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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Griffin, Georgia » Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #349054
Title: Physiological characterization of peanut cultivars, experimental lines and wild species for drought & heat tolerance

Author
item LWE, ZOONG - Clemson University
item NARAYANAN, SRUTHI - Clemson University
item Tallury, Shyamalrau - Shyam

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/11/2018
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Peanut is an important crop grown worldwide for its nutritional value and economic significance. Although the demand for peanuts remains high, increasing drought episodes, combined with temperatures = 100°F, affect the reproductive efficiency of the crop and threaten the supply. Peanut plants are most sensitive to drought and heat stress during flowering, which drastically decreases yield due to poor pollen performance and reduced pod-set. There is no currently grown cultivar tolerant to both stresses. We tested Clemson experimental lines derived from wild species, wild species and currently grown cultivars for drought and heat tolerance. Plants were grown in a greenhouse at optimum conditions (82/72°F day/night + well-watered) until 9 days after flowering. Thereafter, plants were exposed to drought stress (82/72°F + water-withheld), heat stress (100/82°F + well-watered), drought & heat stresses (100/82°F + water-withheld) or optimum conditions [control] for 7 days. Pollen viability, pollen germination, and pod number were measured to assess pollen performance. Results showed that the Clemson experimental lines outperformed the currently grown cultivars and performed as well as the wild species in terms of drought and heat tolerance based on pollen performance. We will also profile and analyze the anther transcriptome of drought & heat-tolerant and susceptible genotypes in order to elucidate the underlying genes and biochemical pathways that drive pollen performance. Our findings will help develop drought & heat-tolerant and high-yielding peanut cultivars.