of the NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER family (NPF) in wheat.
in Journal of experimental botany
Lawlor DW
(2013)
Genetic engineering to improve plant performance under drought: physiological evaluation of achievements, limitations, and possibilities.
in Journal of experimental botany
Bai C
(2013)
Identification of QTLs associated with seedling root traits and their correlation with plant height in wheat.
in Journal of experimental botany
Driever SM
(2014)
Natural variation in photosynthetic capacity, growth, and yield in 64 field-grown wheat genotypes.
in Journal of experimental botany
Paul MJ
(2017)
Increasing crop yield and resilience with trehalose 6-phosphate: targeting a feast-famine mechanism in cereals for better source-sink optimization.
in Journal of experimental botany
GarcÃa-Hurtado N
(2012)
The characterization of transgenic tomato overexpressing gibberellin 20-oxidase reveals induction of parthenocarpic fruit growth, higher yield, and alteration of the gibberellin biosynthetic pathway.
in Journal of experimental botany
Jin K
(2013)
How do roots elongate in a structured soil?
in Journal of experimental botany
Carmo-Silva E
(2017)
Phenotyping of field-grown wheat in the UK highlights contribution of light response of photosynthesis and flag leaf longevity to grain yield.
in Journal of experimental botany
Savill GP
(2018)
Temperature and nitrogen supply interact to determine protein distribution gradients in the wheat grain endosperm.
in Journal of experimental botany
Thomas SG
(2017)
Novel Rht-1 dwarfing genes: tools for wheat breeding and dissecting the function of DELLA proteins.
in Journal of experimental botany
Gasperini D
(2012)
Genetic and physiological analysis of Rht8 in bread wheat: an alternative source of semi-dwarfism with a reduced sensitivity to brassinosteroids.
in Journal of experimental botany
Jiang F
(2012)
Multiple impacts of the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Variovorax paradoxus 5C-2 on nutrient and ABA relations of Pisum sativum.
in Journal of experimental botany
Wan Y
(2013)
A novel family of ?-gliadin genes are highly regulated by nitrogen supply in developing wheat grain.
in Journal of experimental botany
Hawkesford MJ
(2017)
Genetic variation in traits for nitrogen use efficiency in wheat.
in Journal of experimental botany
Halford NG
(2015)
Effects of abiotic stress and crop management on cereal grain composition: implications for food quality and safety.
in Journal of experimental botany
Wingler A
(2012)
Preface
in Journal of Experimental Botany
Parry MA
(2013)
Rubisco activity and regulation as targets for crop improvement.
in Journal of experimental botany
Hassani-Pak K
(2017)
Knowledge Discovery in Biological Databases for Revealing Candidate Genes Linked to Complex Phenotypes.
in Journal of integrative bioinformatics
Parry MA
(2012)
An integrated approach to crop genetic improvement.
in Journal of integrative plant biology
Yu XD
(2012)
Metabolic engineering of plant-derived (E)-ß-farnesene synthase genes for a novel type of aphid-resistant genetically modified crop plants.
in Journal of integrative plant biology
Chen L
(2014)
Progress in TILLING as a tool for functional genomics and improvement of crops.
in Journal of integrative plant biology
Paolacci AR
(2014)
Iron deprivation results in a rapid but not sustained increase of the expression of genes involved in iron metabolism and sulfate uptake in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedlings.
in Journal of integrative plant biology
Derkx AP
(2012)
Identification of differentially senescing mutants of wheat and impacts on yield, biomass and nitrogen partitioning.
in Journal of integrative plant biology
| Description | Photosynthesis; variation in most photosynthetic traits, determined for diversity panels, has been shown to be heritable. Further work is now being undertaken on a mapping population to establish the genetic basis for the variation. Two genes homologous to ERECTA in Arabidopsis were identified on chromosomes 6 (TaER2) and 7 (TaER1) of bread wheat, with copies of each gene on each of the genomes of wheat. The expression of TaER1 and TaER2 was significantly and negatively associated with transpiration rate and carbon isotope determination while significantly and positively correlated with flag leaf area, biomass and yield. Transgenic lines with small decreases in Rubisco have been identified and are being characterised. These lines are predicted to have higher Rubisco activation states, and better nitrogen use efficiency and no yield penalty. Transgenic lines with over- and under-expression of CA1Pase have been produced which are predicted to have higher rates of carboxylation by less inhibited Rubisco under optimal conditions (CA1Pase over-expression), and better resilience to severe stress by inhibitor-protected Rubisco (CA1Pase under-expression). Nitrogen transport has been investigated for wheat nitrate and amino acid transporters with respect to N-uptake and N-remobilisation during senescence and grain N-accumulation. Influence of elevated CO2 on core genes in relation to nitrogen metabolism including those N-transporter have been investigated in wheat. Transgenic approaches in wheat manipulating expression (RNAi) of key transporters including cellular tissue localisation (GUS) and complementation (Arabidopsis mutant) for functional analysis are in development. Transient assays have confirmed subcellular localisation and yeast complementation substrate specificity for the analysed amino acid transporter. A NAC transcription factor has been identified involved in regulation of wheat senescence. Transgenic wheat lines manipulating specific NAC gene expression with delayed senescence and increasing grain N-concentration are promising for further analysis. Additional uplift projects have examined phosphate and zinc transporters in relation to acquisition efficiency and partitioning to the grain in relation to yield and other key phenotypic (NUE) characters using BBSRC WISP project germplasm. Phenotyping platforms development included establishment of major fixed site installation in summer 2015, including commissioning and testing on a variety of wheat germplasm with multiple N inputs. Additionally development and utilization of digital elevation modelling for crop height from UAV-based imagery has been refined. A field based phenotyping platform has been developed. We will combine resultant phenotypic data with genomic and RNAseq data to work towards predictive phenotyping Three novel TILLING alleles of Rht-1 have been extensively back-crossed into cv. Cadenza to reduce mutational load. These lines are being tested for effects on yield parameters in the field, alongside the "Green Revolution" Rht-D1b semi-dwarfing allele introgressed into the same variety and in comparison with TILLING alleles of the gibberellin (GA) biosynthetic gene TaGA20ox1. Wheat genome sequence data