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ARS Home » Midwest Area » East Lansing, Michigan » Sugarbeet and Bean Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #254190
Title: Identification of Vigor Related Transcripts in Beta vulgaris When Germinated Under Abiotic Stress

Author
item NAEGELE, RACHEL - Michigan State University
item McGrath, Jon

Submitted to: Plant Biology Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/3/2010
Publication Date: 7/31/2010
Citation: Naegele, R., McGrath, J.M. 2010. Identification of Vigor Related Transcripts in Beta vulgaris When Germinated Under Abiotic Stress. Plant Biology Annual Meeting. Paper No. P01048.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Germination is the first opportunity to evaluate vigor for beet breeders. The initial condition a germinating seed encounters affects the speed and success of germination, the amount of stored energy reserves to withstand future stress, and the overall ability of the seedling to flourish. However, seedling or germination molecular markers to predict vigor are not currently employed. Little information is known on the genetics of germination and seedling vigor, or if seedling markers could accurately predict adult beet responses to stress. Germination, by definition, is stressful. The level of stress depends upon many variables including moisture and pathogens, which still affect adult beets. To understand differences in seedling vigor under stress and identify markers useful for breeding, an initial scaffold of germination under normal stress was created using information on gene expression and imbibition of true (naked) seed and fruits germinated in lab. Three varieties were tested for differences in vigor when germinated under stressed (water) or non-stressed (hydrogen peroxide) conditions, physically using imbibition data and genetically using gene expression data from 0 to 96 hours. Results demonstrated that between 0 and 24 hours the majority of imbibition had taken place for both varieties and gene expression was measured during this block of time. Over 350 genes related to varying development and stress response functions were tested and expression patterns were qualified between varieties and treatments. A subset of those genes was further tested by qPCR to quantify changes in gene expression between varieties. The subset of 45 genes was also tested against the same three varieties, 3 wks after germination under similar stress conditions and expression differences compared. This research will provide markers for beet breeders that can be used to predict population vigor at early stages of development improving the efficiency of breeding efforts. This research will also benefit the greater scientific community by providing information about stress response during germination and its relationship to later season vigor in a halophytic species.