scholarly journals Development of UAV-based high-throughput phenotyping technologies towards improving soybean breeding efficiency

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jing Zhou

Development of new crop varieties with improved traits through crop breeding programs is one of the promising solutions for the estimated food crisis in 2050 when agricultural production needs to double its current growth rate to feed 10 billion people in the world. Conventional crop breeding strategies largely rely on 'trial-and-error' and human input, limiting the trial capacity of breeding materials, the accuracy of measuring plant traits, and selection intensity of elite genotypes. These limitations have become a bottleneck to boost breeding efficiency as it is expected to meet the food demands. The goal of this research was to develop an integrated and automated high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) framework leveraging advanced technologies in remote sensing and artificial intelligence for estimating key traits and selecting elite genotypes towards improving the selection intensity and accuracy of conventional soybean breeding. To achieve this goal, this research features three objectives: (1) develop an integrated and automated UAV HTP framework for measuring crop traits accurately and efficiently, (2) estimate soybean yield and maturity date of breeding materials using UAV image features and machine learning models., and (3) select elite soybean lines using UAV image features towards improving the selection intensity and accuracy. A UAV-based HTP platform was developed to carry multispectral and high-resolution digital cameras and geo-referencing units. The platform was able to cover a 9-acre field within 2 hours. An automated pipeline was developed to process the collected time-series images and generate labeled image features. It was shown that the developed methods can deliver accurate measurements on plant height (coefficient of determination R[superscript 2] up to 0.90 with average errors within 5 cm) and consistent spectral reflectance. The UAV platform and image processing pipeline were applied to estimate two key agronomic traits for soybean breeding, i.e., the maturity date and yield. A group of image features was collected on 326 soybean progeny lines near their maturity stages (R7-8). Their maturity dates were estimated using a partial least square regression (PLSR) model with the image features as inputs and the visual maturity dates taken by breeders as outputs. The results showed that the image-based maturity dates highly agreed (R[superscript 2] [equals] 0.81) with the visual ones with the root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.4 days. For estimating the soybean yield, 972 soybean breeding plots in three maturity groups were planted under rainfed conditions. A mixed convolutional neural network (CNN) model was built to estimate soybean yield by taking seven image features (associated with plant height, canopy color, and canopy texture) and two categorical factors, i.e. maturity group and drought tolerance, as predictors. The prediction model could explain 78 [percent] of the measured yield with an RMSE of 391.0 kg/ha[superscript -1] (33.8 [percent] to average yield). To model the breeder's selection criteria and select elite soybean genotypes, a soybean breeding program was traced for three years. The progeny trial (PT) had 11,473 rows, and 1,773 among them were selected for a preliminary yield trial (PYT) and 238 were further selected for an advance yield trial (AYT). Seven agronomic traits, including yield, plant height, maturity data, flower and pubescence color, moisture and lodging were manually measured for soybeans in the two yield trials. The UAV imagery was collected every two weeks over the growing seasons, and a group of image features was extracted for each trial. Results show the progeny lines had the most variation among the three trials and the images collected at earlier stages (before R5) explained more variation than those at later stages. A Lasso model for selecting soybean lines with image features correctly identified 71 [percent] and 76 [percent] of the breeder's selection for the PT and PYT. The model selections in PT and PYT had respectively 4 [percent] and 5 [percent] higher yield, comparing the breeder [percent]s selection. In summary, the developed UAV HTP platform is capable of collecting image features of soybean breeding materials efficiently and delivering estimations of agronomic traits accurately. The accurate and subjective estimations of plant traits decrease the phenotypic variations in breeding trials. By liberating human labor from the onerous field evaluation, the population size of soybean breeding lines could be increased a lot, leading to increased selection intensity. Moreover, the proposed variety selection model was able to narrow down the breeder selections, further increasing the selection accuracy and intensity. Therefore, it is be concluded that the developed UAV HTP platform has great potential in improving soybean breeding efficiency by decreasing the phenotypic variations, increasing the selection accuracy and intensity. This research could be scaled up to other crop breeding programs and offered a paradigm of improving the breeding efficiency using HTP technologies.

