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
Thomas SG
(2017)
Novel Rht-1 dwarfing genes: tools for wheat breeding and dissecting the function of DELLA proteins.
in Journal of experimental botany
Le Gouis J
(2017)
Achieving sustainable cultivation of wheat Volume 1
Acevedo-Garcia J
(2017)
mlo-based powdery mildew resistance in hexaploid bread wheat generated by a non-transgenic TILLING approach.
in Plant biotechnology journal
Krasileva KV
(2017)
Uncovering hidden variation in polyploid wheat.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Sadeghi-Tehran P
(2017)
Automated Method to Determine Two Critical Growth Stages of Wheat: Heading and Flowering.
in Frontiers in plant science
Lake IR
(2017)
Climate Change and Future Pollen Allergy in Europe.
in Environmental health perspectives
Helliwell JR
(2017)
The emergent rhizosphere: imaging the development of the porous architecture at the root-soil interface.
in Scientific reports
Hawkesford MJ
(2017)
Genetic variation in traits for nitrogen use efficiency in wheat.
in Journal of experimental botany
Heyneke E
(2017)
Characterization of the Wheat Leaf Metabolome during Grain Filling and under Varied N-Supply.
in Frontiers in plant science
Evens NP
(2017)
The role of ZIP transporters and group F bZIP transcription factors in the Zn-deficiency response of wheat (Triticum aestivum).
in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
Virlet N
(2017)
Field Scanalyzer: An automated robotic field phenotyping platform for detailed crop monitoring
in Functional Plant Biology
McMillan VE
(2018)
Exploring the resilience of wheat crops grown in short rotations through minimising the build-up of an important soil-borne fungal pathogen.
in Scientific reports
Figueroa M
(2018)
A review of wheat diseases-a field perspective.
in Molecular plant pathology
Reich M
(2018)
Calcium ameliorates the toxicity of sulfate salinity in Brassica rapa.
in Journal of plant physiology
Plackett ARG
(2018)
The early inflorescence of Arabidopsis thaliana demonstrates positional effects in floral organ growth and meristem patterning.
in Plant reproduction
Saintenac C
(2018)
Wheat receptor-kinase-like protein Stb6 controls gene-for-gene resistance to fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici.
in Nature genetics
Hawkesford M
(2018)
Annual Plant Reviews online
Pennacchi J
(2018)
Dissecting Wheat Grain Yield Drivers in a Mapping Population in the UK
in Agronomy
Aghajanzadeh T
(2018)
Sulfur metabolism in Allium cepa is hardly affected by chloride and sulfate salinity
in Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science
Webber H
(2018)
Physical robustness of canopy temperature models for crop heat stress simulation across environments and production conditions
in Field Crops Research
Savill GP
(2018)
Temperature and nitrogen supply interact to determine protein distribution gradients in the wheat grain endosperm.
in Journal of experimental botany
Bouton C
(2018)
Foxtail mosaic virus: A Viral Vector for Protein Expression in Cereals.
in Plant physiology
Grün A
(2018)
Identification and expression profiling of Pht1 phosphate transporters in wheat in controlled environments and in the field.
in Plant biology (Stuttgart, Germany)
Paul M
(2018)
The Role of Trehalose 6-Phosphate in Crop Yield and Resilience
in Plant Physiology
Zörb C
(2018)
Perspective on Wheat Yield and Quality with Reduced Nitrogen Supply.
in Trends in plant science
Halford N
(2018)
Crop Biotechnology - Genetic Modification and Genome Editing
Andralojc PJ
(2018)
Increasing metabolic potential: C-fixation.
in Essays in biochemistry
Alotaibi SS
(2018)
Identification of Leaf Promoters for Use in Transgenic Wheat.
in Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
Valegård K
(2018)
Structural and functional analyses of Rubisco from arctic diatom species reveal unusual posttranslational modifications.
in The Journal of biological chemistry
Plackett ARG
(2018)
The early inflorescence of Arabidopsis thaliana demonstrates positional effects in floral organ growth and meristem patterning.
in Plant reproduction
Brown NA
(2018)
Fungal G-protein-coupled receptors: mediators of pathogenesis and targets for disease control.
in Nature microbiology
Pennacchi JP
(2019)
Stability of wheat grain yields over three field seasons in the UK.
in Food and energy security
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
Perdomo JA
(2019)
Rubisco activation by wheat Rubisco activase isoform 2ß is insensitive to inhibition by ADP.
in The Biochemical journal
Heyneke E
(2019)
Effect of Senescence Phenotypes and Nitrate Availability on Wheat Leaf Metabolome during Grain Filling
in Agronomy
Rossmann A
(2019)
Foliar N application at anthesis alters grain protein composition and enhances baking quality in winter wheat only under a low N fertiliser regimen
in European Journal of Agronomy
Perdomo JA
(2021)
The relative abundance of wheat Rubisco activase isoforms is post-transcriptionally regulated.
in Photosynthesis research
Barker R
(2021)
Mapping sites of gibberellin biosynthesis in the Arabidopsis root tip.
in The New phytologist
Pennacchi J
(2022)
A predictive model of wheat grain yield based on canopy reflectance indices and theoretical definition of yield potential
in Theoretical and Experimental Plant Physiology
Aghajanzadeh T
(2023)
Necrotrophic fungal infection affects indolic glucosinolate metabolism in Brassica rapa
in Acta Physiologiae Plantarum
Perdomo JA
(2024)
Down-regulation of wheat Rubisco activase isoforms expression by virus-induced gene silencing.
in Plant direct
| 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 |