generated within the Wheat Genomics sLOLA, in collaboration with IWGSC, has been used to identify/reassemble most of the genes from the GA biosynthetic pathway of wheat).The map locations of the GA biosynthetic and signalling genes have been established by use of the W7984 whole genome assembly and its associated POPSEQ data. Expression patterns of all genes across development have been determined by exploiting RNA-seq from both IWGSC and our own experiments, identifying candidates for manipulation of specific growth stages. Exon capture data from the Wheat Genomics sLOLA (generated from EMS-mutagenised lines of Cadenza developed at RRes) was mapped to a custom set of candidate gene sequences from hormone signalling pathways. This identified a wide variety of functional mutations, including complete sets of loss-of-function mutations in all three homoeologues of the CPS, KS, KAO, GA3ox2 and GA20ox3 from the GA pathway. In addition, novel alleles in many genes relevant to other 20:20 Wheat projects and external collaborations have been identified. |
| Exploitation Route | Findings will be taken forward into future projects. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Environment |
| Description | Biotech regulations and wheat productivity' at an EU workshop "Wheat productivity in the EU: determinants and challenges for food security and for climate change |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Global Calculator |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Global Food Security Communications and Public Engagement Group |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Interview by 'Scientific Committee of the French High Council for Biotechnology' |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Research Perspective on innovation and new technologies in agriculture for the green economy |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | presentation to Business, Innovation and Skills, Whitehall |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | AAB Wheat Breeding Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker at conference |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Cereals 2012 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Maximising Yield Potential in Wheat featured as the central Rothamsted theme at Cereals 2012 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | International Wheat Meeting, Sydney |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | invited speaker at international conference |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Invited Speaker, "Best of British Wheat" Sutton Bonnington |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | research seminars at Nottingham University, in conjunction with Agrii |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Invited Speaker; The GM debate- a balanced view. IPM: Pushing Back the Frontiers AAB conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The GM debate- a balanced view. IPM: Pushing Back the Frontiers AAB conference - Huw Jones was invited to speak. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Member of International Advisory Board |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Significance of Sulfur in High-Input Cropping Systems Conference, Groningen |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | NABIM |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | invited speaker at NABIM research day |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | NFU-Farmer event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker at New Biotechnologies, NFU Event-Farmer Scientist Dialogue on Crop Biotechnologies |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Omex 'Fertilising the Minds' workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | invited speaker |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Phenodays 2015 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | the field phenotyping team presented work on automated field phenotyping at this annual workshop |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Plant Phenotyping Network workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited speakers at the UK Plant Phenotyping Network, Rothamsted |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Plenary lecture at Danish Cereals Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | plenary lecture at major cereals meeting |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Presentation at Significance of Sulfur in High-Input Cropping Systems Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Presentation 'Linking genes to field performance: adventures in sulfur research' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Review of the strategies for the comprehensive food and feed safety and nutritional assessment of GM plants per se |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | review with ADAS, Rothamsted, EFSA |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Sulphyton meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | presentation at annual sulphur workshop, Athens |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | WGIN Stakeholder meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited Speaker at WGIN Stakeholder meeting, industry and research partners of WGIN network |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | host to visitors from Nanjing University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Rothamsted hosted a delegation of visitors from Nanjing Agricultural University. the were given a presentation on this project and toured field trials and laboratories |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | invited speaker |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Malcolm Hawkesford invited to speak to NFU Farmer-Scientist event, Stoneleigh UK |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | invited speaker to stakeholders |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Martin Parry gave a talk on food security a the Yield Enhancement Network, Stoneleigh UK |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | invition to review/discuss new National Research Canada new wheat programme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Reviewed and discussed Canadian wheat programme |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | participation in Nitrogen Ideas Lab, USA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | workshop on improvement of nitrogen uptake and use efficiency in wheat |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | public discussion event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Huw Jones was the invited speaker 'Who is responsible for our food waste? Evening public discussion event with Tim Benton, Charles Darwin House, Organised by the Society of Biology in partnership with the BBSRC and the Global Food Security Programme, 23 Sept 2013 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |