Root traits and their potential links to plant ideotypes to improve drought resistance in common bean

Selection of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars with enhanced root growth would be a strategy for increasing P uptake and grain yield in tropical soils, but the strong plasticity of root traits may compromise their inclusion in breeding programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of the genotypic variability of root traits in common bean plants at two ontogenetic stages and two soil P levels. Twenty-four common bean genotypes, comprising the four growth habits that exist in the species and two wild genotypes, were grown in 4 kg pots at two levels of applied P (20 and 80 mg kg-1) and harvested at the stages of pod setting and early pod filling. Root area and root length were measured by digital image analysis. Significant genotype × P level and genotype × harvest interactions in analysis of variance indicate that the genotypic variation of root traits depended on soil nutrient availability and the stage at which evaluation was made. Genotypes differed for taproot mass, basal and lateral root mass, root area and root length at both P levels and growth stages; differences in specific root area and length were small. Genotypes with growth habits II (upright indeterminate) and III (prostrate indeterminate) showed better adaptation to limited P supply than genotypes of groups I (determinate) and IV (indeterminate climbing). Between the two harvests, genotypes of groups II and III increased the mass of basal and lateral roots by 40 and 50 %, respectively, whereas genotypes of groups I and IV by only 7 and 19 %. Values of the genotypic coefficient of determination, which estimates the proportion of phenotypic variance resulting from genetic effects, were higher at early pod filling than at pod setting. Correlations between shoot mass and root mass, which could indicate indirect selection of root systems via aboveground biomass, were higher at early pod filling than at pod setting. The results indicate that selection for root traits in common bean genotypes should preferentially be performed at the early pod-filling stage.

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Drought Resistance of Common Bean

Handbook of Plant and Crop Stress, Fourth Edition ◽

10.1201/9781351104609-43 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 805-812

Author(s):

Jose A. Polania ◽

Idupulapati M. Rao

Keyword(s):

Common Bean ◽

Drought Resistance

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Natural variation in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) for root traitsand biomass partitioning under drought

Indian Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.18805/ijare.v50i6.6679 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 50 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Parvaze A. Sofi ◽

Iram Saba

Keyword(s):

Common Bean ◽

Root Traits ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Biomass Partitioning ◽

Rooting Depth ◽

Leaf Biomass ◽

Root Weight ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Phaseolus Vulgaris L ◽

Shoot Dry Weight

The present study was undertaken to assess the response of common bean under drought in respect of root traits and biomass partitioning in fifteen common bean genotypes. The basal root whorl number and the number of basal roots was highest in case of WB-185 and lowest in case of SR-1, whereas, the basal root growth angle was highest in case of WB-258 and lowest in case of WB-249. Rooting depth measured as the length of longest root harvested was highest in case of WB-6 (66.2) while as lowest value was recorded for WB-112 (20.4). Dry root weight was highest in case of WB-216 (0.45) and lowest value was recorded for WB-341 (0.22). Similarly leaf biomass was highest in case of WB-6 (0.58) followed by WB-216 (0.58) and the lowest value recorded for WB-1186 (0.12). Shoot dry weight was highest for WB-6 (0.55) followed by WB-216 (0.44) and the lowest value recorded for WB-1186 (0.118). Pod dry weight was highest for WB-489 (2.28) followed by WB-216 (2.19) and the lowest value recorded for WB-83 (0.68).489. Root biomass proportion was highest for WB-195 (18.34) and lowest for WB-489 (10.00). Similarly leaf biomass to total biomass was highest in case of WB-83 (23.19) whereas lowest value was recorded for WB-1186 (7.60). Highest stem biomass proportion was recorded for Arka Anoop (19.19) and the lowest value was recorded for WB-1186 (7.591). Biomass allocation to pods was highest in case of WB-489 (69.92) followed by WB-1186 (68.69) whereas lowest value was recorded for WB-83 (45.40).

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Genome Wide Association Mapping of Root Traits in the Andean Genepool of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Grown With and Without Aluminum Toxicity

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.628687 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Ambachew ◽

Matthew W. Blair

Keyword(s):

Common Bean ◽

Candidate Genes ◽

Aluminum Toxicity ◽

Root Traits ◽

Al Toxicity ◽

Genome Wide Association ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Polygenic Inheritance ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Significant Difference

Common bean is one of the most important grain legumes for human diets but is produced on marginal lands with unfavorable soil conditions; among which Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a serious and widespread problem. Under low pH, stable forms of Al dissolve into the soil solution and as phytotoxic ions inhibit the growth and function of roots through injury to the root apex. This results in a smaller root system that detrimentally effects yield. The goal of this study was to evaluate 227 genotypes from an Andean diversity panel (ADP) of common bean and determine the level of Al toxicity tolerance and candidate genes for this abiotic stress tolerance through root trait analysis and marker association studies. Plants were grown as seedlings in hydroponic tanks at a pH of 4.5 with a treatment of high Al concentration (50 μM) compared to a control (0 μM). The roots were harvested and scanned to determine average root diameter, root volume, root surface area, number of root links, number of root tips, and total root length. Percent reduction or increase was calculated for each trait by comparing treatments. Genome wide association study (GWAS) was conducted by testing phenotypic data against single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker genotyping data for the panel. Principal components and a kinship matrix were included in the mixed linear model to correct for population structure. Analyses of variance indicated the presence of significant difference between genotypes. The heritability of traits ranged from 0.67 to 0.92 in Al-treated and reached similar values in non-treated plants. GWAS revealed significant associations between root traits and genetic markers on chromosomes Pv01, Pv04, Pv05, Pv06, and Pv11 with some SNPs contributing to more than one trait. Candidate genes near these loci were analyzed to explain the detected association and included an Al activated malate transporter gene and a multidrug and toxic compound extrusion gene. This study showed that polygenic inheritance was critical to aluminum toxicity tolerance in common beans roots. Candidate genes found suggested that exudation of malate and citrate as organic acids would be important for Al tolerance. Possible cross-talk between mechanisms of aluminum tolerance and resistance to other abiotic stresses are discussed.

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