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svetlana Landjeva ◽  
Tania Karceva ◽  
Viktor Korzun ◽  
Ganka Ganeva

Early-season drought is an adverse environmental factor affecting seedling emergence and crop establishment in winter wheat grown in continental climates. The different semi-dwarfing (Rht, reduced height) genes exert various effects on seedling growth, plant height and productivity. The occurrence of the major Rht genes in 69 Bulgarian bread wheat cultivars was postulated by molecular markers. Cultivars carrying Rht-D1b+Rht8 (1), Rht-B1b/d (6), Rht-B1b/d+Rht8 (19), or Rht8 (43) were identified. The three latter groups were compared in respect to germination and seedling growth in response to polyethylene glycol-induced osmotic stress, plant height and main yield components. Cultivars carrying only Rht8 produced longer roots, coleoptiles and shoots, and had smaller root-to-shoot length ratio in non-stress and in osmotic stress conditions compared with those carrying Rht-B1b/d or Rht-B1b/d+Rht8. The same cultivars produced shorter culms, shorter spikes with fewer spikelets, reduced number and mass of grain in the main spike, and reduced 50-grain mass. The Rht genic effects were confirmed on Rht near-isogenic lines. The preferential semi-dwarfing allele selection aiming to combine the advantages of Rht8 and Rht-B1b/d alleles in specific eco-climatic conditions and to improve breeding efficiency in wheat is discussed.


2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 305-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itamar Cristiano Nava ◽  
Ismael Tiago de Lima Duarte ◽  
Marcelo Teixeira Pacheco ◽  
Luiz Carlos Federizzi

Understanding the genetic control of phenotypic traits is essential to increase the efficiency of selection for adapted, high-yielding genotypes. The purpose of this study was to determine the genetic control of nine traits of hexaploid oat. Phenotypic data were collected from a population of 162 recombinant lines derived from the cross 'UFRGS17 x UFRGS 930598-6'. For the traits plant growth habit, hairs on leaf edges and panicle type, monogenic genetic control was observed. A quantitative and/or polygenic genetic control was stated for the traits panicle weight, panicle length, vegetative cycle, plant height, test weight and grain yield. High heritability was estimated for the traits vegetative cycle (h² = 0.89) and plant height (h² = 0.79), while moderate heritability was determined for test weight (h² = 0.51) and grain yield (h² = 0.48).


2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 693-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodinei Facco Pegoraro ◽  
Bruna Aparecida Madureira de Souza ◽  
Victor Martins Maia ◽  
Uirá do Amaral ◽  
Marlon Cristian Toledo Pereira

This study aimed to evaluate the growth characteristics of irrigated Vitória pineapple plants grown in semi-arid conditions and determine its developmental stages based on those characteristics. It was used a randomized block design with four replicates. The experimental treatments were: plant harvest at 270, 330, 390, 450, 510, 570, 690, 750, and 810 days after planting (DAP). The following variables were determined: plant height, stem diameter, D-leaf length, D-leaf fresh and dry mass, biomass production of plants and plant parts (organs), and vegetative biomass. Five phenological stages are proposed based on vegetative biomass production: < 20% biomass production (V1); 21-40% (V2); 41-60% (V3); 61-80% (V4); and > 80% (V5). The maximum growth rate for plant height, D-leaf length, and stem diameter was observed at the end of the phenological stage V1 (390-411 DAP), and at the end of stage V5 these plant traits had average values of 106, 82, and 7 cm, respectively. The maximum biomass accumulation rates were observed at stages V4 and V5, resulting in a final fruit yield and total fresh biomass of 72 t ha-1 and 326 t ha-1, respectively. Finally, we estimated that 80% of the accumulated biomass may remain in the field after fruit and slip harvest, and could be incorporated as plant residue into the soil.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-282
Author(s):  
Dewi Andriani ◽  
Desta Wirnas ◽  
Dan Trikoesoemaningtyas

Sorghum has a growing popularity for food, feed, biofuel, and therefore needs to be developed. The research aimed to compare the effectiveness of pedigree and modified bulk selection methods for improving yield in three sorghum populations. The genetic materials used were 60 F6 lines from three populations, namely PI 10-90-A x Numbu, PI 150-20-A x Numbu and PI 150-20-A x Kawali which had been selected using pedigree and modified bulk methods. The experiment was conducted from October 2018 to February 2019 at the Cikabayan Experimental Station of IPB University, Dramaga, Bogor. The experiment was arranged in an augmented design with six checks, namely Kawali, Numbu, PI 10-90-A, PI 150-20-A, Samurai 1, and Samurai 2 which were replicated four times. Observations were made on agronomic traits and yield. Plant height and grain weight per panicle had high heritability and large genotypic coefficients of variation. The contrast test results showed significant differences between populations in plant height, panicle length, days of harvesting and 100-seed weight. On the other hand, no significant difference was observed among selection methods, indicating that both methods were equally effective for increasing sorghum yield. The pedigree selection and modified bulk selection increased grain yield per panicle by 14.1 g and 18.2 g respectively. Bulk of the best genotypes in early generation could be an alternative of bulk selection method. Keywords: contrast test, differential selection, genotypic coefficient of variation, heritability


