Evidence for the Application of Emerging Technologies to Accelerate Crop Improvement - A Collaborative Pipeline to Introgress Herbicide Tolerance Into Chickpea.

Accelerating genetic gain in crop improvement is required to ensure improved yield and yield stability under increasingly challenging climatic conditions. This case study demonstrates the effective confluence of innovative breeding technologies within a collaborative breeding framework to develop and rapidly introgress imidazolinone Group 2 herbicide tolerance into an adapted Australian chickpea genetic background. A well-adapted, high-yielding desi cultivar PBA HatTrick was treated with ethyl methanesulfonate to generate mutations in the () gene.

Identification of a Polyketide Synthase Gene Responsible for Ascochitine Biosynthesis in and Its Abrogation in Sister Taxa.

The polyketide-derived secondary metabolite ascochitine is produced by species in the Didymellaceae family, including but not restricted to species pathogens of cool-season food legumes. Ascochitine is structurally similar to the well-known mycotoxin citrinin and exhibits broad-spectrum phytotoxicity and antimicrobial activities. Here, we identified a polyketide synthase (PKS) gene (denoted ) responsible for ascochitine production in the filamentous fungus Deletion of the prevented production of ascochitine and its derivative ascochital in The putative ascochitine biosynthesis gene cluster comprises 11 genes that have undergone rearrangement and gain-and-loss events relative to the citrinin biosynthesis gene cluster in Interestingly, we also identified homologs in two recently diverged species, and var.

A reference genome for pea provides insight into legume genome evolution.

We report the first annotated chromosome-level reference genome assembly for pea, Gregor Mendel's original genetic model. Phylogenetics and paleogenomics show genomic rearrangements across legumes and suggest a major role for repetitive elements in pea genome evolution. Compared to other sequenced Leguminosae genomes, the pea genome shows intense gene dynamics, most likely associated with genome size expansion when the Fabeae diverged from its sister tribes.

Defense responses of lentil (Lens culinaris) genotypes carrying non-allelic ascochyta blight resistance genes to Ascochyta lentis infection.

Ascochyta blight of lentil is an important fungal disease in many lentil-producing regions of the world causing major yield and grain quality losses. Quick shifts in aggressiveness of the population of the causal agent Ascochyta lentis mandates developing germplasm with novel and durable resistance. In the absence of complete resistance, lentil genotypes CDC Robin and 964a-46 have frequently been used as sources of partial resistance to ascochyta blight and carry non-allelic ascochyta blight resistance genes.

Comparative genomics and prediction of conditionally dispensable sequences in legume-infecting Fusarium oxysporum formae speciales facilitates identification of candidate effectors.

Background: Soil-borne fungi of the Fusarium oxysporum species complex cause devastating wilt disease on many crops including legumes that supply human dietary protein needs across many parts of the globe. We present and compare draft genome assemblies for three legume-infecting formae speciales (ff. spp.

Characterization and genetic dissection of resistance to spotted alfalfa aphid (Therioaphis trifolii) in Medicago truncatula.

Aphids cause significant yield losses in agricultural crops worldwide. Medicago truncatula, a model legume, cultivated pasture species in Australia and close relative of alfalfa (Medicago sativa), was used to study the defence response against Therioaphis trifolii f. maculate [spotted alfalfa aphid (SAA)].

Draft genome sequence of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) provides a resource for trait improvement.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is the second most widely grown legume crop after soybean, accounting for a substantial proportion of human dietary nitrogen intake and playing a crucial role in food security in developing countries. We report the ∼738-Mb draft whole genome shotgun sequence of CDC Frontier, a kabuli chickpea variety, which contains an estimated 28,269 genes. Resequencing and analysis of 90 cultivated and wild genotypes from ten countries identifies targets of both breeding-associated genetic sweeps and breeding-associated balancing selection.

Identification of distinct quantitative trait loci associated with defence against the closely related aphids Acyrthosiphon pisum and A. kondoi in Medicago truncatula.

