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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Genetic Improvement for Fruits & Vegetables Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #419436
Research Project: Solanaceous Crop Improvement and Disease Management

Location: Genetic Improvement for Fruits & Vegetables Laboratory

Title: Unlocking allelic variation in circadian clock genes to develop environmentally robust and productive crops

Author
item DWIVEDI, SANGAM - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India
item FELIPE QUIROZ, LUIS - University Of Galway
item SPILLANE, CHARLES - University Of Galway
item WU, RONGLING - Beijing Yanqi Lake Institute Of Mathematical Sciences And Applications
item Mattoo, Autar
item ORTIZ, RODOMIRO - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences

Submitted to: Planta
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/24/2023
Publication Date: 2/22/2024
Citation: Unlocking allelic variation in circadian clock genes to develop environmentally robust and productive crops. Planta. 259:72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-023-04324-8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-023-04324-8

Interpretive Summary: Biological or circadian clocks in plants are important for their growth and development; modifying them through genetic modification can result in higher crop yield and the ability to better withstand environmental stresses. An ARS scientist and his colleagues reviewed the literature that shows that plants with modified circadian clocks have better buffering capacity to environmental stresses. The authors also provide their perspectives on fruitful future scientific research directions in this field. The information provided will be valuable to scientists in developing new crops with enhanced yield potential and resilience to environmental stresses.

Technical Abstract: The circadian clock integrates endogenous signals and exogenous stimuli to coordinate diverse physiological processes. Advances in high-throughput non-invasive assays, use of forward- and inverse-genetic approaches, and powerful algorithms are allowing quantitation of variation and detection of genes associated with circadian dynamics. Circadian rhythms and phytohormone pathways in response to endogenous and exogenous cues have been well documented the model plant Arabidopsis. Novel allelic variation associated with circadian rhythms facilitates adaptation and range expansion, and may provide additional opportunity to tailor climate-resilient crops. The circadian phase and period can determine adaptation to environments, while the robustness in the circadian amplitude can enhance resilience to environmental changes. Circadian rhythms in plants are tightly controlled by multiple and interlocked transcriptional–translational feedback loops involving morning (CCA1, LHY), mid-day (PRR9, PRR7, PRR5), and evening (TOC1, ELF3, ELF4, LUX) genes that maintain the plant circadian clock ticking. Significant progress has been made to unravel the functions of circadian rhythms and clock genes that regulate traits, via interaction with phytohormones and trait-responsive genes, in diverse crops. Altered circadian rhythms and clock genes may contribute to hybrid vigor as shown in Arabidopsis, maize, and rice. Modifying circadian rhythms via transgenesis or genome-editing may provide additional opportunities to develop crops with better buffering capacity to environmental stresses. Models that involve clock gene'phytohormone'trait interactions can provide novel insights to orchestrate circadian rhythms and modulate clock genes to facilitate breeding of all season crops.