scholarly journals Genomic Selection Improves Heat Tolerance in Dairy Cattle

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Garner ◽  
M. L. Douglas ◽  
S. R. O Williams ◽  
W. J. Wales ◽  
L. C. Marett ◽  
...  

Abstract Dairy products are a key source of valuable proteins and fats for many millions of people worldwide. Dairy cattle are highly susceptible to heat-stress induced decline in milk production, and as the frequency and duration of heat-stress events increases, the long term security of nutrition from dairy products is threatened. Identification of dairy cattle more tolerant of heat stress conditions would be an important progression towards breeding better adapted dairy herds to future climates. Breeding for heat tolerance could be accelerated with genomic selection, using genome wide DNA markers that predict tolerance to heat stress. Here we demonstrate the value of genomic predictions for heat tolerance in cohorts of Holstein cows predicted to be heat tolerant and heat susceptible using controlled-climate chambers simulating a moderate heatwave event. Not only was the heat challenge stimulated decline in milk production less in cows genomically predicted to be heat-tolerant, physiological indicators such as rectal and intra-vaginal temperatures had reduced increases over the 4 day heat challenge. This demonstrates that genomic selection for heat tolerance in dairy cattle is a step towards securing a valuable source of nutrition and improving animal welfare facing a future with predicted increases in heat stress events.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evans K. Cheruiyot ◽  
Mekonnen Haile-Mariam ◽  
Benjamin G. Cocks ◽  
Iona M. MacLeod ◽  
Ruidong Xiang ◽  
...  

AbstractClimate change and resilience to warming climates have implications for humans, livestock, and wildlife. The genetic mechanisms that confer thermotolerance to mammals are still not well characterized. We used dairy cows as a model to study heat tolerance because they are lactating, and therefore often prone to thermal stress. The data comprised almost 0.5 million milk records (milk, fat, and proteins) of 29,107 Australian Holsteins, each having around 15 million imputed sequence variants. Dairy animals often reduce their milk production when temperature and humidity rise; thus, the phenotypes used to measure an individual’s heat tolerance were defined as the rate of milk production decline (slope traits) with a rising temperature-humidity index. With these slope traits, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using different approaches, including conditional analyses, to correct for the relationship between heat tolerance and level of milk production. The results revealed multiple novel loci for heat tolerance, including 61 potential functional variants at sites highly conserved across vertebrate species. Moreover, it was interesting that specific candidate variants and genes are related to the neuronal system (ITPR1, ITPR2, and GRIA4) and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction functions for heat tolerance (NPFFR2, CALCR, and GHR), providing a novel insight that can help to develop genetic and management approaches to combat heat stress.Author summaryWhile understanding the genetic basis of heat tolerance is crucial in the context of global warming’s effect on humans, livestock, and wildlife, the specific genetic variants and biological features that confer thermotolerance in animals are still not well characterized. The ability to tolerate heat varies across individuals, with substantial genetic control of this complex trait. Dairy cattle are excellent model in which to find genes associated with individual variations in heat tolerance since they significantly suffer from heat stress due to the metabolic heat of lactation. By genome-wide association studies of more than 29,000 cows with 15 million sequence variants and controlled phenotype measurements, we identify many new loci associated with heat tolerance. The biological functions of these loci are linked to the neuronal system and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction functions. Also, several putative causal mutations for heat tolerance are at genomic sites that are otherwise evolutionarily conserved across 100 vertebrate species. Overall, our findings provide new insight into the molecular and biological basis of heat tolerance that can help to develop genetic and management approaches to combat heat stress.


BMC Genomics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Shi ◽  
Luiz Fernando Brito ◽  
Aoxing Liu ◽  
Hanpeng Luo ◽  
Ziwei Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The effect of heat stress on livestock production is a worldwide issue. Animal performance is influenced by exposure to harsh environmental conditions potentially causing genotype-by-environment interactions (G × E), especially in highproducing animals. In this context, the main objectives of this study were to (1) detect the time periods in which heifer fertility traits are more sensitive to the exposure to high environmental temperature and/or humidity, (2) investigate G × E due to heat stress in heifer fertility traits, and, (3) identify genomic regions associated with heifer fertility and heat tolerance in Holstein cattle. Results Phenotypic records for three heifer fertility traits (i.e., age at first calving, interval from first to last service, and conception rate at the first service) were collected, from 2005 to 2018, for 56,998 Holstein heifers raised in 15 herds in the Beijing area (China). By integrating environmental data, including hourly air temperature and relative humidity, the critical periods in which the heifers are more sensitive to heat stress were located in more than 30 days before the first service for age at first calving and interval from first to last service, or 10 days before and less than 60 days after the first service for conception rate. Using reaction norm models, significant G × E was detected for all three traits regarding both environmental gradients, proportion of days exceeding heat threshold, and minimum temperature-humidity index. Through single-step genome-wide association studies, PLAG1, AMHR2, SP1, KRT8, KRT18, MLH1, and EOMES were suggested as candidate genes for heifer fertility. The genes HCRTR1, AGRP, PC, and GUCY1B1 are strong candidates for association with heat tolerance. Conclusions The critical periods in which the reproductive performance of heifers is more sensitive to heat stress are trait-dependent. Thus, detailed analysis should be conducted to determine this particular period for other fertility traits. The considerable magnitude of G × E and sire re-ranking indicates the necessity to consider G × E in dairy cattle breeding schemes. This will enable selection of more heat-tolerant animals with high reproductive efficiency under harsh climatic conditions. Lastly, the candidate genes identified to be linked with response to heat stress provide a better understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms of heat tolerance in dairy cattle.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherzod Nigmatullayevich Rajametov ◽  
Eun Young Yang ◽  
Myeong Cheoul Cho ◽  
Soo Young Chae ◽  
Hyo Bong Jeong ◽  
...  

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanism for heat tolerance is important for the hot pepper breeding program to develop heat-tolerant cultivars in changing climate. This study was conducted to investigate physiological and biochemical parameters related to heat tolerance and to determine leaf heat damage levels critical for selecting heat-tolerant genotypes. Seedlings of two commercial cultivars, heat-tolerant ‘NW Bigarim’ (NB) and susceptible ‘Chyung Yang’ (CY), were grown in 42 °C for ten days. Photosynthesis, electrolyte conductivity, proline content were measured among seedlings during heat treatment. Photosynthetic rate was significantly reduced in ‘CY’ but not in ‘NB’ seedlings in 42 °C. Stomatal conductivity and transpiration rate was significantly higher in ‘NB’ than ‘CY’. Proline content was also significantly higher in ‘NB’. After heat treatment, leaf heat damages were determined as 0, 25, 50 and 75% and plants with different leaf heat damages were moved to a glasshouse (30–32/22–24 °C in day/night). The growth and developmental parameters were investigated until 70 days. ‘NB’ was significantly affected by leaf heat damages only in fruit yield while ‘CY’ was in fruit set, number and yield. ‘NB’ showed fast recovery after heat stress compared to ‘CY’. These results suggest that constant photosynthetic rate via increased transpiration rate as well as high proline content in heat stress condition confer faster recovery from heat damage of heat-tolerant cultivars in seedlings stages.


Author(s):  
Sherzod Rajametov ◽  
Eun Young Yang ◽  
Myeong Cheoul Cho ◽  
Soo Young Chae ◽  
Hyo Bong Jeong ◽  
...  

Understanding the mechanism for heat tolerance is important for the hot pepper breeding program to develop heat-tolerant cultivars in changing climate. This study was conducted to investigate physiological and biochemical parameters related to heat tolerance and to determine leaf heat damage levels critical for selecting heat-tolerant genotypes. Seedlings of two commercial cultivars, heat-tolerant ‘NW Bigarim’ (NB) and susceptible ‘Chyung Yang’ (CY), were grown in 42 °C for ten days. Photosynthesis, electrolyte conductivity, proline content were measured among seedlings during heat treatment. Photosynthetic rate was significantly reduced in ‘CY’ but not in ‘NB’ seedlings in 42 °C. Stomatal conductivity and transpiration rate was significantly higher in ‘NB’ than ‘CY’. Proline content was also significantly higher in ‘NB’. After heat treatment, leaf heat damages were determined as 0, 25, 50 and 75% and plants with different leaf heat damages were moved to a glasshouse (30–32/22–24 °C in day/night). The growth and developmental parameters were investigated until 70 days. ‘NB’ was significantly affected by leaf heat damages only in fruit yield while ‘CY’ was in fruit set, number and yield. ‘NB’ showed fast recovery after heat stress compared to ‘CY’. These results suggest that constant photosynthetic rate via increased transpiration rate as well as high proline content in heat stress condition confer faster recovery from heat damage of heat-tolerant cultivars in seedlings stages.