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waltram Ravelombola ◽  
Jun Qin ◽  
Ainong Shi ◽  
Fengmin Wang ◽  
Yan Feng ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a legume of great interest worldwide. Enhancing genetic gain for agronomic traits via molecular approaches has been long considered as the main task for soybean breeders and geneticists. The objectives of this study were to evaluate maturity, plant height, seed weight, and yield in a diverse soybean accession panel, to conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for these traits and identify SNP markers associated with the four traits, and to assess genomic selection (GS) accuracy. Results A total of 250 soybean accessions were evaluated for maturity, plant height, seed weight, and yield over three years. This panel was genotyped with a total of 10,259 high quality SNPs postulated from genotyping by sequencing (GBS). GWAS was performed using a Bayesian Information and Linkage Disequilibrium Iteratively Nested Keyway (BLINK) model, and GS was evaluated using a ridge regression best linear unbiased predictor (rrBLUP) model. The results revealed that a total of 20, 31, 37, 31, and 23 SNPs were significantly associated with the average 3-year data for maturity, plant height, seed weight, and yield, respectively; some significant SNPs were mapped into previously described loci ( E2 , E4 , and Dt1 ) affecting maturity and plant height in soybean and a new locus mapped on chromosome 20 was significantly associated with plant height; Glyma.10g228900 , Glyma.19g200800 , Glyma.09g196700 , and Glyma.09g038300 were candidate genes found in the vicinity of the top or the second best SNP for maturity, plant height, seed weight, and yield, respectively; a 11.5-Mb region of chromosome 10 was associated with both seed weight and yield; and GS accuracy was trait-, year-, and population structure-dependent. Conclusions The SNP markers identified from this study for plant height, maturity, seed weight and yield can be used to improve the four agronomic traits through marker-assisted selection (MAS) and GS in soybean breeding programs. After validation, the candidate genes can be transferred to new cultivars using SNP markers through MAS. The high GS accuracy has confirmed that the four agronomic traits can be selected in molecular breeding through GS.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Gerland Akhmadi ◽  
Bambang Sapta Purwoko ◽  
Iswari Saraswati Dewi ◽  
Dan Desta Wirnas

Anther culture technique is able to accelerate plant breeding activities. The objectives of this research was to determine the agronomic traits that could be used for selection of the dihaploid rice line population through the calculation of heritability, genotypic correlation, path analysis and selecting dihaploid rice lines. The plant material used was 65 dihaploid rice lines DH 1 of F1 anther culture plants and Ciherang and Inpari 13 as check varieties. Agronomic characters that could be used as selection character are generative plant height, number of filled grain per panicle, the total number of grains per panicle, weight of 1,000 grains, and grain per hill. Twenty three dihaploid lines were selected based good agronomic characters with criteria generative plant height between 80-120 cm, number of filled grains per panicle > 100, number of grains per panicle > 120, weight of 1,000 grains > 20 g, and grain per hill > 25 g.Keywords: anther culture, heritability, agronomic characters


Author(s):  
Penna Suprasanna

Abstract The basic tenet of crop improvement is the novel genetic variability that is achieved through selection, hybridization, mutation and recombination. The new technological innovations of plant breeding offer scope for transforming crop improvement with more precision and resolution. Advances in genomic-based tools and high-throughput phenotyping have enabled the analysis of genetic variation and identification of molecular signatures of agronomic traits. Molecular markers and molecular-marker-assisted breeding have facilitated the speedy selection of new, novel genetic combinations in breeding for high-yielding, stress-tolerant and nutritionally enriched crops. Transgenic methods have revolutionized modification for stress tolerance and higher productivity, and several genetically modified crops are under cultivation. Availability of genome sequencing platforms and genomic resources has significantly contributed to accessing novel genes and validating their functions. Genome-editing tools and recent advances of prime editing are now accessible for precise genetic alteration of plant traits. The new plant breeding tools will certainly foster development of highly productive, improved crop varieties for achieving food security and climate resilience.


