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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Crop Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #379329
Research Project: Identification of Resistance in Sorghum to Fungal Pathogens and Characterization of Pathogen Population Structure

Location: Crop Germplasm Research

Title: Genome-wide association analysis for response of Senegalese sorghum accessions to Texas isolates of anthracnose

Author
item AHN, EZEKIEL - Texas A&M University
item Prom, Louis
item HU, ZHENBIN - Danforth Plant Science Center
item ODVODY, GARY - Texas A&M University
item MAGILL, CLINT - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: The Plant Genome
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/12/2021
Publication Date: 4/26/2021
Citation: Ahn, E., Prom, L.K., Hu, Z., Odvody, G., Magill, C. 2021. Genome-wide association analysis for response of Senegalese sorghum accessions to Texas isolates of anthracnose. The Plant Genome. Article e20097. https://doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.20097.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.20097

Interpretive Summary: Anthracnose is the most damaging foliar disease of sorghum, causing yield losses of up to 100% when susceptible lines are planted. To determine the reactions and which genes may contribute to resistance to the disease, 163 lines were screened in the greenhouse. The results showed that large number of the Senegalese lines were resistant and possess genes that play a role in host defense. This work is significant because it suggests that these lines may be an excellent source for use in breeding for anthracnose resistance; as well as, for future tests to verify a role for these genes in active host defense.

Technical Abstract: Anthracnose disease of sorghum is caused by Colletotrichum sublineola, a filamentous fungus. The genetic basis of resistance to anthracnose disease in sorghum is largely unclear, especially in Senegalese sorghum germplasm. In this study, 163 Senegalese sorghum accessions were evaluated in response to C. sublineola, and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed to identify genetic variation of response to C. sublineola using 193,727 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) scattered throughout the genome. Germplasm diversity analysis showed low genetic diversity and slow LD decay among the Senegalese accessions. Phenotypic analysis results showed differences in tolerance to C. sublineola that were relatively low. GWAS did not identify any significant association based on a strict threshold for the number of SNPs available. However, individual analysis of the top eight SNPs associated with relative susceptibility and resistance identified candidate genes that have been shown to play important roles in plant stress tolerance in previous studies. This study identifies possible sources for use in breeding for resistance to anthracnose and tags genes as possible targets for functional genomic analysis.