NRC-UKRI Pilot Programme. Prototyping Root System Architecture in Avena: Technologies for Environmental Sustainability and Food Security

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This pilot study brings together unique, complementary expertise in the UK and Canada for the optimization of root phenotyping platforms in germplasm development. The project will assess root phenotyping pipelines with the ultimate aim of relating differences in root architecture to field agronomic performance. The implementation of new high throughput phenotyping methods will enable the development of varieties with root architectures that provide yield resilience under a range of climates - benefiting the farming industry and global food security. Crop improvement has until recently focussed on above-ground biomass accumulation and partitioning. Improving the resilience of crop yields through the more efficient allocation of resources to root system architecture has not been explored in as much detail and is fundamental for efficient uptake and utilization of water and nutrients. Renewed interest in diversifying our crop resources has developed as the world focuses on food security and the environment. Oats are an alternative cereal for intensive arable rotations increasing crop diversity. Oats are a high-protein cereal crop with significant health benefits including a source of dietary fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients. In Canada, the Protein Industries Canada (PIC) supercluster has formed to address the need for crop protein innovation and value-added processing technologies and PIC has targeted growth in oats. In the UK, demand for oats for food use has risen by over 30% in the past 10 years due to its proven health benefits. This has driven research into developing an improved understanding of yield formation in oats and in developing superior germplasm using advanced phenotyping and genotyping techniques. Root system architecture (RSA) defines the shape and spatial arrangement of the root system. The intent of the project is to optimize and utilize precision root phenotyping technologies to identify diversity in important root and RSA traits in oat species. These will be related to field performance in trials in both the U.K. and Canada. In addition, we will apply appropriate genomic technologies to begin to understand the genetics of RSA.