Author(s):  
Sherzod Nigmatullayevich Rajametov ◽  
Eun Young Yang ◽  
Hyo Bong Jeong ◽  
Myeong Cheoul Cho ◽  
Soo-Young Chae ◽  
...  

High temperature seriously effects on plant vegetative and reproductive development and reduces productivity of plants, while to increase crop yield is the main target in most crop heat stress tolerance improvement breeding programs, not just survival, under high temperature. Our aim was to compare temperature stress tolerance in two commercial tomato cultivars “Dafnis” (big fruit size) and “Minichal” (cherry fruit size) to develop early screening methods and find out survival rate and physiological responses of tomato cultivars on high temperature (40°C and within 70% RH, day/night) in 4-5 true leaf seedling stage- (4LS) and identifies the linkage of heat tolerance with fruit set and leaf heat damage rates (LHD) in seedling stage with subsequent vegetative traits at recovery. Results showed that heat stress significantly affected on physiological-chemical and vegetative parameters of seedlings regardless of tomato cultivars. Survival and the threshold level of high temperature tolerance in the seedlings of cv. “Dafnis” and “Minichal” were identified on days 7 and 9, respectively. Our findings revealed that photosynthesis (PN, Gs, Ci, Tr) parameters were increased and CHL content persisted steady value in cv. “Minichal” during heat stress period, however EC and RPL rates were lower than cv. “Dafnis”. Heat stress reduced the SFW in both cultivars in seedling stage, but PH and RFW were significantly decreased in the heat tolerant cv. “Minichal”, whereas this parameters were not significantly ranged in the heat susceptible cv. “Dafnis”. Additionally, there no found linkage between vegetative parameters with decreasing of PN and CHL rates during HT of seedlings. In plants of cv. “Minichal” with LHD-25, 50 and 75% were no found significant differences in PH, whereas in cv. “Dafnis” significant differences were determined in plants with LHD-75%, and the significant differences in rates of SFW and RFW were observed in plants of cv. “Dafnis” having LHD-75% for 28 days of recovery at NT condition. Taken together, we concluded that heat stress affected on physiological parameters regardless of tolerance level, and to identify heat tolerant genotype in tomato breeding program, screening and selection genotypes have to be evaluated at the vegetative and reproductive stages with consideration fruit size types. Since we could not find linkage between heat tolerances in seedling stage with fruit set at the reproductive stage and fruit set cannot be used as a general predictor of heat tolerance.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 63-63
Author(s):  
S Khalajzade ◽  
N Emam Jomeh ◽  
A Salehi ◽  
A Moghimi Esfandabadi

Milk production is significantly decreased by thermal stress. The survival and performance of an animal during heat stress periods depend on several weather factors, especially temperature and humidity. Researchers reported dramatic decreases in milk production as temperature rose above 30 degree of centigrade. Very high environmental temperature is common during the summer months in Iran. Rectal temperature is as indicator of heat tolerance and has been the most frequently used physiological variable for estimating heat tolerance in cattle. Some dairy cows are more heat tolerant and productive when subjected to heat stress. Identification and selection of heat stress resistant cattle offers the potential to increase milk yield in tropical environment. The aim of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters of heat tolerance and its relationship to milk production in Holstein Dairy Cows in Iran.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Adeel Zafar ◽  
Amjad Hameed ◽  
Muhammad Ashraf ◽  
Abdus Salam Khan ◽  
Zia-ul- Qamar ◽  
...  

