Deciphering the molecular basis for photosynthetic parameters in Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) under drought stress

Xiuqing Gao; Hui Hui Chai; Wai Kuan Ho; Sean Mayes; Festo Massawe

doi:10.1186/s12870-023-04293-w

Deciphering the molecular basis for photosynthetic parameters in Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) under drought stress

BMC Plant Biol. 2023 May 30;23(1):287. doi: 10.1186/s12870-023-04293-w.

Authors

Xiuqing Gao^{1

2}, Hui Hui Chai³, Wai Kuan Ho³, Sean Mayes^{4

5}, Festo Massawe⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, China. 20220061@nuc.edu.cn.
² Future Food Beacon, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Malaysia. 20220061@nuc.edu.cn.
³ Future Food Beacon, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Malaysia.
⁴ Plant and Crop Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leics, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK.
⁵ Crops for the Future (UK) CIC, 76-80 Baddow Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 7PJ, UK.
⁶ Future Food Beacon, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Malaysia. festo.massawe@nottingham.edu.my.

Abstract

Background: Assessment of segregating populations for their ability to withstand drought stress conditions is one of the best approaches to develop breeding lines and drought tolerant varieties. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc.) is a leguminous crop, capable of growing in low-input agricultural systems in semi-arid areas. An F₄ bi-parental segregating population obtained from S19-3 × DodR was developed to evaluate the effect of drought stress on photosynthetic parameters and identify QTLs associated with these traits under drought-stressed and well-watered conditions in a rainout shelter.

Results: Stomatal conductance (gs), photosynthesis rate (A), transpiration rate (E) and intracellular CO₂ (Ci) were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) while water use efficiency (WUE) was significantly increased (p < 0.05) under drought-stressed conditions. A strong linear correlation was observed between gs, WUE, A, E and Ci under both water regimes. The variability between different water treatment, among individual lines and the interaction between lines and environment for photosynthetic parameters provides resources for superior lines selection and drought resistant variety improvement. Significant QTL for gs and F_V/F_M under well-watered conditions were mapped on LG5 and LG3, respectively, with more than 20% of the PVE, which could be considered as the major QTL to control these traits. Five clustered QTLs for photosynthetic traits under drought-stressed and well-watered conditions were mapped on LG5, LG6A, LG10 and LG11, respectively.

Conclusions: Significant and putative QTLs associated with photosynthetic parameters and the effect of drought stress on these traits have been revealed by QTL linkage mapping and field experiment in the F₄ segregating population derived from S19-3 × DodR in bambara groundnut. The study provides fundamental knowledge of how photosynthetic traits response to drought stress and how genetic features control these traits under drought-stressed and well-watered conditions in bambara groundnut.

Keywords: Bambara groundnut; Drought stress; F V/F M; QTL; Stomatal conductance.

MeSH terms

Chromosome Mapping
Droughts
Photosynthesis / genetics
Plant Breeding
Vigna* / genetics

Grants and funding

980018/North University of China