Author(s):  
Soleman M. Al-Otayk

The present study was carried out to evaluate agronomic traits and assessment of genetic variability of some wheat genotypes at Qassim region, Saudi Arabia', during 2010/11 and2011/12 seasons. Fourteen wheat genotypes including five bread wheat and nine durum wheat genotypes were evaluated in randomized complete block design with three replications. The genotypes were evaluated for ten different yield contributing characters viz., days to heading, days to maturity, grain filling period, grain filling rate, plant height, number of spikes m-2, kernels spike-1, 1000-kernel weight, grain yield and straw yield. The combined analysis of variance indicated the presence of significant differences between years for most characters. The genotypes exhibited significant variation for all the characters studied indicating considerable amount of variation among genotypes for each character. Maximum coefficient of variation was observed for number of spikes m-2 (17%), while minimum value was found for days to maturity. Four genotypes produced maximum grain yield and statistically similar, out of them two bread wheat genotypes (AC-3 and SD12) and the other two were durum wheat (AC-5 and BS-1). The genotypes AC-3, AC-5 and BS-1 had higher grain yield and stable in performance across seasons. The estimation of phenotypic coefficient of variation in all the traits studied was greater than those of the genotypic coefficient of variation. High heritability estimates (> 0.5) were observed for days to heading, days to maturity, and plant height, while the other characters recorded low to moderate heritability. The high GA % for plant height and days to heading (day) was accompanied by high heritability estimates, which indicated that heritability is mainly due to genetic variance. Comparatively high expected genetic advances were observed for grain yield components such as number of kernels spike-1 and 1000-kernel weight. Grain yield had the low heritability estimate with a relatively intermediate value for expected genetic advance. The results of principle component analysis (PCA) indicated that the superior durum wheat genotypes for grain yield in the two seasons (AC-5 and BS-1) are clustered in group II (Fig. 2). Also, the superior two bread wheat genotypes (AC-3 and SD12) were in group I. Therefore, it could be future breeding program to develop new high yielding genotypes in bread and durum wheat.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongtao Cheng ◽  
Fenwei Jin ◽  
Qamar U. Zaman ◽  
Bingli Ding ◽  
Mengyu Hao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Plant height is one of the most important agronomic traits in many crops due to its influence on lodging resistance and yield performance. Although progress has been made in the use of dwarfing genes in crop improvement, identification of new dwarf germplasm is still of significant interest for breeding varieties with increased yield. Results Here we describe a dominant, dwarf mutant G7 of Brassica napus with down-curved leaves derived from tissue culture. To explore the genetic variation responsible for the dwarf phenotype, the mutant was crossed to a conventional line to develop a segregating F2 population. Bulks were formed from plants with either dwarf or conventional plant height and subjected to high throughput sequencing analysis via mutation mapping (MutMap). The dwarf mutation was mapped to a 0.6 Mb interval of B. napus chromosome C05. Candidate gene analysis revealed that one SNP causing an amino acid change in the domain II of Bna.IAA7.C05 may contribute to the dwarf phenotype. This is consistent with the phenotype of a gain-of-function indole-3-acetic acid (iaa) mutant in Bna.IAA7.C05 reported recently. GO and KEGG analysis of RNA-seq data revealed the down-regulation of auxin related genes, including many other IAA and small up regulated response (SAUR) genes, in the dwarf mutant. Conclusion Our studies characterize a new allele of Bna.IAA7.C05 responsible for the dwarf mutant generated from tissue culture. This may provide a valuable genetic resource for breeding for lodging resistance and compact plant stature in B. napus.


Weed Science ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary M. Fellows ◽  
Fred W. Roeth

Shattercane interference in irrigated soybean was evaluated during 1987, 1988, and 1989 at Clay Center, NE, using ‘Rox’ forage sorghum to simulate shattercane. Soybean yield reduction did not occur if shattercane was removed by 2 wk after emergence in 1987 and 6 wk after emergence in 1988 and 1989. Shattercane interference with soybean began when shattercane height exceeded soybean height. Soybean yield was reduced up to 25% before the height differential reached 30 cm, the minimum difference required for selectively applying glyphosate with a wiper applicator. Soybean nodes per stem, pods per stem, and beans per pod decreased as duration of interference increased. A direct relationship between soybean yield loss and shattercane density fit a rectangular hyperbolic function. Yield loss per shattercane plant was highest at low shattercane densities. Soybean plant height, biomass, nodes per stem, pods per stem, pods per node, and beans per pod decreased as shattercane density increased. An interference model for estimation of soybean yield and economic loss based on shattercane density was developed.


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