Climatic variations have increased the occurrence of heat stress during critical growth stages, which negatively affects grain yield in rice. Plants adapt to harsh environments, and particularly high-temperature stress, by regulating their physiological and biochemical processes, which are key tolerance mechanisms. The identification of heat-tolerant rice genotypes and reliable selection indices are crucial for rice improvement programs. Here, we evaluated the response of a rice mutant population for high-temperature stress at the seedling and reproductive stages based on agronomic, physiological and molecular indices. Estimates of variance components revealed significant differences (P < 0.001) among genotypes, treatments and their interactions for almost all traits. The principal component analysis showed significant diversity among genotypes and traits under high-temperature stress. The mutant HTT-121 was identified as the most heat-tolerant mutant with higher grain yield, panicle fertility, cell membrane thermo-stability (CMTS) and antioxidant enzyme levels under heat stress. Various seedling-based morpho-physiological traits (leaf fresh weight, relative water contents, malondialdehyde, CMTS) and biochemical traits (superoxide dismutase, catalase and hydrogen peroxide) explained variations in grain yield that could be used as selection indices for heat tolerance in rice during early growth. Notably, heat-sensitive mutants accumulated reactive oxygen species, reduced catalase activity and upregulated OsSRFP1 expression under heat stress, suggesting their key roles in regulating heat tolerance in rice. The heat-tolerant mutants identified in this study could be used in breeding programs and to develop mapping populations to unravel the underlying genetic architecture for heat-stress adaptability.


Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Misganaw Wassie ◽  
Weihong Zhang ◽  
Qiang Zhang ◽  
Kang Ji ◽  
Liang Chen

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a valuable forage legume, but its production is largely affected by high temperature. In this study, we investigated the effect of heat stress on 15 alfalfa cultivars to identify heat-tolerant and -sensitive cultivars. Seedlings were exposed to 38/35 °C day/night temperature for 7 days and various parameters were measured. Heat stress significantly reduced the biomass, relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content, and increased the electrolyte leakage (EL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of heat-sensitive alfalfa cultivars. However, heat-tolerant cultivars showed higher soluble sugar (SS) and soluble protein (SP) content. The heat tolerance of each cultivar was comprehensively evaluated based on membership function value. Cultivars with higher mean membership function value of 0.86 (Bara310SC) and 0.80 (Magna995) were heat tolerant, and Gibraltar and WL712 with lower membership function value (0.24) were heat sensitive. The heat tolerance of the above four cultivars were further evaluated by chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis. Heat stress significantly affected the photosynthetic activity of heat-sensitive cultivars. The overall results indicate that Bara310SC and WL712 are heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive cultivars, respectively. This study provides basic information for understanding the effect of heat stress on growth and productivity of alfalfa.


2015 ◽  
Vol 140 (2) ◽  
pp. 144-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magaji G. Usman ◽  
Mohd Y. Rafii ◽  
Mohd Razi Ismail ◽  
Mohammad Abdul Malek ◽  
Mohammad Abdul Latif

Experiments were carried out to study the mechanisms for heat tolerance in chili pepper (Capsicum annuum). To assess these mechanisms, six genotypes were evaluated for cellular membrane thermostability (CMT) and for HSP70 gene expression. The plants were grown in an experimental plant growth chamber. The mean value of CMT indicates that membrane integrity was not damaged by the high temperature treatment (50 °C) in most of the genotypes. The genotypes were classified as follows: heat-tolerant (greater than 60%), moderately tolerant (30% to 60%), and susceptible (less than 30%). The heat-tolerant plants recorded the highest CMTs at 89.27%, 88.03%, and 85.10% for AVPP0702, AVPP0116, and AVPP9905, respectively, which might be the reason for the change in their cell membrane thermostability. AVPP9703 and AVPP0002 showed CMTs of 15.87% and 18.43%, which might indicate their sensitivity to heat stress. Heat shock protein 70 kDa was identified and found to be differentially expressed under the heat stress. Under heat stress, significantly increased levels of the HSP70 gene were detected after 2 h of temperature treatment at 42 °C, which indicated that this gene is quickly and sharply induced by heat shock. This was true for all genotypes tested, which were significantly up-regulated by more than 36.9-, 7.10-, 3.87-, and 3-fold for AVPP0702, AVPP0116, AVPP0002, and AVPP9703, respectively. The HSP70 gene was found to be significantly down-regulated under heat stress in ‘Kulai’. AVPP0702, AVPP9905, and AVPP0116 could be considered as heat-tolerant genotypes, whereas ‘Kulai’ and AVPP9703 were found to be heat-sensitive genotypes in this investigation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document