13 ERA-CAPS. Identifying and exploiting genetic variation controlling seed yield and quality in oilseed crops

油菜是英国最重要的作物之一，为人类提供营养丰富的食用油，并为生物柴油的生产做出贡献，以满足可再生能源的义务。在全球范围内，它是仅次于大豆和油棕的第三大油脂来源，也是牲畜口粮营养蛋白粉的第二大来源。油菜也是一种非常有用的轮作作物，与小麦交替种植。这是广泛使用的，但杂草积累和增加疾病的潜在问题可能导致减少种植油菜。因此，高产作物将有助于可持续农业实践。1980年以来，油菜种子产量变化不大，产量水平随着种植面积的增加而提高。其中一个促成因素是，与小麦或玉米等作物相比，这种植物的整体形态和生长还没有高度适应作物产量。该项目的英国部分的目标是利用油菜基因组学和遗传分析方面的最新进展，确定影响种子产量、组成和整体植物形态的遗传变异，并利用这些变异来识别和理解影响这些性状的基因。了解基因功能的工作将借鉴德国和法国合作伙伴在该项目中开展的平行研究，该项目旨在确定控制种子形成关键方面的基因，并详细评估遗传变异如何影响种子组成。遗传分析工作使用了各种各样的油菜亲缘关系，尽管这些亲缘关系对作物改良没有直接作用，但有助于识别引起植物生长和种子形成有趣和相关变化的遗传变异。基因组学提供的高度精确的遗传分析有助于定义与性状相关的遗传变异相关的基因-在我们的例子中是种子形成。这些基因的功能可以被理解，并最终用于作物改良。我们将与育种公司合作，传递相关信息和如何使用它的建议。

Oilseed rape is one of the most important UK crops, providing nutritious oil for human consumption and contributing to biodiesel production to meet renewables obligations. Globally it is the third largest source of oils, behind soybean and oil palm, and is the second leading source of nutritious protein meal for livestock rations. Oilseed rape is also a very useful rotation crop grown alternately with wheat. This is used extensively, but problems with weed build-up and increased disease potential may could lead to reduced cultivation of oilseed rape. Therefore higher yielding crops will help with sustainable agricultural practices. However, the yields of oilseed rape seed has not changed significantly since 1980, and production levels have increased through increasing the growing areas. One of the contributing factors is that the overall form and growth of the plant has not yet been highly adapted for crop yield, compared to wheat or maize for example. The aim of the UK part of this project is to exploit recent advances in oilseed rape genomics and genetic analysis to identify genetic variation that contributes to seed yield and composition and to overall plant form, and use this to identify and understand genes that influence these traits. The work on understanding gene function will draw on parallel studies carried out by German and French partners in the project that aims to identify genes that control key aspects of seed formation and to assess in detail how genetic variation contributes to seed composition. The genetic analysis work uses a wide variety of oilseed rape relatives that although not directly useful for crop improvement, help to identify genetic variation causing interesting and relevant changes to plant growth and seed formation. The highly precise genetic analyses afforded by genomics helps define genes linked to genetic variation that is associated to traits- in our case seed formation. The functions of these genes can be understand, and eventually used for crop improvement. We will engage with breeding companies to pass on relevant information and advice on how to use it.