Producing more with less adapting high-yielding barley varieties to low-input agriculture

农业面临着巨大的压力，既要提高粮食、饲料和其他产品的产量和质量，又要减少其碳足迹。詹姆斯·赫顿研究所和邓迪大学提供为期4年的全额资助博士生奖学金，以确定适应可持续作物生产的大麦性状。该研究项目将与帝亚吉欧合作进行，并将在帝亚吉欧技术部门的托管配售期间提供进行额外的行业相关资格认证的机会，以及宝贵的行业经验。大麦是酿造和蒸馏行业的关键作物，帝亚吉欧在食品和饮料行业处于领先地位。大麦也是动物饲料的重要成分。尽管选择高产品种以最大限度地应对不可再生的投入、密集的土壤管理和单一种植确保了过去60年的有利可图，但现在很明显，它们对环境的影响在21世纪的农业中将是不可持续的。因此，需要为所谓的低碳农艺量身定做的概念上的新品种，以确保全球粮食安全。实现这一雄心勃勃的目标的首要任务是确定由基因决定的性状，以支持大麦对土壤环境的适应。我们假设，根部特征(如结构、毛发和分泌物)与低碳系统(如免耕)的适应有关，植物对土壤特征(如微生物区系)和土壤资源(如氮、土壤碳)的反应在反馈环中完整地联系在一起。Meta分析)，以提取不同土壤上对耕作的不同反应的大麦基因型和种质、感兴趣的潜在根系特征、土壤影响(包括土壤历史、环境/气候等)和快速筛选方法(Obj1)。快速品种筛选将利用传统和成像技术(Obj2)对照关键的土壤物理和健康特征(例如结构、沙土/壤土成分、养分水平)校准特征。随后将进行不同耕作条件下的田间小区试验(Obj3)。同时，该项目将重点研究植物特性、土壤健康特性和土壤结构(例如，通过土壤健康卡系统、水分、土壤强度和结构、C&N)。适当时，将通过适应品系和根际的比较基因组学、后基因组学和转录组图谱，实现特征和对土壤微生物组影响的遗传指标(目标4)。其结果将是确定与土壤耕作适应相关的大麦性状及其在低碳生产农艺条件下对生产力和土壤健康的影响，这将对大麦育种和农艺建议有价值。

Agriculture is under enormous pressure to increase crop yield and quality for food, feed and other products, while reducing its' carbon footprint. The James Hutton Institute and University of Dundee offer a 4-year fully funded PhD studentship to determine barley traits adapted to sustainable crop production. This research project will be conducted in partnership with Diageo and will offer the opportunity to undertake an extra industrially relevant qualification, alongside valuable industrial experience during a hosted placement within a Technical Division of Diageo. Barley is a critical crop for the brewing and distilling industry where Diageo is a leading player in the food & drinks sector. Barley is also an important component of animal feed. While high-yielding varieties selected to maximise their responses to non-renewable inputs, intense soil management and monoculture have guaranteed profitable yields over the past 60 years, it is now clear that their environmental impact will be unsustainable in 21st century agriculture. Conceptually novel varieties, tailored to the so called low-carbon agronomy are therefore needed to ensure global food security. Chief in achieving this ambitious objective will be identifying genetically determined traits, underpinning barley's adaptation to the soil environment. We hypothesis that root traits (e.g. architecture, hairs & exudates) are associated with adaptation to low carbon systems (e.g.no-tillage) and plants' responses are integrally linked in a feedback loop to soil characteristics (e.g. microbiota) and soil resources (e.g. nitrogen, soil carbon) Research will start with literature reviews (incl. meta-analysis), to extract barley genotypes and germplasm with differential responses to tillage in different soils, potential root traits of interest, soil impacts (inc. soil history, environment/climate etc.), and methodologies for rapid screens (Obj1). Rapid variety screens will calibrate traits against key soil physical and health traits (e.g. structure, sand/loam composition, nutrient levels) using traditional and imaging technologies (Obj2). These will be followed by plot field trials under differential tillage conditions (Obj3). While, this project will focus on plant traits, soil health characteristics and soil structure will be investigated (e.g. via the Soil Health Card system, water, soil strength & structure, C & N ). Genetic indicators of traits and effects on soil microbiome will be achieved through comparative genomics, metagenomic and transcriptomics profiles of adapted lines and rhizosphere where appropriate (Obj4). The outcome will be identification of barley traits associated with soil tillage adaptation and their impact on productivity and soil health under low carbon production agronomy which will be valuable for barley breeding and agronomic advice.