Aphids are a major family of plant insect pests. Medicago truncatula and Acyrthosiphon pisum (pea aphid, PA) are model species with a suite of resources available to help dissect the mechanism underlying plant-aphid interactions. A previous study focused on monogenic and relatively strong resistance in M.

Permanent genetic resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 October 2010-30 November 2010.

This article documents the addition of 277 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Ascochyta rabiei, Cambarellus chapalanus, Chionodraco hamatus, Coptis omeiensis, Cynoscion nebulosus, Daphnia magna, Gerbillus nigeriae, Isurus oxyrinchus, Lates calcarifer, Metacarcinus magister, Oplegnathus fasciatus, Pachycondyla verenae, Phaethon lepturus, Pimelodus grosskopfii, Rotylenchulus reniformis, Scomberomorus niphonius, Sepia esculenta, Terapon jarbua, Teratosphaeria cryptica and Thunnus obesus. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Austropotamobius italicus, Cambarellus montezumae, Cambarellus puer, Cambarellus shufeldtii, Cambarellus texanus, Chionodraco myersi, Chionodraco rastrospinosus, Coptis chinensis, Coptis chinensis var.

The B-3 ethylene response factor MtERF1-1 mediates resistance to a subset of root pathogens in Medicago truncatula without adversely affecting symbiosis with rhizobia.

The fungal necrotrophic pathogen Rhizoctonia solani is a significant constraint to a range of crops as diverse as cereals, canola, and legumes. Despite wide-ranging germplasm screens in many of these crops, no strong genetic resistance has been identified, suggesting that alternative strategies to improve resistance are required. In this study, we characterize moderate resistance to R.

The Medicago truncatula ortholog of Arabidopsis EIN2, sickle, is a negative regulator of symbiotic and pathogenic microbial associations.

The plant hormone ethylene negatively regulates bacterial infection and nodule formation in legumes in response to symbiotic rhizobia, but the molecular mechanism(s) of ethylene action in symbiosis remain obscure. We have identified and characterized multiple mutant alleles of the MtSkl1 gene, which controls both ethylene sensitivity and nodule numbers. We show that this locus encodes the Medicago truncatula ortholog of the Arabidopsis ethylene signaling protein EIN2.

Two alternative recessive quantitative trait loci influence resistance to spring black stem and leaf spot in Medicago truncatula.

Background: Knowledge of the genetic basis of plant resistance to necrotrophic pathogens is incomplete and has been characterised in relatively few pathosystems. In this study, the cytology and genetics of resistance to spring black stem and leaf spot caused by Phoma medicaginis, an economically important necrotrophic pathogen of Medicago spp., was examined in the model legume M.

The Medicago truncatula reference accession A17 has an aberrant chromosomal configuration.

Medicago truncatula (barrel medic) has emerged as a model legume and accession A17 is the reference genotype selected for the sequencing of the genome. In the present study we compare the A17 chromosomal configuration with that of other accessions by examining pollen viability and genetic maps of intraspecific hybrids. Hybrids derived from crosses between M.

Mapping quantitative trait loci in chickpea associated with time to flowering and resistance to Didymella rabiei the causal agent of Ascochyta blight.

Drought is the major constraint to chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) productivity worldwide. Utilizing early-flowering genotypes and advancing sowing from spring to autumn have been suggested as strategies for drought avoidance.

The chickpea, summer cropping, and a new model for pulse domestication in the ancient near east.

The widely accepted models describing the emergence of domesticated grain crops from their wild type ancestors are mostly based upon selection (conscious or unconscious) of major features related either to seed dispersal (nonbrittle ear, indehiscent pod) or free germination (nondormant seeds, soft seed coat). Based on the breeding systems (self-pollination) and dominance relations between the allelomorphs of seed dispersal mode and seed dormancy, it was postulated that establishment of the domesticated forms and replacement of the wild ancestral populations occurred in the Near East within a relatively short time. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.